Syracuse Orange vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights Match Player Stats On Dec 08, 2020

Myles Johnson's dunk with 4:10 left highlighted a game-ending run and gave Rutgers the lead for good Tuesday night as the No. 21 Scarlet Knights beat visiting Syracuse, 79-69, in an ACC/Big Ten Challenge game in Piscataway, N.J.

Rutgers (4-0) led by as many as 10 points in the first half before withstanding a series of second-half rallies by Syracuse (3-1) and holding the Orange scoreless from the field over the final 5:38, during which the Scarlet Knights went on a 17-4 run.

The win was the first for the Scarlet Knights against the Orange since Jan. 29, 2003. Syracuse won the previous 13 games between the former Big East rivals.

Ron Harper Jr. scored a game-high 26 points while Johnson (11 points, 12 rebounds) and Jacob Young (18 points, 10 assists) each had double-doubles for Rutgers. Montez Mathis had 19 points.

Alan Griffin scored 20 points for Syracuse, while Quincy Guerrier (18 points) and Marek Dolezaj (14 points) also reached double figures.

Rutgers led 34-30 at the half. Both teams came out red-hot after intermission and combined to hit 15 of their first 21 shots and almost played through two media timeouts before Syracuse, trailing 54-49, called timeout with 12:25 left.

A free throw by Harper with 10:51 remaining gave Rutgers a six-point lead before Syracuse went on a 16-7 run. A dunk by Griffin put the Orange ahead 59-58 for its first lead since 3-2.

The Orange took a pair of 3-point leads on a jumper by Griffin and a basket by Guerrier. Joe Girard missed a 3-pointer with a chance to double Syracuse's lead before Young drained a pair of free throws to start the decisive run.

Syracuse missed three shots on its next possession before Johnson's emphatic dunk.

Rutgers scored on its next three trips -- on a 3-pointer by Mathis, a scoop layup by Young and a driving layup by Harper -- to extend its lead to 73-65.

The Scarlet Knights never led by fewer than five the rest of the way as the Orange missed its final seven shots from the field.

--Field Level Media