HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

No. 2 Syracuse 59, No. 21 Pittsburgh 54: Tyler Ennis scored six late points and finished with a team-high 16 as the host Orange remained undefeated with a hard-fought victory over their former Big East rival.

Syracuse (18-0, 5-0 ACC) and Pittsburgh (16-2, 4-1), which have emerged as the two top teams in the ACC in their first season in the league, struggled offensively for most of the afternoon, with the Orange making just 4-of-15 from 3-point range and the Panthers shooting only 38.3 percent overall. Syracuse ultimately prevailed by closing the game on a late 10-2 run and holding Pittsburgh without a field goal over the final six minutes.

In addition to Ennis, who shot 5-of-8 from the field and 5-of-6 from the line, the freshman guard was supported by C.J. Fair (13 points), Jerami Grant (12) and Rakeem Christmas (10). Lamar Patterson kept Pittsburgh in it with 18 points, including four second-half 3-pointers, while Talib Zanna added 12 points and 11 boards for the Panthers, who had their six-game winning streak snapped.

The Orange led 37-27 before Patterson made three 3-pointers in just over a minute to draw the Panthers within 39-36 with about 13 minutes remaining. Syracuse held a 46-40 lead a few minutes later before another 3-pointer by Patterson capped a 9-2 run to put Pittsburgh ahead with roughly six minutes to go.

The Panthers still led 52-49 with under three minutes left when Grant made a pair of free throws and Ennis followed on the Orange's next possession with a scoop in the lane to put Syracuse back in front. Ennis drove for a left-handed layup with 30 seconds left to make it a three-point game and added two late foul shots, as did Christmas, to help seal the win.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Fair led Syracuse with eight points at halftime as the Orange held a 25-21 advantage at intermission. ... Jamie Dixon fell to 10-5 against Syracuse as the Pitt head coach, including 5-2 at the Carrier Dome. ... The teams' benches combined for a total of five points.