Syracuse Orange, N.Y. (AP) Buddy Boeheim scored 26 to become a 1,000-point career scorer and Syracuse breathed some life into its NCAA Tournament hopes by holding on for a 72-70 win over North Carolina Tar Heels on Monday night.
The Orange were up 14 with 5:18 to play, 10 with less than two minutes to go and eight going into the final minute before it turned into a nail biter.
Twice in the last two minutes the Tar Heels tapped out a missed free throw and hit a 3-pointer for a four-point possession. The second time, when RJ Davis hit a 3, North Carolina was within 70-66 with 42.9 seconds left.
A second late turnover by Syracuse led to a Caleb Love layup to make it 70-68 with 19 seconds left.
Joe Girard made 1 of 2 free throws for a three-point lead and the Orange fouled. However Love missed two free throws and Girard was fouled again. He again made 1 of 2 at 10.1 seconds for a 72-68 lead before the Tar Heels got a putback at the buzzer.
Quincy Guerrier added 18 points for Syracuse (14-8, 8-7 Atlantic Coast Conference), which had lost two straight. Leading scorer Alan Griffin (15.5 points) went 1 for 10, the make coming with 3:26 to play, but added two clutch free throws at 1:06.
Armando Bacot had 18 points and 15 rebounds for North Carolina (14-10, 9-6), which won the first meeting 81-75. Garrison Brooks scored 11 and Love 10. The Tar Heels were plus-20 in rebounding but had 20 turnovers, shot 38.2%, going 4 of 20 behind the arc, and were just 14 of 22 from the foul line.
Boeheim hit three 3-pointers during an 11-0 run to close the half for a 34-28 lead - the last 3 to reach 1,001 points for his career. Boeheim had five of his six 3s and 17 points before the break as the Orange went 7 of 17 from distance to the Tar Heels' 0 for 9.
Syracuse wraps up the regular season Wednesday at home against Clemson. North Carolina closes against visiting Duke on Saturday.
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1st Half
UNC
Tar Heels
28
SYR
Orange
34
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Garrison Brooks vs. Marek Dolezaj (Tar Heels gains possession)
19:19
+2
Garrison Brooks makes two point jump shot (Caleb Love assists)
2-0
19:19
+2
Joseph Girard III makes two point jump shot
2-2
19:01
Kerwin Walton misses three point jump shot
18:59
Armando Bacot offensive rebound
18:54
+2
Armando Bacot makes two point layup
4-2
18:43
Alan Griffin misses three point jump shot
18:41
Armando Bacot defensive rebound
18:34
Armando Bacot offensive foul (Marek Dolezaj draws the foul)
18:34
Armando Bacot turnover
18:17
Buddy Boeheim misses three point jump shot
18:15
Caleb Love defensive rebound
18:10
Caleb Love turnover (lost ball) (Joseph Girard III steals)
17:55
Joseph Girard III misses three point jump shot
17:53
Armando Bacot defensive rebound
17:48
Kerwin Walton misses three point jump shot
17:46
Rechon 'Leaky' Black offensive rebound
17:41
Marek Dolezaj blocks Armando Bacot's two point layup
17:39
Alan Griffin defensive rebound
17:33
Buddy Boeheim misses three point jump shot
17:31
Armando Bacot defensive rebound
17:00
+2
Kerwin Walton makes two point jump shot
6-2
16:39
Marek Dolezaj misses two point jump shot
16:37
Garrison Brooks defensive rebound
16:34
Marek Dolezaj personal foul
16:30
+2
Day'Ron Sharpe makes two point layup (Walker Kessler assists)
8-2
16:11
Joseph Girard III misses three point jump shot
16:09
Walker Kessler defensive rebound
16:01
Caleb Love misses two point jump shot
15:59
Day'Ron Sharpe offensive rebound
15:52
Jesse Edwards shooting foul (Day'Ron Sharpe draws the foul)
15:52
TV timeout
15:52
Day'Ron Sharpe misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:52
+1
Day'Ron Sharpe makes regular free throw 2 of 2
9-2
15:38
Marek Dolezaj misses two point jump shot
15:36
Day'Ron Sharpe defensive rebound
15:26
+2
Walker Kessler makes two point jump shot (Kerwin Walton assists)
11-2
15:09
+2
Jesse Edwards makes two point layup (Quincy Guerrier assists)
11-4
15:00
Caleb Love turnover (lost ball) (Jesse Edwards steals)
14:24
Joseph Girard III turnover (lost ball)
14:24
RJ Davis turnover (lost ball) (Buddy Boeheim steals)
14:19
+2
Marek Dolezaj makes two point layup (Kadary Richmond assists)
11-6
14:19
Walker Kessler shooting foul (Marek Dolezaj draws the foul)
14:19
+1
Marek Dolezaj makes regular free throw 1 of 1
11-7
14:04
Alan Griffin blocks Kerwin Walton's three point jump shot
14:02
Jesse Edwards defensive rebound
13:44
Armando Bacot blocks Jesse Edwards's two point jump shot
13:42
Kerwin Walton defensive rebound
13:24
Kerwin Walton misses three point jump shot
13:22
Jesse Edwards defensive rebound
13:16
+3
Buddy Boeheim makes three point jump shot (Kadary Richmond assists)
11-10
12:40
Garrison Brooks misses two point jump shot
12:38
Armando Bacot offensive rebound
12:36
Armando Bacot misses two point layup
12:34
Armando Bacot offensive rebound
12:34
Jesse Edwards shooting foul (Garrison Brooks draws the foul)
12:34
Garrison Brooks misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:34
+1
Garrison Brooks makes regular free throw 2 of 2
12-10
12:34
+1
Garrison Brooks makes regular free throw 2 of 2
12-10
12:23
Alan Griffin misses three point jump shot
12:21
Armando Bacot defensive rebound
12:18
Anthony Harris misses two point dunk
12:14
Andrew Platek offensive rebound
12:12
Marek Dolezaj blocks Andrew Platek's two point jump shot
12:05
Armando Bacot offensive rebound
12:04
+2
Armando Bacot makes two point driving layup
14-10
11:55
Alan Griffin misses three point jump shot
11:53
RJ Davis defensive rebound
11:45
Jesse Edwards blocks Garrison Brooks's two point layup
11:44
Tar Heels offensive rebound
11:42
TV timeout
11:30
Garrison Brooks turnover (lost ball)
11:16
Buddy Boeheim misses two point jump shot
11:14
Jesse Edwards offensive rebound
11:09
Jesse Edwards misses two point layup
11:01
Anthony Harris defensive rebound
10:58
Garrison Brooks misses two point jump shot
10:56
Marek Dolezaj defensive rebound
10:42
Alan Griffin misses two point jump shot
10:37
Garrison Brooks defensive rebound
10:34
RJ Davis misses two point jump shot
10:28
Jesse Edwards defensive rebound
10:22
Alan Griffin misses two point jump shot
10:20
Armando Bacot defensive rebound
10:13
Anthony Harris misses three point jump shot
10:11
Armando Bacot offensive rebound
10:06
Alan Griffin blocks Armando Bacot's two point jump shot
10:03
Andrew Platek offensive rebound
10:01
+2
Garrison Brooks makes two point dunk (RJ Davis assists)
16-10
9:59
TV timeout
9:59
TV timeout
9:32
+3
Buddy Boeheim makes three point jump shot (Marek Dolezaj assists)