Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim talks with Michael Carter-Williams during the first half of the Orange's victory over Detroit on Monday. The victory was the 900th of Boeheim's career. (Photo: Kevin Rivoli, Associated Press) SYRACUSE – History didn't come without a little drama for Jim Boeheim on Monday night. Third-ranked Syracuse University nearly blew what was a 20-point lead with six minutes to play, but held on for a 72-68 victory in front of 17,902 fans at the Carrier Dome. The win made Boeheim, the 68-year-old in his 37th season at the only school he has ever coached, the third coach in NCAA men's basketball history to reach 900 wins. IN-DEPTH LOOK: Where it all began for Boeheim VIDEO: Boeheim's best encounters with the media He trails only Bob Knight (902) and Duke's Mike Krzyzewski (936). Boeheim's career record: 900-304 (74.8 winning percentage). "Enjoy this moment," Krzyzewski said on the giant videoboard at the Dome during a post-game tribute to Boeheim. Boeheim saw his team's lead dwindle to three points twice in the final 26 seconds. "We thought the game was over. It's never over – as we learned tonight," he said. Sophomore point guard Michael Carter-Williams made 5 of 6 six free throws to secure the victory. He finished with 12 points and 10 assists. Senior swingman James Southerland shot 5-for-7 from 3-point range to lead the Orange with 22 points. SU (10-0) plays next at noon on Saturday at Madison Square Garden against Temple (7-1), whose only loss is to No. 1 Duke. Syracuse owns the country's longest home court winning streak at 30 games and has won 52 straight regular-season matchups against non-conference foes. PREVIOUSLY: Boeheim poised to win 900th RECENTLY: Boeheim sad about Big East breakup An NCAA Tournament team last year after winning the Horizon League tournament, Detroit (6-5) didn't put up much of a fight until late. A 3-pointer by Juwan Howard Jr. (18 points) and fastbreak slam by Doug Anderson (18 points) cut SU's lead, which hadn't been in single digits since midway through the first half at 21-13, to 67-59 with 2:17 left. Howard made two free throws after Brandon Triche fouled out with 1:29 to go and it was 67-61. After Carter-Williams missed a jumper, Howard was fouled and made two more. Then Carter-Williams was stripped with 29 seconds left, and Jason Calliste made one of two at the line after being fouled. The Orange lead was down to 67-64. But Carter-Williams was fouled, made both free throws. He made two more with 13 seconds left after another Calliste basket to seal it. Syracuse Orange head coach Jim Boeheim looks on during the first half against the Detroit in his 900th career coaching victory on Monday. Syracuse held on to beat Detroit 72-68. (Photo: Rich Barnes, USA TODAY Sports) The Titans missed all 10 of their 3-point shots in the first half and the Orange took a 40-21 lead at the break by making 15-for-27 overall (56 percent), including 6-for-10 from deep. Southerland was 5-for-7 from beyond the arc for 16 points and Carter-Williams had seven assists. He also drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing after a good drive and kick-out pass by Triche to end the half. But the night ended up about Boeheim. His 34 seasons of winning at least 20 games are the most in history. His 48 NCAA Tournament wins are fifth all-time with the biggest coming on that Monday night in April of 2003 when then-freshman phenoms Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara powered the Orange to Boeheim's only national championship. There had been Final Four trips in 1987 and '96 that ended one game short the title. PHOTOS: JIM BOEHEIM THROUGH THE YEARS: Replay He showed up in Syracuse in 1962, a skinny walk-on guard from Lyons, a small town located between Syracuse and Rochester, and his roommate that year – Dave Bing – was back on campus Monday night. Bing, now the Mayor of Detroit, may have lost a few votes by pledging allegiance to his alma mater and loyalty to his old backcourt mate. But he sat in the front row in a brown pin-striped suit and even received a standing ovation after being introduced to the crowd in the second half. The basketball Hall-of-Famer and Boeheim formed a strong backcourt that went 52-24 in three seasons and led SU to the 1996 East Regional Final before Bing went on to the NBA. Boeheim played some minor-league ball and nearly made the Chicago Bulls in 1966, but he never left Syracuse, where he was an assistant before succeeding Roy Danforth in 1976. "You look at Duke or North Carolina or other programs that have won a lot of games and compare the McDonald's All-Americans. They've gotten many, many more," said Bowling Green coach Louis Orr, the former Seton Hall coach who was a freshman swingman on Boeheim's first team, which 26-4. "Coach Boeheim has a great eye for talent and he's done a lot to develop talent." Jeff DiVeronica also writes for the Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle. PHOTOS: USA TODAY SPORTS COACHES POLL TOP 25 Story Highlights
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