Gillon Leads 3-Point Barrage, Syracuse Beats Pitt 77-66

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - John Gillon scored 20 points and matched his career high with 11 assists, Andrew White had 21 points, and Syracuse beat Pittsburgh 77-63 with a daunting long-range attack on Saturday.

It was the second straight win for Syracuse (10-6, 2-1 ACC), which broke a five-game losing streak to Pittsburgh (12-4, 1-2 ACC), which had averaged 90.8 points over its previous five games.

Freshman Tyus Battle had 15 points, Tyler Lydon had 13, and Tyler Roberson had 10 rebounds and a career-high six blocks for the Orange, who shot 14 of 27 from beyond the arc.

Jamel Artis finished with 23 points to lead the Panthers, who never got closer than 15 until the final three minutes. Michael Young (22.7), who entered the game leading the ACC in scoring, finished with 17 on 6-for-15 shooting.

Pitt came into the game allowing 7.4 made 3-pointers per game. The Orange were 8 of 13 behind the arc in the first 13 minutes of play, bolting to a stunning 34-8 lead with 7:25 left in the opening half. Battle had a trio of 3s to lead the barrage, and White and Gillon each had a pair as Syracuse completed a 30-2 run.

A layup by Battle gave Syracuse a 36-8 edge before the Panthers closed the half with a 13-6 run to trail 42-21.

Artis and Young, the ACC's top two scorers and the second-leading scoring tandem in Division I, were a combined 2 for 13 for six points in the first half as the Panthers found few openings in Syracuse's zone defense. The Orange also registered six blocks, four by Roberson.

BIG PICTURE

Pittsburgh: In a signature home win on Wednesday night, Pitt shot a season-high 61.9 percent from behind the arc and matched a season-best 13 made 3-point field goals in an overtime win over No. 11 Virginia. The Panthers were 6 of 19 against Syracuse. ... Artis scored seven of his points on foul shots and was 6 of 14 from the floor. ... Sheldon Jeter was 3 of 10 for 12 points. ... Pitt outrebounded Syracuse 37-29, 17-7 on the offensive glass but only got 15 second-chance points, five more than the Orange.

Syracuse: Coach Jim Boeheim's signature zone defense shows signs of coming back to life. The Orange was torched for 25 3-pointers in splitting its first two conference games, allowing 16 from beyond the arc in a 15-point loss at Boston College and nine more at home in a 15-point win over Miami on Wednesday night. Pitt went 0 for 7 in the first half and finished 5 of 18. ... Gillon has 22 assists in the past two games.

UP NEXT

Pittsburgh travels to face No. 9 Louisville on Wednesday night.

Syracuse travels to face No. 21 Virginia Tech on Tuesday night.

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