Fair scores 22 as No. 7 Syracuse beats Villanova 72-61; home win streak at 34

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – C.J. Fair had 22 points, Trevor Cooney hit a pair of 3-pointers to punctuate a late surge and No. 7 Syracuse beat Villanova 72-61 on Saturday.

Syracuse (16-1, 4-0 Big East) has won 34 straight home games, the longest active streak in the nation in Division I. Villanova (11-5, 2-1) had its seven-game winning streak snapped.

Fresh from two straight wins on the road, the Orange played without James Southerland. The senior, the Orange's second-leading scorer at 13.6 points per game in his key role off the bench, is out until further notice because of an eligibility matter, the university said in a statement released just before the game. He sat on the bench in street clothes.

Jerami Grant had a career-high 13 and Dajuan Coleman had six points as Syracuse's freshmen had important contributions after hardly playing at Providence on Wednesday night.