Syracuse beats UConn before season-high crowd

SYRACUSE — Now that’s how to close out a big win against one of your fiercest rivals.

Holding a precarious two-point lead with just over six minutes to play Saturday, No. 2 Syracuse turned in a magnificent offensive performance down the stretch, spurred by an 18-1 run, to pull away from Connecticut 85-67 in a Big East Conference game before a season-best crowd of 33,430 in the rocking Carrier Dome.

Scoop Jardine and his cousin, fellow Philadelphia product Dion Waiters, led the final Orange charge by combining for 18 consecutive points in a five-minute span as SU improved to 25-1 overall, 12-1 in the conference, and won its 20th straight home game. SU is 25-1 for the first time in school history.

Jardine finished with a season-high 21 points, hitting 8-for-9 from the floor, including all four of his 3-point shots, in a dynamic 30-minute performance.

“Today our offense was clicking like it was early in the year,’’ said Jardine, who netted 15 second-half points and dished out six assists. “Our ball movement was excellent and we really found the open man (18 assists). And finally, the shots started falling.’’

Shooting just 28 percent on 3-pointers in the last eight conference games, and just 30 percent overall in Big East play, SU canned 10-of-16 Saturday.

Kris Joseph also hit 3-of-4 from 3-point range and finished with 15 points.

“When you make shots like that, the game is a lot easier,’’ SU coach Jim Boeheim said. “That’s the best offensively we’ve played all year (shooting 59.3 percent), and a lot of it had to do with us making shots we’ve been missing.’’

Jardine and Waiters, who scored 18 points, finished a combined 15-for-19 from the floor. Sophomore reserve C.J. Fair also had a superb game, making 6-of-8 shots for 14 points and grabbing a career-best 12 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.

“For me, it’s better balance,’’ said Joseph, who carried over his strong shooting from SU’s overtime win against Georgetown on Wednesday. “When I land where I’m shooting it helps me stay with the shot longer.’’

Boeheim said there was no rhyme or reason for SU’s hot hand. “Some days you go 4-for-16, some days 10-for-16 like today. All I tell my guys is to keep taking good shots and you’ll finally make them.’’

Despite its offensive execution, SU could not separate itself from the Huskies until the very end. Connecticut (15-9, 5-7), losing for the sixth time in its last seven games, also shot well from long range, going 8-for-19.

But after being blasted by Boeheim for a poor rebounding effort against the Hoyas, the Orange held its own on the boards with the Huskies, the conference’s second-best rebounding team.

“Marginally better,’’ Boeheim said of SU’s 31-29 board advantage. “C.J. was exceptional on the boards, and made some big shots. He really worked hard in practice on his jumper the last couple of days.’’

A 50-percent shooter, Fair was only 2-for-10 against the Hoyas, missing many of the same mid-range shots he had been making.

“I talked to my father (who helps Fair with his stroke) and he said there was nothing wrong with my shot,’’ Fair said. “Today I felt in a little better rhythm, and I didn’t hesitate when I got the ball.’’

Waiters calls Fair “our silent assassin. He can get a double-double and nobody notices. But he’s so important to our success.’’

After leading 43-34 at halftime, SU saw UConn cut the lead to 54-52 with 12½ minutes to play.

Fair then hit a big baseline jumper, and Joseph connected on his third 3-pointer to build the lead back to 59-52.

“Those were two really big plays,’’ Boeheim said. “We knew Connecticut wouldn’t go away because they still are a very good team no matter what their record says.’’

When SU didn’t score for nearly 2½ minutes, the Huskies drew within 63-61 at the 6:26 mark. This one appeared destined to go down to the wire just like against Georgetown, but Jardine had other thoughts.

Fair found Jardine for a 3-pointer on the wing. And after a UConn shot clock violation, Jardine pulled up for another three to boost the SU lead back to 69-61.

“Both of those were within the flow of the offense,’’ Jardine said. “I got my feet under me and shot with confidence.’’

Waiters then converted a three-point play, and Jardine also drove the lane for an easy bucket. Waiters added two more quick hoops, one a 10-foot fadeway jumper, and the second a follow shot.

Jardine’s final hoop, another three from the corner, had the fourth largest crowd in Dome history in a frenzy as the lead ballooned to 81-62 with just under a minute remaining.

Included in the throng was big-time 7-foot recruit Nerlens Noel, who is considering SU.

“We played really well to get up two,’’ Boeheim said. “Then we played great to pull away.’’

Connecticut was playing its third game without Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun, who is on medical leave because of recurring back problems.

Interim coach George Blaney said the Huskies “played as hard as we have in a long time. Syracuse just had too many answers today.’’

Jeremy Lamb led UConn with 18 points, Ryan Boatright added 14 and freshman center Andre Drummond 13.

Next up for SU is an ESPN Big Monday game at Louisville, a team that neither Jardine nor Joseph have beaten in their four years at SU.

“It would mean a lot to go down there and win,’’ Joseph said. “But it’s going to take an even better effort than today.’’