BUFFALO, N.Y. – Wes Johnson scored a career-high 31 points and pulled down 14 rebounds and Andy Rautins added 24 points as Syracuse hit a dozen 3-pointers to stun Gonzaga 87-65 on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Syracuse’s storybook season – the Orange were unranked before the season and made it to No. 1 for the final week before losing to Georgetown in the Big East tournament – continues on Thursday. The Orange (30-4), the top seed in the West Regional, will play fifth-seeded Butler (30-4) in Salt Lake City.
Gonzaga (27-7) was trying to become the second team from the West Coast Conference to shock the Big East – WCC tournament champ St. Mary’s stunned second-seeded Villanova on Saturday – but they were no match for the Orange.
Syracuse made the round of 16 for the second straight year.
Elias Harris led Gonzaga with 24 points.