NIT Roundup: Tuesday’s game

Massachusetts 81, Syracuse 77

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Dante Milligan slammed a two-handed dunk off a feed from Chris Lowe with 28 seconds left to give Massachusetts the lead as the Minutemen rallied from 17 points down in the final eight minutes. Massachusetts (24-10) advances to the semifinals against either Arizona State or Florida April 1. No team had beaten Syracuse twice in the Carrier Dome in the same season until the Minutemen found their long-range eye and made their stunning late rally. Ricky Harris led UMass with 23 points, Etienne Brower had 19, Milligan had 13 points and 11 rebounds, Luke Bonner had 13 points, Gary Forbes had nine points, and Lowe finished with 11 assists. Arinze Onuaku had 20 points to lead Syracuse (21-14), Donte Greene had 18, Jonny Flynn 14 and Scoop Jardine 12. Massachusetts made its Carrier Dome debut a memorable one back in November with a stunning 107-100 victory, the most points allowed by Syracuse in the Carrier Dome since it opened in 1980. Syracuse dominated the opening period, leading by 18 at the break, and increased it to 54-32 as Flynn stole the ball and fed Jardine for a fast-break layup with 14:38 left.

Associated Press