SYRACUSE 56, SOUTH FLORIDA 48: Scoop Jardine led the way with 15 points and the No. 2 Orange scored 26 straight points before holding off a valiant effort from the visiting Bulls.

The Orange (28-1, 15-1 Big East) began the second half with a 9-0 run and led by as much as 14, but South Florida crept within 47-46 before Jardine’s three-point play with 4:41 left. The Bulls never got closer than four after that.

C.J. Fair added 13 points and Kris Joseph 12 for Syracuse, which won its eighth straight game and clinched at least a share of the Big East regular season title.

Freshman point guard Anthony Collins had 12 points and matched his career high with 10 assists for South Florida (17-11, 10-5), which had its four-game winning streak snapped. Toarlyn Fitzpatrick added 11 points for the Bulls.

South Florida jumped out to a 20-7 lead, but Syracuse scored the next 17 points for a 24-20 halftime lead. Syracuse made only two of its first 13 shots, but held the Bulls without a point the final 8:52 of the first half.

GAME NOTEBOOK: South Florida had 12 of its 17 turnovers in the first half. … Syracuse has won nine of 10 meetings with South Florida. … The Orange is 18-0 at the Carrier Dome.