Syracuse barely ends skid

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — After letting a seemingly comfortable lead dwindle to a single point in the closing seconds, No. 4 Syracuse squeezed past Maryland 5755 on Monday to end a twogame losing streak.

It was another close call for the Orange (262, 132 Atlantic Coast Conference), whose previous four games were decided by a total of 12 points.

“We’re in a lot of these games,” coach Jim Boeheim said. “For the most part we’ve made good plays at the end of them, and that’s why we are where we are. We’re not overpowering too many people, I can promise you that.”

Syracuse led 5139 with 5:45 left but allowed Maryland to close to 5655 with 47 seconds remaining. After C.J. Fair missed a jumper for the Orange, Baye Moussa Keita blocked a driving layup by Nick Faust to keep Syracuse in front.

Tyler Ennis scored 20 points and Fair had 17.

After opening the season with 25 straight wins, Syracuse dropped successive games to Boston College and Duke to lose its stature as the nation’s topranked team. Saturday’s game at Duke was decided by a pivotal call in the final seconds that caused Boeheim to storm the court, receive two technical fouls and an automatic ejection.

In this one, Boeheim was relatively calm on the sideline as the Orange forced 18 turnovers and limited Maryland (1513, 78) to 35 percent shooting.

ACC commissioner John Swofford said Monday that Boeheim won’t be disciplined after he came onto the court to protesting a key charging call during loss at Duke.

Wagner 67, Fair. Dickenson 64

In Teaneck, N.J., Latif Rivers scored 18 points and hit two late free throws to help Wagner (1611, 104 Northeast Conference) outlast Fairleigh Dickinson (1018, 68).

Kansas 83, Oklahoma 75

In Lawrence, Kan., Naadir Tharpe had 19 points to lead five Kansas players in double figures, and the fifthranked Jayhawks (226, 132 Big 12) held off Oklahoma (208, 96) to wrap up a share of their 10th consecutive Big 12 championship.

Wayne Selden and Andrew Wiggins added 15 points each, for the Jayhawks.