Pittsburgh 55 SU 54
 NEW YORK, NY - Despite playing more than half of the contest without top scorer Preston Shumpert, Syracuse gamely battled Pittsburgh into overtime before falling in the BIG EAST Semifinal, 55-54.   Â
Shumpert had a team-best nine points and the game was tied at 26-26 when he was forced to leave the contest after getting poked in the right eye. The Panthers took advantage of his absence with a 7-2 run to end the half. The opening 20 minutes had featured nine lead changes and seven ties.    Â
Allen Griffin guided his mates back into the contest, sandwiching two layups around a Damone Brown basket to knot the score at 3434. When Pittsburgh pushed its advantage up to six points at 48-43, Griffin scored four of SU’s markers in an 8-2 run to send the game into overtime. His two free throws with 1:11 left were the final points of regulation and he added a steal in the final minute.   Â
Griffin continued his stellar work in the extra session with a three-pointer that gave Syracuse a 54-51 edge with 3:16 left. The Panthers answered quickly with a three and converted a free throw with three seconds left to clinch the triumph.   Â
Griffin was the only competitor who played all 45 minutes and he ended up with a game-high 19 points.   Â
The Pittsburgh victory helped avenge two regular-season losses at the hands of the Orangemen.
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Shumpert had a team-best nine points and the game was tied at 26-26 when he was forced to leave the contest after getting poked in the right eye. The Panthers took advantage of his absence with a 7-2 run to end the half. The opening 20 minutes had featured nine lead changes and seven ties.    Â
Allen Griffin guided his mates back into the contest, sandwiching two layups around a Damone Brown basket to knot the score at 3434. When Pittsburgh pushed its advantage up to six points at 48-43, Griffin scored four of SU’s markers in an 8-2 run to send the game into overtime. His two free throws with 1:11 left were the final points of regulation and he added a steal in the final minute.   Â
Griffin continued his stellar work in the extra session with a three-pointer that gave Syracuse a 54-51 edge with 3:16 left. The Panthers answered quickly with a three and converted a free throw with three seconds left to clinch the triumph.   Â
Griffin was the only competitor who played all 45 minutes and he ended up with a game-high 19 points.   Â
The Pittsburgh victory helped avenge two regular-season losses at the hands of the Orangemen.
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