SYRACUSE TAKES ONE FOR THE AGES

March 12, 2009

by Ray Floriani


By Ray Floriani




NEW YORK CITY- You do not have to be told a game is a classic. You feel it and know it. The packed house at Madison Square Garden witnessed one as Syracuse outlasted UCONN 127-117 in six, yes six, overtimes on Thursday evening. Actually Friday morning. Andy Rautins opened the sixth OT with a trey and Paul Harris converted two penetrations to spark an 8-0 run in the first two and a half minutes to spark the decisive run.


The Numbers:

...............Possessions........PPP..................TO Rate
Syracuse.........114..............1.11...................14%
UCONN............1171.............1.00....................23%

Jonny Flynn of Syracuse played 65 minutes leading all scorers with 34 points.

A.J. Price (33 points 10 assists) and Stanley Robinson (28 points 14 boards) were superlative in defeat.

“Over the years (playing and coaching) I’ve had to have been involved in over a thousand games and this tops them all,” said Syracuse coach Jim boeheim.

The difference, UCONN did not care for the ball as well as the Orange and the Huskies struggled from the line hitting 24 of 42.

With PITT losing to West Virginia in the evening opener, two of the Big East’s (and nation for that matter) marquee teams are one and done.

A classic indeed!