Syracuse advances to face Connecticut

Eric Devendorf scored all but one of his 19 points in a technical-filled second half and No. 18 Syracuse pulled away for an 89-74 victory over Seton Hall on Wednesday night in the second round of the Big East tournament at New York.

Jonny Flynn had 19 points and 11 assists for the sixth-seeded Orange (24-8), which will face third-seeded and third-ranked Connecticut in the quarterfinals tonight.

Jeremy Hazell had 27 points for the 11th-seeded Pirates (17-15), who had advanced to the second round with a victory over South Florida. Seton Hall was looking to win two games in the Big East tournament for the first time since 2001.

No. 21 Marquette 74, St. John’s 45: Wesley Matthews scored 20 points and No. 21 Marquette ended a four-game losing streak by holding St. John’s to a Big East tournament-record 10 points in the first half at New York.

Lazar Hayward added 17 points for the fifth-seeded Golden Eagles (24-8), who advanced to today’s quarterfinals against fourth-seeded and 10th-ranked Villanova.

It was the first Marquette win since the loss of starting point guard Dominic James to a broken left foot. The Golden Eagles needed him in the four losses -- all to ranked teams -- but they didn’t need him in the rout of St. John’s, their ninth straight win over the Red Storm, a streak that dates to 1966.

Paris Horne had 15 points for the Red Storm (16-17).

Conference championships

Robert Morris is in the NCAA tournament for the first time in 17 years, thanks to a late shot by a player who hadn’t made a shot all night.

Dallas Green picked up a loose ball and made a hurried shot with 2.5 seconds left and regular-season champ Robert Morris beat Mount St. Mary’s for a 48-46 win in the Northeast Conference title game.

Jeremy Chappell scored 15 points as Robert Morris (24-10), rallying from five points down in the second half to beat the 2008 champion Mountaineers (19-13) for the third time this season, withstood a ragged performance on its home court in Coraopolis, Pa.

Big Sky Conference: Julius Thomas got free for a tiebreaking dunk with 3.5 seconds left and Portland State (23-9) held on for a 79-77 win over Montana State (14-17) in the Big Sky Conference tournament championship game at Ogden, Utah. The Vikings repeated as conference champions and clinched their second consecutive NCAA tournament berth.

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