PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- C.J. Fair scored a career-high 21 points and Scoop Jardine added 17, including a dagger 3-pointer with 1:11 to play, as No. 2 Syracuse escaped another close one with a 74-64 victory over Rutgers on Sunday.
The Orange (27-1, 14-1) improved their lead in the Big East standings to 2½ games over Marquette (No. 13 ESPN/USA Today, No. 12 AP) and Notre Dame (No. 25 ESPN/USA Today, No. 23 AP). They won two of their last three games by three points or less and this one looked to be going the same way.
The Scarlet Knights (12-15, 4-10) beat two Top Ten teams this season at home -- Florida and Connecticut -- and they were right there with the Orange, who have won 12 straight games in the series.
Gilvydas Biruta matched his career-high with 21 points for Rutgers, which was within two points four times from the 8:45 mark until there was 3:08 to play.
