Syracuse Wins

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) -- The streak lives. Jason Hart hit a clutch 3-pointer to forge a late tie, then set up Damone Brown for a three-point play as No. 4 Syracuse rallied past St. John's 63-57 Monday

Monday, January 31st 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) -- The streak lives. Jason Hart hit a clutch 3-pointer to forge a late tie, then set up Damone Brown for a three-point play as No. 4 Syracuse rallied past St. John's 63-57 Monday night to remain unbeaten.
Hart, plagued by foul trouble, came off the bench with 8:30 left to spark the Orangemen to their 18th straight victory and keep them the only undefeated team in Division I
The Red Storm (13-6, 5-3 Big East) gave Syracuse (18-0, 8-0) fits all night, using their crisp passing attack to befuddle the Orangemen.
It seemed like St. John's would end the winning streak when Anthony Glover converted a three-point play to put the Red Storm up 54-49 with 5:23 left. They double-teamed Syracuse center Etan Thomas all night, preventing the Orangemen from taking advantage of his strong inside game. But Syracuse, which went nearly eight minutes in the second half without a basket, came back behind Hart, who had four fouls, as St.John's fizzled down the stretch for a third time in four game.
After Brown hit a baseline jumper, Hart hit a 3 from the right corner to tie the game 54-54. Bootsy Thornton then hit a jumper in close over the outstretched arms of Brown for a 56-54 St. John's lead, but that was the Red Storm's last field goal of the game.
Thomas tied it with two free throws, then Hart, double-teamed by Erick Barkley and Chudney Gray as St. John's pressed, found Brown alone under the basket for an easy layup with 1:58 left. Brown, who was fouled on the play, converted the free throw for a 59-56 lead. The Orangemen used their tough zone defense to shut down St.John's in the closing minutes.
Thomas, who had six blocks, stuffed Gray to force a shot clock violation and Hart, Brown and DeShaun Williams hit free throws over the final two minutes to secure the victory. Brown, Hart and Williams each had 12 points, while Thomas had eight points and 11 rebounds.
Thornton led St. John's with 13 points, while Barkley and Glover each had 12 and Lavor Postell added 11. St. John's shot 47.3 percent for the game (26-for-55) and might have come out on top if not for some awful foul shooting (2-for-9).Barkley missed four free throws and Glover missed two more when the Red Storm were clinging to a slim lead before Hart turned the game around.
Ohio State closed its win over St. John's with an 11-0 run, while Notre Dame finished its victory last Saturday with a 17-2 run. Syracuse closed this game with a 20-8 run.