BIG EAST ROUNDUP Syracuse holds off UConn

The Orange's 67-63 win put them in the title game against West Virginia.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK -- Hakim Warrick had 26 points and 10 rebounds and No. 16 Syracuse held on for a 67-63 victory over No. 12 Connecticut on Friday night in the semifinals of the Big East tournament.
The third-seeded Orange (26-6) advanced to the title game for the first time since 1998. They will try to win their fourth championship, and first since 1992, against eighth-seeded West Virginia, which beat fourth-seeded Villanova 78-76 Friday, a day after knocking off top-seeded Boston College in the quarterfinals.
Charlie Villanueva had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Huskies (22-7), who had their string of three straight championship games ended. Connecticut, the defending national champion, won the Big East in 2002 and 2004.
Syracuse looked very different from the team that lost twice to Connecticut during the season, including an 88-70 loss last Saturday.
Impressive defense
The Orange used some impressive defense to take a 32-19 halftime lead and they twice led by 21 points, the last time at 48-27 on a dunk by Warrick with 12:47 to play.
But Warrick, the conference player of the year, picked up his fourth foul 21 seconds later and the Huskies took advantage.
Connecticut, which shot 24 percent in the first half, suddenly started hitting shots and without Warrick's presence inside, Syracuse began to struggle on the offensive end.
The Huskies went on a 13-4 run that made it 52-40 with 5:32 left. Warrick returned and hit a turnaround that seemed to reignite the Orange.
But Connecticut wasn't done.
The Huskies got within six points three times only to see Warrick or Gerry McNamara, who had 15 points, respond for Syracuse.
Connecticut could have been even closer but in an 11-second stretch the Huskies went 1-for-5 from the free throw line. Syracuse ended any thoughts of an incredible comeback for Connecticut by going 6-for-8 from the line over the final 45 seconds.
Marcus Williams had 11 points and seven assists for Connecticut, while Josh Boone had nine points and 13 rebounds. The Huskies shot 34 percent for the game (23-for-67).West Virginia 78, No. 19 Villanova 76
NEW YORK -- Mike Gansey made two free throws with .2 seconds to play to give West Virginia a victory over No. 19 Villanova, sending the Mountaineers into their first Big East tournament championship game.
Gansey, who finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds, was fouled as he put up his second rebound of a missed 3-pointer by Patrick Beilein. Gansey, a 72 percent free throw shooter this season, made both to keep the tournament run alive for West Virginia (21-9), the first No. 8 seed to reach the title game.
The Mountaineers, who beat top-seeded Boston College in the quarterfinals, have a chance to make some Big East history. No team has ever won four games to win the league title.
West Virginia, which beat Providence 82-59 in the opening round, is the third team to win three games and get to the championship game and the first since Pittsburgh in 2001.
Randy Foye had 22 points for the fourth-seeded Wildcats (22-7), who had their eight-game winning streak snapped. Their last championship game appearance was in 1997 and their last title as in 1995.
Foye scored in the lane with 10 seconds to play to tie the game at 76. West Virginia didn't call a timeout and Beilein let fly from the right side with about 4 seconds left. Gansey grabbed the loose ball, went up and hit the bottom of the backboard. The ball came right back to him and he was fouled by Allan Ray.