Watch CBS News

Syracuse On To Final Four, Beats Marquette 55-39

WASHINGTON (AP) — Using its trapping, shot-challenging 2-3 zone defense to perfect effect, No. 4-seeded Syracuse shut down No. 3 Marquette 55-39 in the East Regional final Saturday, reaching the Final Four for the first time in a decade.

Coach Jim Boeheim and the Orange (30-9) haven't been to the national semifinals since a freshman named Carmelo Anthony led them to the 2003 championship.

Fittingly, a matchup between schools from the soon-to-break-apart, rough-and-tumble Big East became quite a struggle to score. Syracuse was led by senior forward James Southerland's 16 points.

Marquette (26-9) hadn't scored fewer than 47 points this season. But with Syracuse playing Boeheim's beloved zone throughout, Marquette kept turning the ball over, seeing its shots blocked or just plain missing.

(© 2013 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.