No. 7 Duke surges late to hold off Syracuse 88-79 in ACC
By RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — No. 7 Duke began coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament with a tougher-than-expected 88-79 victory over ninth-seeded Syracuse, which was playing without suspended star Buddy Boeheim. Wendell Moore Jr. scored 26 points and Jeremy Roach had 17 in the second half as top-seeded Duke hung on to advance to Friday’s semifinals at Barclays Center against the winner of Miami-Boston College. The Blue Devils couldn’t shake the Orange until they closed the game on a 10-0 run. Playing without ACC leading scorer Buddy Boeheim, Syracuse got a lift from from big brother Jimmy Boeheim, who scored a season-high 28 points and was 6 for 9 from 3.