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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) -- Syracuse was impressive defensively in the
first half against Georgetown and then solid enough in the second
half to beat its biggest rival.
|  | | Syracuse's Allen Griffin had a game-high 11 assists as the Orangemen held Big East rival Georgetown at bay. |
The Orangemen (No. 8 ESPN/USA Today, No. 12 AP) had just three 3-pointers but two came
in a 10-1 run late in the second half that helped them earn a 70-63 victory over Georgetown (No. 13 ESPN/USA Today, No. 12 AP) on Monday night.
Preston Shumpert and Damone Brown each had 23 points for
Syracuse (17-3, 6-2 Big East), which seemed to have the game in
control a couple of times only to see the Hoyas (17-3, 4-3) get
within four points twice in the late going.
In the matchup of teams that had both lost two of their last
three games, Syracuse dominated the first half, taking a 37-22 lead
by forcing the Hoyas into 15 turnovers and keeping them to 31
percent shooting from the field.
"We played as well as we can defensively in the first half,"
Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. "We had 10 open looks at 3s and
when you don't make any of them, a 15-point lead is nothing in
college basketball. They hit a couple of 3s and they're right back
in the game."
Even Syracuse going 0-for-10 from 3-point range in the first
half wasn't enough of a bright spot for Georgetown coach Craig
Esherick.
"Their first-half defense took us away from any type of
rhythm," he said. "We were fortunate to be down 15. It seemed we
couldn't make a pass and they were more aggressive on the boards. I
considered staying in the locker room."
Georgetown finally started getting inside against the 2-3 zone
and chipped away while holding Syracuse without a field goal for a
6½-minute stretch in the second half.
Demetrius Hunter of Georgetown drove to the basket with 8:30 to
play and was fouled hard by Allen Griffin. Hunter jumped up and
went chest to chest with Griffin but the two were quickly
separated. While they were being kept apart, Georgetown's Wesley
Wilson was caught giving Griffin what referee Tim Higgins said was
"a shot to the ribs" and he was charged with a technical foul and
ejected.
Hunter made one of his two free throws to make it 48-44 but
Shumpert made both free throws on the technical to restore the
six-point lead.
"He hit me in the stomach, but the ref's hand was right there
and he felt it," Griffin said. "That's how he got caught."
Mike Sweetney's dunk with 7:19 left got the Hoyas within 53-48
and that's when the Orangemen went on the decisive run.
DeShaun Williams hit a 3-pointer, Syracuse's second in 14
attempts in the game, to start it, and Griffin then stole the ball
and found Williams on the break for a layup.
"DeShaun hit probably the hardest shot on the court," Boeheim
said of the 3 that started the run. "He knocks that 3 down and
that really was the difference. We were struggling to find a way to
do anything."
Hunter missed a 3 for Georgetown and Jeremy McNeil made two free
throws with 5:14 left for a 60-48 lead. Sweetney made one free
throw and then Griffin hit a 3 as the shot clock expired to give
Syracuse a 63-49 lead with 4:22 to play.
"I knew the clock was running down," Griffin said. "I was
just going to come off the pick and shoot. I knocked it down and
I've done that a couple of times this year. Hopefully, it will be a
trend."
Georgetown got back within 64-60 on a dunk by Sweetney with 48
seconds to play, but Brown, who had 12 rebounds, had a dunk on a
fast break and made four free throws to offset a 3-pointer by Kevin
Braswell, who led Georgetown with 23 points.
"We battled back very well," Esherick said. "Kevin really got
us going by stepping up when he moved from the point to 2 guard."
Williams finished with 14 points for Syracuse and Griffin had
six points and 11 assists in front of a crowd of 21,054 at the
Carrier Dome.
Sweetney had 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Hoyas, who
finished with a 45-36 rebound advantage but shot a season-low 35
percent (21-for-60), including 6-for-20 from 3-point range.
"When a team comes out like Syracuse did and plays the same way
you do you have to play harder," Braswell said. "Good teams put
teams away. We made a run, they made some plays."
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ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard
Georgetown Clubhouse
Syracuse Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Preston Shumpert intercepts the pass and goes the other way for the hoop and the harm.
avi: 562 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Allen Griffin dumps it off to Damone Brown who finishes with a two-handed stuff.
avi: 575 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Allen Griffin's 3-pointer makes coach Jim Boeheim literally fall out of his chair.
avi: 1096 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Mike Sweetney takes the feed down low and converts the high-percentage shot.
avi: 761 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Allen Griffin says Syracuse was the more physical team on Monday night.
wav: 92 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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