Orange, UConn go 6 OTs
NEW YORK – Years from now, this will be remembered as THE GAME by Syracuse and Connecticut rooters. For completely different reasons.
Syracuse fans will never forget a 127-117 six-overtime classic victory in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament that rivals the greatest games in the 30-year history of the conference showcase at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.
Connecticut fans will try to forget the Huskies’ fourth consecutive loss to Syracuse in conference tournament play.
And Syracuse fans will always remember the miracle shot that was waved off.
Had Eric Devendorf’s shot beaten the buzzer in regulation, the sixth-seeded Orange would have a lot more rest for tonight’s semifinal matchup with seventh-seeded West Virginia, which upset second-seeded Pittsburgh in the first game of the night session.
The game started at 9:36 Thursday night on the East Coast and didn’t finish until 1:22 this morning, with most of the sellout crowd of 19,375 still in the seats, or at least standing in front of them, for the sixth overtime.
“We kept fighting,” said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. “We would not lose. I’m so proud of this team.”
Then Boeheim looked at guard Jonny Flynn, who played more than 50 minutes and compiled 34 points, 11 assists and five steals.
“And I can’t say enough about this guy … he’s got the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever seen.”
The game was the second-longest in NCAA Division I history; only Cincinnati’s 75-73 victory over Bradley in seven overtimes in 1981 was longer.
As the lyrics of the recording that blared between the first and second overtime, as Thursday moved into Friday, proclaimed: Oh, what a night.
Especially for Syracuse after a dunk by Rick Jackson with 4.7 seconds left forced the second overtime, a missed jumper by Flynn necessitated the third extra period, a three-point field goal by Andy Rautins sent the game into the fourth overtime, and a series of Syracuse misses couldn’t end the game in the fourth overtime.
A.J. Price, who scored a team-high 33 points, tried willing the Huskies (28-3) to victory in the fifth extra period. His jumper and two free throws provided a quick four-point lead, only to have Syracuse tie the score twice, the final time on two Flynn free throws with 20.7 seconds to go.
Syracuse dominated the decisive extra period, beginning with another 3 by Rautins (20 points) and a basket by Paul Harris.
Price’s 3-point field goal got UConn going in the third overtime and Hasheem Thabeet then made one of two foul shots. Another Price basket, after a Syracuse turnover, gave the Huskies a 93-87 advantage. Syracuse, of course, was not done. After two free throws by Rautins, a turnover resulted in a pair of foul shots by Harris.
Following two Price free throws that gave Connecticut a 95-91 lead and a missed 3 by Rautins, a follow by Jeff Adrien provided the Huskies with a six-point lead.
The Orange had another run in them, with a dunk by Harris cutting their deficit to 97-95. With 53 seconds left, Adrien missed two free throws, but Kemba Walker rebounded. After Craig Austrie rebounded his missed 3, Syracuse fouled Price. He missed the first shot, but made the second, giving Connecticut a three-point lead with 21.3 seconds to go. Just the wiggle room Syracuse needed as a 3-pointer by Rautins with 11.7 seconds remaining set the stage for the fourth overtime.
Forward Stanley Robinson had a career game for Connecticut with 28 points and 14 rebounds. Thabeet, the conference co-player of year, contributed 19 points and 14 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth overtime. Syracuse (24-9) received 22 from Devendorf.