NEW YORK - Russell Carter scored 24 points to help No. 20 Notre Dame beat Syracuse 89-83 in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament Thursday, ending the Orange's run for a third straight championship.

Notre Dame's Tory Jackson, left, runs into Syracuse's Andy Rautins during first half NCAA basketball action at the Big East basketball tournament Thursday, March 8, 2007 at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Syracuse (22-10) had won the last two Big East championships and eight straight tournament games ? one short of Connecticut's record of nine set from 1998-2000.

Notre Dame (24-6), which finished fourth in the conference and received a first-round bye, won its sixth straight game. The Irish won 23 games in the regular season, their most since the 1985-86 season.

Notre Dame will play top-seeded Georgetown in the semifinals Friday night. Roy Hibbert scored eight of his 14 points in No. 9 Georgetown's opening 26-2 run, and the Hoyas held on for a 62-57 victory over ninth-seeded Villanova.

Leading 56-53 with 11:59 left in the game, Notre Dame went on a 9-2 run to take a 10-point lead. Carter had four points during the spurt.

Syracuse rallied to within 70-66 on Paul Harris' layup. The Irish extended the lead to 11 on Falls' free throws with 1:41 left.

The Orange refused to go away, cutting the lead to four three times ? the last on Harris' layup with 24.9 seconds left. Notre Dame made its free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.