Syracuse Tops Duke 78-75 With Buzzer-Beating 3-Pointer

John Gillon proved to be the hero of Syracuse’s Wednesday night home game, as he sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Orange to a 78-75 victory over the No. 10 Duke Blue Devils.

John Gillon’s Buzzer-Beater Lifts Syracuse to 78-75 Win vs Duke

Syracuse’s win came after three straight losses, and also snapped Duke’s seven-game winning streak.

As soon as Gillon scored the final basket — which came after the Blue Devils’ Luke Kennard missed on a jumper and Syracuse got the rebound — the crowd at Carrier Dome went wild and stormed the court to celebrate the thrilling win.

Tyler Lydon commandeered the rebound on Duke’s final shot. He passed to Tyrus Battle first, and then Battle fed Gillon for the game-winner, which came off the backboard.

Gillon finished with 26 points, and was 3-of-4 from the 3-point line. The guard struggled in the first eight minutes, his only shot being an airball. Battle, who fought flu-like symptoms the last few games, had 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting.

“The second half I thought Tyus (Battle) first really just attacked, he had a stretch there where we were really struggling and he made some unbelievable plays like he did the last game that he was healthy,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said.

Kennard scored 23 points for Duke. Grayson Allen was just 2-of-11 from the floor and 1-of-8 from beyond the arc.

After the game, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski disputed the notion that his program and Syracuse’s are rivals.

“I don’t think it’s a rivalry,” Krzyzewski said. “I think every game in this league, everybody has a rivalry with us. Everybody wants to beat us. It’s been that way for 25 years. That’s the human nature I live in. I have to be ready for that, and I have to have my teams ready for that.”

Coach K likely feels this way partly because of his affinity for Boeheim, who is his Olympic assistant.

“I love Syracuse and obviously I love Jim and his family,” Krzyzewski said. “Congratulations to him. You don’t know what a treasure you have with him. … He’s brilliant, competitive, loyal and he doesn’t need his ego scratched. He’s humble. I love the guy and I’ll be forever grateful for him. It’s hard for me to think of a rivalry with Jim or Syracuse.”

Syracuse (17-12, 7th in Atlantic Coast) have now boosted their NCAA Tournament hopes. The Orange next travel to Kentucky to play Louisville on Sunday afternoon.

Duke (22-6, 3rd in Atlantic Coast) will next visit the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday.

SYRACUSE, NY – FEBRUARY 22: John Gillon #4 of the Syracuse Orange drives to the basket during the second half as Amile Jefferson #21 of the Duke Blue Devils guards on February 22, 2017 at The Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse upsets Duke 78-75. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)