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Syracuse basketball score: Jim Boeheim reaches milestone in 72-68 victory over Detroit

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim earned his 900th victory Monday when the No. 3-ranked Orange defeated Detroit, 72-68, at the Carrier Dome. Boeheim needs three more wins to surpass Bob Knight for second place on the all-time Division I wins list.

USA TODAY Sports

SYRACUSE - Jim Boeheim become just the third Division I men's basketball head coach to collect 900 victories Monday when his No. 3-ranked Syracuse Orange defeated the Detroit Titans, 72-68, in a non-conference contest at the Carrier Dome.

Senior forward Jame Southerland scored a game-high 22 points for SU (10-0), which used a 16-3 run midway through the first half to take a 31-15 lead and command of the contest.

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In the second half, the Orange led by as much as 22 points until Detroit made a late 16-0 push that shrank the margin to just 67-64 with 29.3 seconds remaining in the game.

Despite the huge momentum swing Syracuse was able to ice the game thanks to sophomore guard Michael Carter-Williams going 5-for-6 at the free-throw in the closing seconds. Carter-Williams finished with 12 points and 10 assists.

Detroit (6-5) was paced by Juan Howard Jr. and Doug Anderson, who each scored 18 points.

Boeheim, the only coach to record this many victories at one school, is only three victories away from surpassing Bob Knight (902) for second place on the all-time wins list. Currently Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski is the leader at 936 (and growing).

[Video: Jim Boeheim takes stance in favor of gun control]

This is Boeheim's 50th season at Syracuse, his 37th as head coach, and during that span he's amassed a impressive resume: a National Championship (2003), three Final Fours, 29 NCAA Tournament appearances, 10 Big East Conference titles, five tournament crowns, and he was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005.

Though, the former Syracuse basketball player has been at this for decades his success shows no signs of slowing down.

Since 2009-10, when he reached the 800-win mark with a victory over Albany, Boeheim has helped Syracuse collect a 100-16 record, two Big East regular-season championships and two No. 1-seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

Things could may get even better, as the Orange could haul in possibly its best recruiting class ever come 2013.

If Syracuse goes on to win its remaining non-conference games, Boeheim will tie Knight on the all-time wins list on Saturday, Dec. 29, against Alcorn State and will surpass Knight on Monday, Dec. 31, against Central Connecticut.

However, the Orange will first need to defeat the 8-1 Temple Owls on Saturday at Madison Square Garden (noon ET on ESPN2).