Cincinnati 71, Syracuse 68: Sean Kilpatrick scored 18 points - all on 3-pointers - as the Bearcats nearly blew an early 17-point lead before holding off the No. 2 Orange in a Big East tournament semifinal thriller.

Yancy Gates added 18 points and seven rebounds for fourth-seeded Cincinnati (24-9), which will play in its first Big East championship game against Louisville on Saturday.

The Bearcats scored the first seven points and stretched their lead to 25-8 when Cashmere Wright and Kilpatrick combined to hit three consecutive 3-pointers.

Syracuse (31-2) stormed back late to get within one, but denied itself a final chance at victory when Dion Waiters made a free throw that he was trying to miss with five seconds left.

Kilpatrick was 6 for 9 from 3-point range and added five assists and five steals. His final basket gave Cincinnati a 65-55 lead with 1:51 remaining.

Both teams leaned heavily on the outside shot, with Syracuse making 13 of 29 from beyond the arc while Cincinnati was 10 for 22.

Waiters came off the bench to score a game-high 28 points, including seven 3-pointers, for the Orange.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Cincinnati defeated both Notre Dame and Louisville at home this season, topping the Fighting Irish 71-55 on Jan. 4 and edging the Cardinals 60-56 on Feb. 23. ... Waiters finished one 3-pointer shy of the single-game tournament record held by Boston College's Dana Barros.