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          No. 23 Syracuse pulls past Temple late 82-76

          Dec 16, 2013
          • Associated Press

          SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Brittney Sykes scored 11 of her 20 points in the second half as No. 23 Syracuse pulled away from stubborn Temple 82-76 Monday night.

          The Owls (5-3) had pulled to within 68-66 when Meghan Roxas hit a 3-pointer with 2:46 left. Sykes answered for Syracuse (9-1) with a three-point play and a layup. In between, Rachel Coffey hit a 3-pointer and the Orange lead was back to 10, 77-67, with little more than a minute to go.

          Shakeya Leary led Syracuse with 24 points, Brianna Butler 13, and Coffey 11.

          Syracuse led by 11 at halftime but hit a five-minute dry spell afterward. Feyonda Fitzgerald scored eight of her career-high 28 points in a Temple 16-4 run, including two 3-pointers, to come within 49-48. For the next five minutes the teams traded the lead four times.

          Natasha Thames added 12 points and 13 rebounds, Erica Coville 12 points for Temple.