Defense saved the day for Syracuse University on Friday night inside a steamy Carrier Dome.

The Orange scored 14 points in the game’s first 14 minutes, then was shut out the rest of the way by a stout Pittsburgh defense.

Good thing the Orange defense came to play, too.

SU’s defense played by far its best game of the season, holding the Panthers to 13 points and scoring six of its own as the Orange won its Big East Conference opener 14-13, in front of a crowd announced at 40,394.

» Boxscore

» You Grade the Orange



The Orange offense, stymied most of the night, got its act together for a late drive that chewed up the final five minutes and preserve the victory for SU (2-3, 1-0 Big East).

Pittsburgh, which had beaten the Orange seven straight years, falls to 2-3 and 0-2 in the Big East.