MORGANTOWN, W.Va., Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Freshman Carmelo Anthony scored a season-high 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds Saturday as the 21st-ranked Syracuse Orangemen defeated Big East Conference rival West Virginia, 94-80, for its sixth win in seven games.
Anthony has established himself as one of the best players in the country in his first season with a 20.7 scoring average. He had been averaging just 15 points per game on the road, but made up for it Saturday by making 12 of 17 shots.
West Virginia (12-8, 3-5 Big East West) took a 16-6 lead on Drew Schifino's jumper nearly four minutes into the game and seized its largest advantage, 31-16, on a layup by Chaz Briggs with 11:35 to go before halftime.
Anthony made two foul shots and scored eight points in a 23-5 run as Syracuse (16-3, 7-2) surged ahead, 39-36. A three-pointer by Patrick Beilen just before the buzzer gave the Mountaineers a 47-46 halftime edge.
Anthony dunked and scored six points in an 8-0 tear to open the second half, putting the Orangemen ahead for good. Hakim Warrick dunked twice and Anthony added a slam off an alley oop as an 11-2 run opened an 83-68 cushion with just under four minutes to go.
