Orange Buzzer-Beater Downs #10 Blue Devils

Wednesday, February 22

7:00 PM

Syracuse University

(17-12) (9-7)

Duke

(22-6) (10-5)

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

2/22/2017 9:27:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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Gillon Drains Last-Second 3-Pointer

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – For the second time this season, Syracuse (17-12, 9-7 ACC) used a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to claim victory. This time, it came from graduate transfer John Gillon, and the Orange defeated #10/11 Duke (22-6, 10-5 ACC), 78-75, on Wednesday night at the Carrier Dome.

The largest college basketball crowd of the season, 30,331, crammed the Dome and witnessed the last-second heroics.

Gillon had a game-high 26 points, including 19 in the second half. He made 9-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-4 3-pointers, and all five of his free throw attempts. He also added six assists on the night. Gillon extended his program-record free-throw streak to 43-straight.

Trailing 37-28 with 18:53 to play in the second half, the Orange climbed back with a 21-10 run to take the lead, 49-47. Gillon and Tyus Battle each had eight points during the stretch.

The contest see-sawed the rest of the way as the team's knotted the score seven times over the last 12:30 of play.

With the Blue Devils up 68-65, Tyler Lydon scored inside and Battle hit a jumper to put SU ahead, 69-68, with 3:26 remaining. Duke answered on a Luke Kennard layup, but the Orange came right back on a Lydon post move, putting the Orange ahead, 71-70, with 2:40 left.

Grayson Allen, who was 1-of-7 on 3-pointers at the time, drained a 3-pointer with 2:22 left and Duke led, 73-71. After Battle answered with a jumper, Amile Jefferson gave the Blue Devils and two-point advantage on two free throws.

Gillon converted a layup through traffic with 37 seconds on the clock to tie the game, 75-75. Duke's Kennard missed a jumper with eight seconds left and, after Lydon's defensive rebound, Syracuse got the ball to Gillon, who converted the crowded game-winner as time ran out.

Duke had clinched its largest lead of the game at 10 points in the first half, 33-23, until it was cut by a reverse layup from Gillon under pressure to leave the Orange trailing by eight, 33-25, heading to the locker room. Syracuse kept the game within single digits throughout the entire second half.

Battle finished with 18 points and the duo of Lydon and freshman Taurean Thompson had 11 points apiece. Lydon led the Orange defense in rebounds with nine.

Syracuse made 25-of-47 from the field (.532), including 6-of-11 3-pointers (545), and 22-of-25 from the line (.880) in the win.

Kennard finished with 23 and Jayson Tatum had 19 points and 13 boards for the Bloue Devils.

The game featured a matchup of Hall of Fame coaches Jim Boeheim (Syracuse) and Mike Krzyzewski (Duke). The last time the two coaching colleagues were on the same sideline, they were guiding Team USA to the 2016 Olympic Gold medal in Brazil. Krzyzewski was head coach and Boeheim an assistant through a cycle of three Olympic Golds for the Americans.

Syracuse goes on the road to take on No. 7/6 Louisville on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 2 p.m., before hosting Georgia Tech in the regular-season finale on Saturday, Mar. 4 at 4 p.m. in the Carrier Dome.