Hot shooting in second half gets Pitt past Syracuse, 64-53

PITTSBURGH -- — Jamarius Burton scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half as Pittsburgh shot 50% after halftime to beat Syracuse 64-53 on Tuesday night.

Pitt (8-12, 3-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) ended a two-game skid, using a 17-6 run that included three 3-pointers for a 56-46 lead with 3:52 remaining. Joe Girard made just one basket in the game, a 3-pointer, that pulled Syracuse to 60-53 with 36 seconds left.

Burton was 6 of 14 from the floor, added five assists and had three of the Panthers' seven 3-pointers. He has scored in double figures in 13 consecutive games.

Mouhamadou Gueye added 19 points and 10 rebounds for Pitt. John Hugley had 11 points and 18 rebounds and Onyebuchi Ezeakudo 11 points.

The Panthers were 13 of 26 from the floor and 6 of 12 from 3-point range in the second half. Gueye had 11 points after the break.

Buddy Boeheim scored 25 points on 9-of-23 shooting with four 3-pointers, and was the only one to score in double figures for Syracuse (9-11, 3-6). Cole Swider finished with nine points. Jesse Edwards and Jimmy Boeheim added eight points apiece. Girard was 1-of-9-shooting. The Orange entered with each starter averaging double-figure scoring.

Syracuse shot 28% (9 of 32) in the second half and missed 13 of 14 from distance.

Syracuse, which has lost three of its last four, hosts Wake Forest on Saturday. Pitt plays at Boston College on Saturday.

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