Syracuse Fends Off Rutgers

Top 25 men/Far West

Etan Thomas scored a layup with 17.7 seconds to play as No. 19 Syracuse survived foul problems and Geoff Billet’s last-second 3-point attempt to defeat Rutgers 71-68 on Sunday in Syracuse, N.Y.

The Orangemen’s Marius Janulis scored 11 of his 19 points in the second half to help hold off Rutgers with key baskets late in the game. Todd Burgan added 19 for Syracuse (12-1, 3-0 Big East) before fouling out.

Rutgers (6-5, 0-3) fell behind by as many as 17 points in the second half, but rallied behind Billet and backcourt partner Earl Johnson, who combined for 12 of the Scarlet Knights’ final 14 points.

Johnson led Rutgers with 17, while Billet finished with 15.

(22) Rhode Island 74, Temple 64

At Philadelphia, Cuttino Mobley tied a school record with eight 3-pointers to spark the Rams (8-2, 1-0) to a win over the Owls (6-4, 0-1) in the Atlantic 10 Conference opener for both teams.

Mobley finished with 29 points, including 8 for 13 from 3-point range, as Rhode Island held off a late Temple charge after taking a 10-point halftime lead.

The Owls got 17 points from Lamont Barnes and 15 from Rasheed Brokenbrough.

(23) Arkansas 62, LSU 59

At Fayetteville, Ark., Landis Williams hit a short jumper with less than a minute to play, then deflected a pass at midcourt, chased it down and made a layup to help the Razorbacks (11-2, 1-0) stave off the Tigers (7-4, 0-1) in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.

Williams’ two baskets made it 60-57 with 35 seconds left, then Rogers Washington of LSU missed two free throws with 4.4 seconds left with the Tigers trailing 60-59.

LSU had an opportunity to win after Pat Bradley, a 95 percent freethrow shooter, missed the front end of a one-and-one for Arkansas with 16 seconds to play.

Illinois St. 64, Pacific 63

At Normal, Ill., Dan Muller’s 19 points led the Redbirds (8-3) to a victory over the Tigers (8-6) in a game that was tied 11 times.