Orange get back to winning ways, down DePaul

Syracuse, NY – Playing their final Big East game at the Carrier Dome, the 17th-ranked Syracuse Orange got back to their winning ways by topping the DePaul Blue Demons, 78-57.

James Southerland had 22 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for the Orange (23-7, 11-6 Big East), who snapped a three-game losing streak -- all to ranked opponents.

C.J. Fair finished with 16 points, seven boards and three blocks, and Brandon Triche supplied 15 points, five rebounds and four assists in Syracuse's seventh straight win over the Blue Demons.

"It's been great and tonight was a great atmosphere," Triche said. "With my family being here I did not think I was going to be this excited. Tonight was more than senior night, I didn't care who we played, we had to win."

Cleveland Melvin paced DePaul (11-19, 2-15) with 15 points. Brandon Young finished with 12 points and six assists for the Blue Demons, who have dropped 14 of their last 15 games.

DePaul opened a 17-11 lead, but the Orange took control with 15 straight points late in the first half.

Syracuse trailed 24-20 when Rakeem Christmas ignited the run by hitting a jumper with just under six minutes remaining. The surge ended with Fair cleaning up Trevor Cooney's 3-point miss and knocking down a trey from the left corner on consecutive possessions.

The Orange maintained a double-digit lead for the majority of the second half as the Blue Demons could get no closer than six points.

A Baye Moussa Keita basket gave Syracuse its largest advantage at 73-49 with 2:39 to play.

Game Notes

Michael Carter-Williams had 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals for Syracuse ... The Orange made just 2-of-18 3-pointers ... Young became the sixth player in DePaul history with 400 assists ... The Blue Demons have lost 42 straight against AP-ranked opponents.