College Basketball Roundup : Pitt Knocks Syracuse From Unbeaten Ranks, 81-76, at Carrier Dome

Syracuse owns the Carrier Dome, except when Coach Paul Evans’ teams come to play there.

Sean Miller scored 22 points Wednesday night, and Pittsburgh knocked off the previously undefeated, second-ranked Orangemen, 81-76, in a Big East Conference opener.

“I don’t know how many people believed in us,” said Evans, whose Panthers (7-4) have struggled this season after losing several key players to graduation. “The season was on the brink. This shows that we can beat anybody, but we can also lose to anyone.”

Evans’ Navy team upset Syracuse in the second round of the 1986 NCAA tournament, and Pitt has beaten Syracuse (13-1) in its last 3 meetings at the Dome.

The Panthers built a 40-28 halftime lead, but Syracuse closed within 45-44 with a 16-5 burst to open the second half. Miller, who had 17 points in the second half, made one of his 4 3-pointers to start an 8-0 run that put Pittsburgh ahead, 53-44, with 14:06 left.

A 10-2 run by Syracuse made it 71-68 with 3:51 left, but the Orangemen got no closer.

Derrick Coleman scored 19 points for Syracuse while Stephen Thompson and Sherman Douglas each added 18. Sophomore Jason Matthews had 18 points for Pitt.

Indiana 75, Ohio State 65--Jay Edwards scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half as the Hoosiers upset the No. 14 Buckeyes in a Big Ten opener at Bloomington, Ind.

Ohio State (9-3) had a 27-26 halftime lead, but Indiana (11-4) took the lead for good by scoring the first 8 points of the second half en route to its eighth straight victory. The Buckeyes came within 48-45, but Joe Hillman and Edwards hit consecutive 3-pointers for a 54-45 lead with 6:35 left.

Jay Burson scored 25 points for Ohio State.

Kentucky 76, Georgia 65--Reggie Hanson scored 20 points, while LeRon Ellis and Chris Mills each had 18 as the Wildcats upset the No. 20 Bulldogs in a Southeastern Conference game at Lexington, Ky.

Mills, who also had 12 rebounds, Ellis and Hanson broke the game open with successive jumpers to give Kentucky (6-7 overall, 1-0 in the SEC) a 57-43 advantage with 8:22 left.

Litterial Green scored 17 points for Georgia (9-3, 1-1), which had a 6-game winning streak snapped.

Louisville 74, Virginia 71--Keith Williams sank 2 free throws with 21 seconds left, and the No. 13 Cardinals held off the Cavaliers at Louisville.

Virginia (7-4), down by 14 points, came within 71-69 on Brent Dabbs’ 3-pointer with 1:10 left but lost its third straight game.

Bryant Stith had a rebound basket for the Cavaliers with 6 seconds left to make it 73-71, but Pervis Ellison added a free throw with 3 seconds left as Louisville (8-2) won its eighth straight game.

Tennessee 84, Auburn 73--Dyron Nix scored 21 of his 29 points in the first half as the 17th-ranked Volunteers downed the Tigers in an SEC game at Auburn, Ala.

Nix hit from all over the court, including 3 dunks and 4 3-pointers, as Tennessee (9-1, 2-0) built a 45-31 halftime lead.

Kelvin Ardister had 22 points for Auburn (7-3, 0-2).

Georgia Tech 92, East Carolina 69--Tom Hammonds scored 30 points and Brian Oliver had 24 as the No. 19 Yellow Jackets overpowered the Pirates at Atlanta.

Leading, 40-30, at halftime, Georgia Tech (8-2) opened the second half with a 14-7 run.

Blue Edwards scored 29 points for East Carolina (6-5).

Florida State 113, Rider 67--Tharon Mayes and George McCloud each scored 19 points as the No. 15 Seminoles trounced the Broncs at Tallahassee, Fla.

Rebounding from its first loss, to Villanova, Florida State (9-1) made 61.4% of its shots.

Jay Bizyak scored 14 points for Rider (3-8).

St. Mary’s 80, U.S. International 63--Robert Haugen scored 17 points, and the Gaels routed the Gulls at San Diego.

Erick Newman added 16 points and 8 rebounds for St. Mary’s (11-1). Paul Wilson had 22 points and 11 rebounds for USIU (6-10).