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Freshman center leads Syracuse over St. John’s

By Associated Press
SHARE Freshman center leads Syracuse over St. John’s
Syracuse's Scoop Jardine drives past St. John's Dwight Hardy during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big East Championship, Thursday, March 10, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Syracuse’s Scoop Jardine drives past St. John’s Dwight Hardy during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big East Championship, Thursday, March 10, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Mary Altaffer, Associated Press
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St. John's Justin Brownlee goes to the basket against Syracuse's Baye Moussa Keita during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big East Championship, Thursday, March 10, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

St. John’s Justin Brownlee goes to the basket against Syracuse’s Baye Moussa Keita during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big East Championship, Thursday, March 10, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Mary Altaffer, Associated Press
2 of 4
Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim gives his team direction during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against St. Johns at the Big East Championship, Thursday, March 10, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim gives his team direction during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against St. Johns at the Big East Championship, Thursday, March 10, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Mary Altaffer, Associated Press
3 of 4
St. John's Dwight Hardy (12) goes to the basket against Syracuse's Kris Joseph, left, and Rick Jackson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big East Championship, Thursday, March 10, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

St. John’s Dwight Hardy (12) goes to the basket against Syracuse’s Kris Joseph, left, and Rick Jackson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big East Championship, Thursday, March 10, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Mary Altaffer, Associated Press
4 of 4
Syracuse's Scoop Jardine drives past St. John's Dwight Hardy during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big East Championship, Thursday, March 10, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
St. John's Justin Brownlee goes to the basket against Syracuse's Baye Moussa Keita during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big East Championship, Thursday, March 10, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim gives his team direction during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against St. Johns at the Big East Championship, Thursday, March 10, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
St. John's Dwight Hardy (12) goes to the basket against Syracuse's Kris Joseph, left, and Rick Jackson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big East Championship, Thursday, March 10, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

NEW YORK — Freshman center Fab Melo scored a career-high 12 points, including two layups in the final 2 minutes, and No. 11 Syracuse beat No. 17 St. John's 79-73 on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament.

Brandon Triche had a season-high 22 points for the fourth-seeded Orange (26-6), who will meet ninth-seeded and 21st-ranked Connecticut (24-9) in the semifinals Friday night. The Huskies beat top-seeded Pittsburgh 76-74 on Kemba Walker's buzzer-beating jumper Thursday.

Melo, a 7-foot native of Brazil who has been inconsistent in his rookie season, gave the Orange the lead for good at 70-68 with a layup off an inbounds pass with 2 minutes left.

He added another layup on a bounce pass from Triche that made it 74-70 with 32 seconds left.

Dwight Hardy had 22 points for the Red Storm (21-11), who advanced to the quarterfinals with a controversial second-round win over Rutgers.

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