Feb. 28, 2002

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Brooks Sales scored 15 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and Derrick Snowden sparked a late rally as Villanova held off Syracuse 67-61 on Wednesday night.

Snowden added 15 points for Villanova (15-11, 6-9 Big East), which played without leading scorer Gary Buchanan in the final 13 minutes of the game. Buchanan had a strained right Achilles tendon. Preston Shumpert and James Thues each had 16 points for Syracuse (20-9, 9-6).

The Wildcats never trailed in the game and led by as many as 15 points, late in the first half.

The Orange rallied to within 46-45 on a jump shot by Shumpert with 7:48 to play, and tied the score at 53 on a driving layup by Josh Pace with 4:17 remaining.

The teams were tied at 55 when Snowden hit a 3-point shot, Villanova's only three-point goal of the second half, sparking an 11-1 Wildcat spurt that clinched the victory.

The Wildcats jumped out to 21-10 lead as Syracuse made only four of its first 17 shots. Villanova held a 33-21 advantage at halftime, hitting on 13 of 30 from the field, while Syracuse connected on only eight of 31 and committed eight turnovers.