SYRACUSE, N.Y. – With the score between Cincinnati and Syracuse tied in the closing seconds, the Orange's Jerami Grant drove the lane, and when his shot didn't fall, arms flailed all around the rim trying to corral the ball.
Somehow, the ball trickled in with 19.4 seconds left, and No. 3 Syracuse escaped with a 57-55 victory over No. 21 Cincinnati on Monday, its second scintillating win in three days.
"We didn't want to lose," said the Orange's Michael Carter-Williams, who had 19 points, including a three-pointer from the top of the key that tied it 55-55 with 1:20 left. "We picked up our intensity and our energy. We should have found that in the first half."
Syracuse (18-1, 6-0 Big East Conference) trailed by seven with just over five minutes left. But the Orange rallied to win in the final minute, just as it had at then-No. 1 Louisville 70-68 Saturday.
C.J. Fair was credited with the game-winning tip but admitted he wasn't sure who hit the ball.
"There were bodies down there, and the ball just went in the hoop," Fair said. "I just raised my hand."
The Bearcats (16-4, 4-3) were outscored 13-4 down the stretch. They had one last shot, but Cashmere Wright missed a straightaway three-pointer with 2.9 seconds left.
Georgetown 63, No. 24 Notre Dame 47 in South Bend, Ind. – Otto Porter scored 19 points to help the Hoyas (13-4, 3-3 Big East) hand the Irish (15-4, 3-3) their third loss in four games.
AP poll – Duke (16-1) returned to No. 1 after a one-week absence. Michigan (17-1) rose three spots to No. 2.
Women
No. 3 Connecticut 79, No. 4 Duke 49 in Storrs, Conn. – Ahead 32-30 at halftime, the Huskies (17-1) responded to coach Geno Auriemma's fiery speech and went on a 20-5 run in routing the Blue Devils (16-1), the last unbeaten Division I team, men's or women's.
"Tonight, the frustration came out of me in the locker room," Auriemma said. "Kelly (Faris) turned all that frustration into concentration and aggressiveness that helped us find a little bit of what was missing."
Faris finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
AP poll – Baylor (16-1) was No. 1 for the third straight week. Stanford (16-2) remained No. 6, and Cal (15-2) stayed No. 7.
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