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Phil Greene IV scores 11 straight points at finish, St. John's beats Syracuse 69-57

Associated Press
Published | Updated

St. John’s Chris Obekpa looks to pass the ball in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Syracuse in Syracuse, N.Y., Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014. (AP Photo/Nick Lisi) (The Associated Press)

Syracuse’s Kaleb Joseph, left, and St. John’s Rysheed Jordan, right, battle for a loose ball in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Syracuse, N.Y., Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014. (AP Photo/Nick Lisi) (The Associated Press)

Phil Greene IV scored 11 straight points, breaking open a tight game with a trio of 3-pointers and a fast-break layup in the final minutes, and St. John's beat Syracuse 69-57 in a game between two former Big East rivals on Saturday night.

Greene, 4 of 8 from long range, tied what had been a nip-and tuck affair at 55-55 with a 3 from the left wing with 4:04 left, hit again from the right corner to break the tie and followed with the layup off a turnover to send the Orange reeling.

St. John's (6-1), which had lost nine straight in the series, snapped Syracuse's 55-game home nonconference winning streak.

The Orange (5-3) were coming off a 66-63 loss at No. 17 Michigan, a game they had a chance to win until freshmen Kaleb Joseph and Chris McCullough committed turnovers on consecutive possessions in the closing seconds.

D'Angelo Harrison led St. John's with 24 points.