Syracuse students agree: This is always the most important non-conference game.
After dropping a massive collapse in one of the worst days in American history, Syracuse looks to rebound. And fortunately for Syracuse that just happens to be another old rivalry game, the biggest rivalry. And boy are they really not good.
Georgetown's lone Big East win is against St. John's in overtime. Meanwhile, Syracuse came up just short against a good Rutgers team, but did manage to dispatch a solid Buffalo squad before their second pause. Georgetown is plagued by ball control issues. They don't cause any turnovers and they give the ball up a ton. G'town ranks 334th in the nation in creating turnovers. That is not good. Syracuse can get a big boost by turning G'town over in the paint, and getting easy runouts or free throws. Syracuse failed to drive against Pitt when the shots weren't falling. Dolezaj has said that when the shots aren't falling they need to be more aggressive. Look for Syracuse to push the ball in transition, but also feed Guerrier for buckets at the rim. If Georgetown stars missing shots from outside, that will allow Syracuse to pack the zone and cause even more turnovers in the paint. While Syracuse will likely have spurts of bad shots and no scoring, Syracuse should be able to get a lead and keep it in this one. Georgetown will have to have a player go off to stay in this one, but that seems unlikely. Georgetown is only decent at long range shooting, so they will have to go inside at some point. That's when Syracuse will start their run. Syracuse over Georgetown by 18.
This game is available on ESPN at 7:00pm. Both John and I would normally be at this game (obviously), but unfortunately we'll both be watching from the home office. Here's hoping the rightful team wins. HOYS SUXA! GO ORANGE... AND GEORGETOWN STILL SUCKS!
Labels: Basketball, Georgetown, Georgetown Still Sucks, Preview, Rivalries
Syracuse students agree: Georgetown still sucks!
Besides UConn, no other non-conference game moves the meter for Syracuse fans like Georgetown. And for good reason. If you're reading this preview, you know the history. And now Patrick Ewing is the coach at Georgetown, making his first trip back to the Carrier Dome. Syracuse has been steadily improving on offense with the return of Frank Howard. Tyus Battle has quietly decided to score and score again. And while the center position has been lackluster on offense, Syracuse's defense has been very solid the last few games. And now Syracuse takes on a Georgetown team that finished 15-15 last season, and this year has lost to Loyola Marymount, along with squeaking by USF and several other teams. Georgetown does have a very good senior player in Jessie Govan, who is averaging 19.5ppg. Syracuse will have to battle in the low post and guard the line to cover Govan, who can score from almost anywhere on the floor. Syracuse will need some stiff defense and very active hands. Any steals that translate to points will obviously only help. But despite coming down to the wire and having Tyus Battle have to will Syracuse to win in DC last season, Syracuse is a deeper team who should have more scoring opportunities and be able to get a lead on Georgetown and hold them to a decent margin in the 2nd half. I'm taking Syracuse to win one at home and put away Georgetown for the 2nd year in a row, and the last year of the current non-conference deal. Syracuse by 12. This game is available at 3:30pm on ESPN / WatchESPN. Have a 2nd TV for Army/Navy. Both John and I will be in the Dome and will hopefully be celebrating by tomorrow evening. Go Army, beat Navy, and GO ORANGE! And Georgetown still sucks!
Labels: Basketball, Georgetown, Georgetown Still Sucks, Preview
Syracuse - Georgetown Postgame Reactions OR Overtime Hoya Beatdown
0 Comments Published on 12.19.2017 by Brian Harrison
Tyus Battle again came to play, and brought Syracuse with him.
Syracuse had played Georgetown the last two seasons outside of conference play since they moved to the ACC. And both games have been a let down. Syracuse was favored in both and they were unable to get a win. It was a little understandable without Jim Boeheim in DC in 2015. Last year in the Dome was brutal. And we all thought we were headed for a similar outcome. The fact that Syracuse was playing their first true road game, and a relatively meaningless game in the grand scheme could have contributed to a brutal loss on the SU resume. But Syracuse was able to press, speed up Georgetown, get some steals and cause some misses, and earn buckets at the other end. The current Syracuse Big 3 were able to score in the 2nd half and the overtime. Battle was able to quite the loud (for this first time this season) home crowd, and Syracuse left DC with a win to remain with only one loss on the season. Syracuse was your winner in Overtime, 86 to 79.
- No surprise Tyus Battle led all scorers with 29 points. He went off in the last seven minutes of regulation and in the overtime. Notably he was 6-11 from outside the arc. He was also a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line.
- Oshae Brissett finished with a very respectable 25 points, helped by going 9-12 from the free throw line. He also led Syracuse in rebounding with 14. Just a monster day on the boards. And another double-double.
- Frank Howard had a bit of an up and down day, but he made plays when it mattered. He finished with 19 points on 9-18 shooting. What really blew up his day was going 0-5 from distance and turning the ball over seven times. Typically when your PG turns the ball over seven times, you aren't going to win many games. Howard made up for that in timely steals and buckets in crunch time. We're going to have to endure some rough times to get to the glory with Howard. I think we're going to revisit this theme a few more times before the season is done.
- Marek Dolezaj came off the bench and contributed eight rebounds and a few really clutch free throws in overtime to ice the game. He had a scary moment in the second half when he was undercut by a Georgetown player and his head hit the court in a pretty big fall. He seemed to be alright and while it must have hurt, it appears it wasn't anything more than just a good smack.
- Bourama Sidibe got in the game for 11 minutes, but was pretty worthless on the press and was really unable to catch the ball to contribute on offense. He either just isn't ready to be on the floor for extended minutes, or he is still injured. Or both.
- Syracuse was outshot in this game 45.6% to 40.6%. But Syracuse was 10-23 on 3 point shooting, unlike Georgetown who made 2-17. A big part of this was Syracuse was able to keep tabs on the shooters and when Syracuse sped Georgetown up with the press, they were looking inside, not taking many outside shots.
- Syracuse obviously crushed Georgetown on the boards, 44 to 37.
- Both teams finished with 16 turnovers. Syracuse caused a number with the press. Georgetown earned a bunch by Syracuse just being sloppy.
Labels: Basketball, Georgetown, Georgetown Still Sucks
Syracuse students agree: Your mother's a Hoya.
Syracuse again takes the trek down I-81 to visit with the biggest rival in the history of the program in Georgetown. I'm 34 years old, so I remember a good chuck of this rivalry when it was at it's peak with Big John. But I had my own moments as well. I was at the 2004 "GERRY MAC DROPS ONE ON G'TOWN" game in DC. I was at the 2006 Big East Tournament comeback game. I've been interviewed by the Georgetown student newspaper. While I like that Syracuse still plays UConn (and probably should every year), this is still the rivalry that gets me out of bed in the morning. And I'm sad to say this is the first Syracuse - Georgetown game I won't be attending in person in DC in quite a few years. That being said, I can't wait. The stage is set. While no Thompson is on the bench coaching this team, they still have a very familiar face in Patrick Ewing. Not enough for you? Well how about the fact that Georgetown is undefeated on the season. Because they have played the easiest schedule in the history of college basketball. What about the fact that since Boeheim couldn't coach in DC the last time these two teams met, he's extra fired up about being at this game? Plenty of stories off the court to get you excited for what is going on between the lines today. But it's Syracuse and Georgetown. None of that matters. Syracuse needs to be ready to play today. Because even if Georgetown were a garbage fire of a team, they would play Syracuse tough. These games are always close, even if one team is massively favored over the other. Syracuse will again rely on Tyus Battle to lead the way for the Orange. And again, Syracuse will need some hefty defense inside. What Syracuse has lacked the last couple of seasons against Georgetown was a truly excellent and stiffing Zone defense, that made it hard to get passes into the paint. While they were able to fool the likes of Gonzaga or other big teams with the zone in the last couple of years, it wasn't as sharp as this year's edition. Or a long. Or moved as well. or had exceptional shot blockers at the Five. Syracuse's defense is very good. And Georgetown, despite playing a boatload of cupcakes to start the year, has turned the ball over a lot. While they have a genuine stud in Center Jessie Govan, the question remains of will he be as effective against a tall, athletic center from a team actually in the top 100? Syracuse will obviously face a big and vocal crowd (probably their biggest all year [at least the G'town students can get up for the biggest game on their schedule before 2018]), so it's important to crush their dreams early if they can. And unlike the last few seasons, Syracuse has been able to get off on some strong starts. If Syracuse is able to get some early turnovers and easy buckets, this game could get out of hand for Georgetown and expose them as playing the soft schedule they have. I'd love for that to happen. But this is SU-G'town. I think this will be a grinder of a first half, with Syracuse able to wear them down in the 2nd half and pull away for a nice comfortable victory. I'l definitely picking the Orange in this one. I don't think Syracuse will have a road let down. If they do, it should be in the ACC and not against the soft-serve that G'town has been peddling so far this season. I'm taking the Orange by 14. This game will be nationally televised (as it should be) on CBS at 12:30. If you made the trip, have a few at Clyde's for me. Sad I'm missing it. John is too, since he ventured to Miami a couple weeks ago. I'm venturing out in the real world to watch this game today, so minimal updates from me. But we'll talk soon. Your Mother's A Hoya! GO ORANGE! Also, if you see Matt Glaude, say hello. This is like his Christmas and New Years all rolled into one.
Labels: Basketball, Georgetown, Preview
Georgetown - Syracuse Postgame Reactions OR What A Horrible Day.
0 Comments Published on 12.19.2016 by Brian Harrison
Despite the loss, it was an excellent tribute to Pearl.
Syracuse just couldn't do it. Despite hanging with or staying just ahead of Georgetown for most of the game, Syracuse slowly faded in the final ten minutes of the game. Syracuse didn't play well enough to win. Georgetown beat Syracuse on Pearl Washington Day, 78 to 71.
- Hero of the Day was clearly Tyler Lydon. He had his best game of the year with 29 points on 12-13 shooting. He was a perfect 3-3 from 3. He also has 9 rebounds. He was brilliant on the day.
- Despite finishing with 13 points, John Gillon was the biggest disappointment on the day for me. Most likely because he went 4-14. Four or five of those misses had to have been missed layups in transition, or that were blocked by a taller Georgetown player. Or just the fact Gillon can't seem to hit a reverse layup. It's fine that he can't. But know when to stay in your lane. Get the steal and if the layup isn't obvious or uncontested, maybe pull it out and have a chance at getting two points instead of an automatic turnover.
- Frank Howard was also disappointing. He was 2-6, 0-2 shooting for four points. He also had six turnovers to four assists. Howard needs to facilitate more for Syracuse to be successful.
- White was only 2-8 from 3. That also didn't help things.
- Georgetown was 22-25 from the free throw line. I mentioned in my preview that Syracuse had to be smart about fouls because that is where Georgetown lives. They weren't. Syracuse, conversely, was 14-25.
- The tribute to Pearl with his teammates and family was perfect and well done by the school. A vast contract from the ol' "Bowie" incident. New AD having a positive effect perhaps?
Labels: 2006 College Football Blogger Awards, Basketball, Georgetown
Syracuse students agree: Most of us probably aren't at this game. Which is sad.
It's finally here. The most important non-conference game on the schedule has arrived. Arguably one of the top 5 rivalries in college football, Syracuse will again face Georgetown. While it isn't a conference game anymore, and the teams don't play each other twice a year and maybe a 3rd in MSG, this is still an important game for Syracuse and Georgetown fans, as well as college basketball. People born before 1990 might not appreciate it as much, but for long time fans, alumni of any age, and fans of college basketball (especially with an East Coast bias), this game means everything. And it is set to be rekindled in the Carrier Dome. Oddly enough, despite playing last year in DC, Jim Boeheim wasn't at the game due to his NCAA suspension. So this will be Jim Boeheim's first Georgetown game back playing in a non-conference game. And I can only imagine how badly he wants to win this game. And Syracuse can do it. Despite looking like hot garbage against UConn for a good part of the 2nd half, when Syracuse is making shots, they look pretty close to unbeatable. And Syracuse will have to make shots against Georgetown. One thing is for sure. Despite the records, Despite the schedule, and despite the players, these teams play each other tough. Syracuse will have to stop Georgetown's very own grad transfer Rodney Pryor. He is averaging around 20 points a game. If Syracuse wishes to win, they will have to find Pryor and contain him. Additionally, Georgetown is one of the more physical teams in college basketball. They drive to the basket and get to the free throw line. It's their bread and butter. Syracuse will need to be smart about defense and force Georgetown into bad shots and to pull up without driving to try and limit the amount of free baskets the Hoyas attempt. Frank Howard will need to dish the ball smartly in this one. Syracuse is successful when Howard is earning assists. If he is smart with the ball, it will put Syracuse in a good opportunity to score the basket. And sometimes Syracuse needs all the help it can get. But really, the key to this game is how well both DaJuan Coleman and Tyler Lydon play. If Syracuse is able to pound the low post, get Georgetown in some foul trouble of their own, and force Georgetown's defense to pack it in a bit to get shooters more open, Syracuse will have some solid success on the offensive end in this game. Lydon finding his shooting stroke will help, but White and Gillon have that covered for now. Syracuse needs solid low post play from Coleman, but Lydon would also add to the mix of people Georgetown must cover inside, which will create other opportunities, specifically kicking to open shooters. Syracuse really blew it last year in DC, but that was an anomaly. Syracuse was without Boeheim, it's first big non-conference test. It just wasn't in the cards. This year, Syracuse will have Boeheim, they will be honoring the Syracuse Legend Pearl Washington during the game, and Syracuse is coming off some of their best offense of the season against BU (yes I know it was BU, but they started actually playing like a cohesive offense). If Syracuse can stick to the game plan, make some shots, and adjust at the half to anything that isn't working, Syracuse should have a solid day and not ruin any of our weekends. I'll take the Orange at home over the Hoyas by 8. This game is available nationally on ESPN / WatchESPN at 12:00pm. Both John and I will be in the Dome for this one. How could we not be? Say hi and GO ORANGE! YOUR MOTHER'S A HOYA! RIP Pearl Washington.
Labels: Basketball, Farewell Big East Basketball, Georgetown, Georgetown Still Sucks, Preview
Syracuse students agree: We want to beat no other team more than Georgetown.
It's here. It's back. Students and Alumni alike rejoice. Dust off that box of hate, because you need it again. Syracuse and Georgetown are back playing each other. And while Georgetown is still in the Big East, Syracuse has moved on to the ACC. But not even time or conference affiliation can change the history of these two programs and the respectful hate we have for each other. But let's talk X's and O's. Which is simple, If Syracuse wants to win, they have to sink their shots. Georgetown has a seven footer that will be outrebounding Syracuse. Bonus if SU can keep the rebounding numbers close, but I'm not betting on it. Either way, if Syracuse keeps scoring, and playing solid defense, they should prevail by a slim margin. If Georgetown is rebounding well, Syracuse will have an uphill battle. But really, as long as Georgetown doesn't get easy put backs on their offensive end, they can afford to miss some rebounds off SU misses. Some transition offense would be nice however. If Syracuse drives and gets the seven footer Bradley Hayes in foul trouble, things will also go well. Syracuse also suffered due to the poor shot selection of Richardson and Cooney against Wisconsin. If they make economical choices in shooting, they can take the G'town crowd out of it. Oh and make your free throws. I think this game will be close. Unlike last time Syracuse traveled to the Verizon Center. I'll take the Orange in this one by four. But it should be fun for all. And I need this one you guys. I need this one. This game is available nationally on Fox (and maybe Fox Sports Go if you have a login) at 1:00pm. GO ORANGE! See you at Clyde's.
Labels: Basketball, Farewell Big East Basketball, Georgetown, Georgetown Still Sucks, Preview
Syracuse students agree: Your mother will always be a Hoya.
Syracuse played terrible the last four minutes of the last game a couple of weeks ago against Georgetown. In terms of offense that is. Syracuse did just enough to be able to win the game, limiting the Hoyas to 57 points. But Otto Porter clearly was just having A DAY. A career high 33 points while no one else was in double digit scoring. Nate Lubick still is terrible by the way. Syracuse has the ability to win this game. You saw Villanova take them down. Syracuse could have beaten them at home but Otto Porter couldn't miss in that one and Syracuse couldn't make a basket. If Syracuse manages to find Otto Porter and play with a little more intensity on both ends of the floor Syracuse can win this game. If Syracuse goes into DC and just chucks a bunch of threes well they will be blown out of the building. College Gameday is in DC for this rare nooner / double dip to show proper respect to the rivalry that built the Big East. It's only fitting it's the last game on the schedule for both of these teams. The stakes are higher for Georgetown as if they win they basically win the league. If they lose, they probably don't. Syracuse, meanwhile will probably be the 5 or 6 seed win or lose. While Georgetown is playing for more, no player will be thinking about any of that. If Syracuse shows up, gets off the bus, and plays with focus and intensity they will win. If not, the same thing that happened in the Dome will happen again. This is the one game this season where I really have no clue what will happen. Total coin flip. The odds say that the home team will win this one and Syracuse leaves sad. So I'll go with that and be ecstatic when I'm wrong because it's OK to be wrong when your team earns the upset win on the road over your rival for the last time in conference play. So for that reason, I'm picking Georgetown by five. This game is on ESPN nationally televised at noon. One mega recap of L'ville/DePaul/Georgetown will be out early next week to prime you for the BET. The last great BET. And to the folks of Georgetown... you still suck!
Labels: Basketball, Big East, Georgetown, Georgetown Still Sucks, Preview
Georgetown - Syracuse Postgame Reactions OR Georgetown Ruins Things
0 Comments Published on 2.26.2013 by Brian Harrison
I'm guessing I felt worse than this.
Georgetown just ruins things. At least that's part of what makes a rivalry great. It can't be all one sided. It was in this game though in that Otto Porter was all Georgetown needed to beat the Orange.
- Syracuse had their lowest point total in the Dome ever with 46.
- Syracuse's defense did enough of a job, holding Georgetown to 57 points which usually would be enough to win the game.
- Both CJ Fair and James Southerland led the scoring for Syracuse with 13 points each. Fair the most consistent on 5-10 shooting. Both also had eight rebounds.
- Rakeem Christmas, finishing only with two points, at least led in rebounding with eight.
- MCW had only seven points and five assists on 2-6 shooting.
- Brandon Triche had ten points shooting 4-13 and 1-7 from behind the arc. Easily his worst performance on the floor since the UConn game.
- Baye Moussa Keita produced no points and only three rebounds in 12 minutes of play.
- Syracuse was 17-50 from the floor (34%) and 4-20 (20%) from deep. While the Georgetown statistics were similar, the turnovers and fouls were the difference for Syracuse.
- Despite out rebounding Georgetown by two, Syracuse had far too many empty possessions and missed layups to stay in the game in the second half.
- While officiating wasn't the reason Syracuse lost, every game Jim Burr does is a highlight reel of why he should be retired.
- Syracuse had the largest on campus crowd ever in this game of 35, 012. Unfortunately they lost. Syracuse has lost 2/3 of the last 3 record breaking games.
- Syracuse played with major intensity in the first half, but as the second half ticked away you could see that intensity and defensive energy dwindle as Georgetown hit key three point baskets to take the lead and give them a 6-8 point cushion.
- Syracuse had 16 turnovers to Georgetown's 11. A big part of the outcome of this game, and preventing them from getting the defect down to a manageable one or two possessions.
Labels: Basketball, Big East, Georgetown, Georgetown Still Sucks
Syracuse students agree: We're gonna be packed in for a great college basketball game.
Georgetown versus Syracuse. 35,000 plus. Last conference game in the Carrier Dome. #11 versus #8. This has the makings of a classic. For 33 years these teams have hated each other. Tomorrow afternoon will be no different. Syracuse is coming off an impressive win over Providence, blowing them out at the Carrier Dome. Georgetown blew out Providence in DC. Something that isn't exactly impressive as it was against DePaul, but in the Big East any blowout is noteworthy. Syracuse will play zone and need to keep scoring against the Hoyas, who have some pretty tough defense. Syracuse will need steals and transition points to keep ahead of Georgetown. Since Syracuse is at home I anticipate a good shooting night for all involved in Orange, especially James Southerland, CJ Fair, and Brandon Triche. CJ Fair was again a solid scoring leader in the last game, Southerland was great shooting off the bench from way back, and MCW dished out the ball enough to earn a double-double. The real X-Factor in this game is Otto Porter. The leading scorer (15.1ppg) and rebounder (7.7rpg) for the Hoyas, he banged his knee recently. If he is 100% Syracuse could have trouble containing him. He can be a zone buster hitting mid-range shots in the gaps, or even drilling some big outside shots. If he is off however, Georgetown could have a very long day. Not like Nate Lubick is going to set the world on fire. That guy sucks. If he is playing well we should have a good game on our hands. If Porter is off, Georgetown will struggle late in the game and Syracuse will cruise to victory. Either way this should be a fun atmosphere, and electric crowd, and a very loud Dome. No way I'm picking against the Orange in this game, all things considered. Syracuse over the Hoyas by 14. This game will be available nationally on CBS at 4:00pm. If you're going to the game good luck with your phone and/or internet. Do some good and donate a caned good on your way to the game. This place is going to be bonkers. ... And Georgetown stills sucks!
Labels: Basketball, Big East, Georgetown, Hoya Hate, Preview, Rivalries
Georgetown - Syracuse Postgame Reactions OR Goodbye Georgetown
0 Comments Published on 2.10.2012 by Brian Harrison
Syracuse wins thanks to this guy.
It was close. It was tense, It was... a typical match between Syracuse and Georgetown. The game lived up to the billing. A grinding game that went to overtime, Syracuse managed a three point win to remain atop the Big East, and send the Hoyas packing. A flight to DC is not fun after a loss I'm sure.
This game was close the entire time. The Hoyas had the lead at the half 31 to 27. Syracuse started the second half on an 8-0 run though to take the lead. There were a few more lead changes before the Hoyas tied the game. Syracuse had the chance to win the game in regulation, but the Orange failed to score so it was overtime. Kris Joseph was the hero as he drilled a three pointer to take the lead with about 27 seconds left. The Hoyas were unable to score again. Syracuse wins in overtime over rival Georgetown 64 to 61.
- Kris Joseph lead all scorers with a career high of 29 points. After missing all threes attempted in the last three games, Joseph hit 6-11 from long range, including the go ahead score that won the game.
- CJ Fair again lead Syracuse in rebounding with nine. Fab Melo had seven.
- Scoop Jardine did distribute the ball well, earning eight assists. Sadly he had four turnovers, leading the team in that category. Truth be told he has never really played well ever against Georgetown except at Georgetown last season.
- Melo had six blocks in this game.
- Syracuse obviously was crushed in the rebounding category 48 to 30. Jim Boeheim was not pleased.
- Syracuse did lead in shooting from the floor with 34.9% and 33.3% (8-24) from three. Georgetown did lead in freethrows with 87.5% over 75%. Georgetown was 33.3% and 23.8% (5-21) from the floor respectively. Oddly, it felt like Georgetown hit a ton more threes than they actually hit.
- Georgetown had 16 assists, two more than Syracuse.
- Syracuse only had nine turnovers to Georgetown's 14. So there's that.
- Dion Waiters was only 1-6 from behind the arc. Triche was 1-4, but the one he hit was in transition pulling up from the top of the key. Looked like Gerry McNamara in 2004.
- Kris Joseph played all 45 minutes.
- Syracuse has not beaten Georgetown five out of the last seven meetings.
- Syracuse winning prevented Georgetown from winning two games in the Dome in a row since '86/87-'87-88.
- Syracuse is now 19-2 in overtime in the Carrier Dome under Jim Boeheim.
- Syracuse, if remaining in the Big East one more year, will definitely play Georgetown in DC next season, but it is possible that they will be playing home and home so there is a chance the Hoyas make it back to the Dome as a conference foe one more time.
- The game was officiated very loosely. As in a lot of contact was not called. Again, just another classic Georgetown/SU game.
- If this is the last time these two teams meet in the Dome as conference rivals this is a storybook way to end it. A win in overtime.
Labels: Basketball, Big East, Georgetown, Georgetown Still Sucks, Hoya Hate
Syracuse students agree: Your mother's a Hoya!
Well here it is. The biggest rivalry game of the season. #11/12 versus #2. Thompson III versus Boeheim. Gray versus orange. I really don't think I'm overstating things when I say this is the biggest rivalry game in the nation aside from Duke versus UNC. Over 30,000 people in the Dome. National television. What more of an introduction do you need?
The best player on Georgetown is clearly Jason Clark, who is averaging 15.2ppg, and he can shoot the ball really well. But you can't fail to account for Hollis Thompson as well. He averages 13.7ppg and he shoots the long ball the best in the league, at 48.4%. Syracuse will allow three point shots in the zone, but the key is to contest as many as they can. They have demonstrated that they can do that luckily. The key to this game will be Georgetown's offense versus Syracuse's defense. The team that manages to win the defensive battle will win this game. While G'town's defense has played well lately they have been getting hype for limiting their last two opponents to 44 and 45 points. Those teams were UConn and South Florida. UConn has taken Pitt's place as the hot garbage fire of the Big East after their Monday night affair, and South Florida isn't an offensive powerhouse. Georgetown does have several wins against top teams in the nation however, so you cannot discount their experience against good opponents. These games are always grind out kind of games. Who can do the dirty work will win this game. Fab Melo as a presence in the zone can only help the driving of the G'town guards. Guarding against the "Princeton" back door cut will be key for Fair, Melo, and of course Christmas when he is in. Again it comes down to defense. Syracuse still has the best scoring offense in the Big East, so this match up should scare Georgetown, as well as the 30,000 plus that will be in the Carrier Dome. Rebounding should be a problem for Georgetown as well. G'town's best rebounder is Otto Porter, who comes off the bench. Nate Lubick (3.7ppg, 4.3rpg) may be the worst starter in the Big East I'm convinced. That's not a G'town bias. That is just from watching him play. He's dead weight on the floor against top talent in the Big East. Syracuse is also deeper and have several scoring options. Despite the fact I think all the matchups favor Syracuse, this will again be a close, classic battle between these two teams. If Syracuse doesn't chuck up a bunch of threes and only takes good shots this should go nicely. Syracuse is at home and more talented. I'm picking the Orange over the Hoyas by eight.
This game will be nationally televised on ESPN at 7:00pm tonight. You will be looking live at Brent Musburger and Bob Knight so you'll at least enjoy the game if you are watching on TV if you can't make it to the Dome. Now as long as we have a decently officiated game we'll all be in business. If you need another primer for the game check out this article from the Georgetown student newspaper from a few years ago about the rivalry. They interview me so you know it's got some solid anti-Georgetown statements in it. If you haven't already, see how much of a hater you are with your official Hoya Hater Certification Test here. Of course, you have to check out our old friend Matt Glaude at Hoya Suxa as well. Do remember to keep it classy to the Hoya fans, if they dare make the trip. And hopefully we'll see something like this tonight...
Labels: Basketball, Big East, Georgetown, Hoya Hate, Preview
Tim Desko kept doing what he does best. That is scoring goals.
Syracuse had one of those rare two game weeks where SU has seemingly once a year. So we're covering both in this week's edition. First, we start with an overtime affair in Baltimore versus hated Georgetown, then finish with a trouncing of Albany in the Carrier Dome. First, we break down Georgetown.
Syracuse started the game well, scoring the first two goals. Then G'town evened the game to 2-2 at the end of the first quarter. Syracuse won the second quarter adding two goals, but Syracuse looked out of sorts on offense. The high scoring game we all thought Syracuse and Georgetown would be failed to appear. Syracuse and Georgetown each added two more goals in the third. Syracuse found themselves up one goal with just over two minutes to go. Syracuse killed the clock pretty effectively, giving the ball to Jovan Miller and letting him run through defensive players left and right. However he lost the ball with about 19 seconds left. Georgetown picked up the ball and they managed to run down the field unobstructed. Gerry Reilly then put the tying goal past John Galloway with five seconds remaining. Luckily Syracuse won the faceoff in overtime and Stephen Keogh put away the game winner with 2:19 remaining in the first overtime. SU was sloppy, and seemingly lost on offense on occasion. Perhaps this scare will refocus Syracuse and not take lesser opponents lightly. Syracuse was your winners in M&T Bank Stadium 9-8.
- Stephen Keogh was the leading scorer for the Orange. He added four goals in this game and one assist for a total of five points. And of course the game winning shot. He now has 14 career goals against Georgetown.
- Jeremy Thompson assisted twice on the day, while three others each added an assist. Thompson also had a goal.
- Jovan Miller led Syracuse in ground balls picking up four. He also never appears to be tired and seemingly covers the most ground in a game playing midfield.
- Ricky Buhr did the best for Syracuse at the faceoff X, winning 58. Chris Daddio went 4-9. Josh Knight won 0-1. Oddly, Jeremy Thompson failed to win a faceoff on the day. He went 0-2.
- Miller also led Syracuse in turnovers with four.
- John Galloway made 13 saves and allowed eight goals. He got the win, making him the winningest goalie in Syracuse Lacrosse history.
- Georgetown led Syracuse in shots 31-29. Georgetown also killed Syracuse with ground balls 41-27.
- Georgetown won 11-20 faceoffs in the game. That left Syracuse with nine. This is a category Syracuse usually dominates.
- Syracuse did far better in clearing the ball than G'town. SU cleared 17-19. Georgetown only managed 16-22. Syracuse caused failed clears through a tough riding defense, but G'town also didn't help themselves by making stupid mistakes as well.
- Syracuse was 1-3 on extra-man opportunities, while the Hoyas were 2-6.
- Galloway again had 13 saves, while Hoya goalie Jack Davis earns the loss while making 10 saves. He allowed nine goals.
- Syracuse had an uncharacteristic 16 turnovers, while Georgetown had 15.
- The complete box score can be found here.
- Tim Desko was again the leading scorer, adding four goals in this game. He also added an assist for a total of five points. Hopkins transfer Tommy Palasek also added four goals and one assist. A total of 11 Syracuse players contributed to the 18 goals.
- Jeremy Thompson and Collin Donahue each had two assists a piece. Seven other players had one assist.
- Thompson and Kevin Drew led in ground balls with five a piece.
- Thompson was masterful at the faceoff X in this game, winning 11-15. Chris Daddio was conversely a miserable 1-8. Ricky Buhr was 2-6. Josh Knight was 1-3. Finally both Tim Harder and Kyle Carey were 1-1.
- John Galloway had three saves and seven goals against in 45 minutes on the field and a win. Matthew Lerman had three goals against and three saves. Ben Levy had one save and three goals against.
- Syracuse dominated shots and ground balls. Syracuse led 46-32 and 37-21 respectively.
- Both teams won 17-34 faceoffs.
- Syracuse was again great on the clear, converting 24-25. The Great Danes cleared 16-23.
- Syracuse never committed a penalty in this game so Albany was 0-0 on extra man opportunities. Syracuse was 2-4.
- Albany had 14 saves, while Syracuse had seven.
- Finally, Syracuse had only 11 turnovers while Albany had 19.
- The complete box score can be found here.
Now we look at the notable games of the past week. Games involving Big East members are in italics.
Tuesday March 8:
UMass 8 - Albany 9
Hobart 5 - Binghamton 11
Georgetown 15 - Harvard 16
Lehigh 7 - Ohio State 11
Penn 6 - North Carolina 12
Vermont 6 - Virginia 14
Penn State 5 - Villanova 17
Wednesday March 9:
Canisus 7 - Cornell 14
Manhattan 3 - John's Hopkins 10
Friday March 11:
Army 12 - Bryant 7
Loyola 9 - Duke 14
North Carolina 9 - Princeton 5
Saturday March 12:
Ohio State 9 - Albany 11
Penn 8 - Villanova 9
Bucknell 11 - Hobart 9
Cornell 9 - Virginia 11
Quinnipiac 9 - Providence 3
St. John's 4 - Siena 10
Rutgers 6 - Penn State 11
John's Hopkins 16 - UMBC 5
Notre Dame 10 - Denver 9
Sunday March 13:
Robert Morris 14 - Detroit Mercy in OT
Bryant 7 - Drexel 8 in 4OT
Wagner 1 - Army 14
Mercer 5 - Duke 18
Tuesday March 15:
Stony Brook 9 - St. John's 4
UMass 14 - Providence 6
Villanova 10 - Princeton 9
Jacksonville 6 - Rutgers 10
The complete Inside Lacrosse scoreboard can be found here.
Now let's check the Big East standings.
1. #1 Syracuse 5-0 (1-0)
2. ARV Georgetown 2-3 (1-1)
3. #3 Notre Dame 4-0 (0-0)
4. #18/15 Villanova 6-1 (0-0)
5. Rutgers 4-1 (0-0)
6. Providence 2-2 (0-0)
7. St. John's 1-4 (0-1)
Noter Dame continues to roll. Georgetown took a stumble against Syracuse to knock them down to second place in the league. Villanova has impressed early, only losing to Bucknell. Rutgers is also playing well, only losing to Penn State over the weekend. Due to their performance against Georgetown John Galloway was named Big East Defensive Player of the Week. For earning four goals including the game winner Steven Keogh earned Honor Roll status.
Syracuse will next face rival Johns Hopkins from the Carrier Dome this Saturday at 6:00pm on ESPN U. If you are basketball'ed out that is. Since Syracuse is playing on the Friday/Sunday slates for the first part of their bracket this should allow you to view this game without having to make the choice. This is a premier rivalry in the sport and it should be fireworks in the Dome. At least for Syracuse. Added viewing pleasure is seeing Hopkins transfer Tommy Palasek try to light up his former team in the Carrier Dome. Should be a great one.
Labels: Big East, Georgetown, Georgetown Still Sucks, Lacrosse, Rivalries
Syracuse students agree: The revenge tour pulls into DC Saturday.
The Orange make the trip down to DC to take on a Georgetown team in a different position than they were earlier this season. Different too are the gentlemen from Syracuse. For the evil Hoya collective, Chris Wright, the Hoyas' leading scorer with 13.1ppg and a three point percentage of 35, is out with a broken left hand. While he may return before the end of the season, he will not be on the floor on Saturday. And Syracuse is playing much better, after an upset win at Villanova on Monday to avenge an earlier loss in the season. As an aside, of the three teams Syracuse plays twice this season, the road team has always won. The Big East be crazy. Anyway, Syracuse's offense and defense is much better than when they were at the point of the season they played Georgetown. The scoring has been more consistent, and the zone has been far more active and have covered shooters better behind the arc. Georgetown is also coming off a stunning loss to Cincinnati in DC. What? Austin Freeman is still the leading scorer for G'town with 17.8ppg and hitting 40.6% from behind the arc. But other than Freeman, with Wright out they only have one more double-digit scorer. Georgetown is reeling from Wright being out, either in reality or in their minds. And honestly, save for about four minutes of just terrible offense and defense at the end of the game in the Carrier Dome, Syracuse could have won that one. I like Syracuse to take the game this time, especially if Triche steps up and scores from behind the arc again. Scoop needs to keep playing like he's still in Philadelphia too. But really, this team is playing smart, patient offense which is the biggest difference in the last few games. And hello CJ Fair. I like the Orange by seven.
Orange::44 Correspondent John Brennan and I will be in DC for this one so it should be a ridiculous affair before, during, and after. Sign of the Whale and Clyde's respectively, before the Verizon Center for bottoms up beers while the Orange rightfully vanquish the smug, douchebaggery ridden masses of Georgetown. Say hi, hate on a Hoya, and Go Orange. We'll be back next week with lacrosse coverage, as well as our thoughts on the Calhoun suspension as another evil empire, Connecticut, has seen some justice at least.
Labels: Basketball, Big East, Georgetown, Hoya Hate, Preview, Rivalries
Georgetown - Syracuse BET Postgame Reactions OR Yeah That Blew
0 Comments Published on 3.15.2010 by Brian Harrison
Alright guys, get back on the plane.Well that sucked right? Frankly it didn't matter much. Syracuse still got a #1 Seed in the NCAA Tournament as I correctly stated, like everyone else, was a lock. But that still didn't take away from the fact that Syracuse hats losing to Georgetown. I mean, we had beat them twice before so it was fairly reasonable to expect to do it three times. However, despite what some experts think about teams, no matter what you are ranked or how good you are, the simple fact remains: In the Big East any rival can beat another. This time Georgetown beat Syracuse in the Big East Tournament 91 to 84.
Once the two teams decided to not miss every shot Syracuse played pretty well in the first half. They made shots, and Syracuse was able to get the ball inside for good looks in the low post. Syracuse was up at the half barely 40 to 30. Syracuse has lately demonstrated an inability to put teams away and that was evident in this game. In the second half Georgetown continued to dissect the zone, where Syracuse missed jump shots, and more disheartening, lay ups. While Georgetown scored at a regular clip in the second half, Syracuse had two significant scoring droughts that put Georgetown up. They didn't look back. On top of that, Arinze Onuaku went down with a knee injury. Syracuse failed to come back and they exited the Big East Tournament thanks to a tough Georgetown team and mostly Greg Monroe.
Big East player of the year Wes Johnson was Syracuse's leading scorer. He had 24 points on 10-17 shooting from the floor. He played well and hit shots from the floor except for when Syracuse really needed the help towards the end of the game. He also had seven rebounds, three steals, and two blocks.
Both Syracuse and Georgetown shot the ball well in this game. Georgetown shot just slightly better with 57.9% versus 54.2% from the floor. Syracuse was also outrebounded in this game 28-26. But the real statistic that hurt the Orange was Turnovers. They had 17 in this game to Georgetown's 11. While Syracuse made the tough shots from behind the arc (11-20, 55%), they missed several lay ups down the stretch. Scoop Jardine missed two as the time was ticking down, and Rick Jackson missed four. Additionally Johnson, although trying to do his best to bring Syracuse back, missed some highly contested jumpers along the baseline. Syracuse played in panic mode the last four minutes and it did not suit them well. Syracuse has to continue to score throughout a game and survive runs better against top teams.
Again this story was significant at the time, but really isn't overall save for the injury to Onuaku. All reports indicate it is a quad strain and is all but out for this weekend's NCAA games. He should be ready to go by the 3rd Round should Syracuse advance to the Sweet 16 and improves daily. However besides singing as a loss to Georgetown it isn't like we won two out of three against our arch rival this season.
The Big East Tournament
By now you know that West Virginia beat Georgetown for their first ever Big East Tournament Championship. Congrats to them and star player Da'Sean Butler for hitting two brutally massive shots to end games. He was simply brilliant, and very Gerry McNamara-esque in how clutch he happened to be on the floor of MSG. Good for them and I can't feel too bad as they played the best in New York and had never won it before. Plus they beat Georgetown, which is always good. I hope to watch them in person in the second round in Buffalo this coming Sunday.
Labels: Basketball, Big East, Big East Tournament, Georgetown
Jimmy B, keeping it casual with Jason Hart as Casual Hoya would say.Labels: Basketball, Big East, Georgetown, Unprompted Hatred
Syracuse students agree: A 3rd time would be a charm.Between DePaul, South Florida, and Georgetown in the bracket leading up to Syracuse's first game in the Big East Tournament you knew it was going to end up being another classic match between rivals Syracuse and Georgetown. #8 seed #22 Georgetown takes on #1 seed #3 Syracuse in the first game of the Quarterfinals at high noon. This is what the Big East Tournament is all about. Great teams and rivals playing each other to stay in the big city. This game is far from a mystery however, not just because these two teams have played, but because they are one of three teams for Syracuse that they have played twice. Both teams know the gameplan going in. Syracuse will try to feed the ball inside for looks at the low post, as well as causing turnovers for baskets in transition. Georgetown will conversely slow the game down and try to get zone penetration to kick the ball out for good looks behind the 3 point line, or collapsing the defense so stud Greg Monroe gets a short, uncontested trip to the hoop. They will also try to slip behind the back line of the zone and get quick buckets and back door cuts. As you probably know, Syracuse ended up on top in the two previous contests this season by doing well the things Syracuse does well. But when it comes to rivalries and the Big East Tournament, rankings and records do not matter. It comes down to who executes. And no one has a better defense in the Big East than Syracuse. Additionally, no one shoots the ball better than Syracuse. Look for Andy Rautins to regain his shooting touch on the garden parkay floor. Additionally Syracuse should capitalize on points of turnovers and have the transition game working. If Syracuse can push the tempo, cause contested three point looks for Georgetown, and make it hard for Greg Monroe while staying out of foul trouble, Syracuse should earn a close but significant third win over Georgetown. Syracuse will have to rebound as well. Earning second chance looks, and boxing out Georgetown by rebounding off missed threes should happen. There are more stakes on the line between Hoya Suxa and The Casual Hoya, so this game has even more meaning. Syracuse needs to bounce back for confidence sake. Look for Syracuse to earn victory number three over Georgetown on the season in MSG by 12.
Labels: Basketball, Big East, Big East Tournament, Georgetown, Preview
Syracuse - Georgetown Postgame Reactions OR SU Sweeps!
2 Comments Published on 2.19.2010 by Brian Harrison
You know I'm the best at 5 Good Minutes Tony. Syracuse loves the drama. That and the fact that it is Syracuse versus Georgetown, and no game comes easy in this rivalry. Well, it could be that the referees bet the point spread or that ESPN needed the ratings. Na, it just has to be the fact that Syracuse and Georgetown play in the Big East. Either way, this game was exciting, dramatic, entertaining, and occasionally frustrating as hell for both sides. Syracuse ends up winning this one though, 75 to 71, completing the season sweep of the Hoyas over Georgetown, and winning for the first time at Georgetown since 2004.
This game started off the exact opposite as the game in the Carrier Dome did earlier this season. Syracuse jumped out to an early 13 to 2 lead. Syracuse simply dominated the first half, causing several Georgetown turnovers and shooting the ball very well. While Georgetown came to bring it down to just a four point lead in the middle of the first half, Andy Rautins was definitely hot and SU finished up 44 to 31 at the half. Georgetown was facing the best half of defense Syracuse was playing all year. In the second half Syracuse missed a lot of easy shots and their shooting percentage fell from 54% to below 30%. Rick Jackson even missed a dunk at one point. Joseph was shooting poorly as well. Georgetown suddenly started getting the ball inside to Monroe and subsequently both Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuaku fouled out due to getting some quick whistles in the first half. Monroe simply dominated the smaller Syracuse inside the zone. It was very active in the first half, but the team was tired in the second half allowing Monroe to get more looks and easy baskets. Syracuse managed to hit a lot of free throws in this game however, and Kris Joseph made a brilliant basket going straight through the lane as time winded down, as Syracuse ended up pulling out a big win over #10 Georgetown in DC.
Andy Rautins played his best game of the year as well. He was simply brilliant in this game, especially in the first half. He earned 26 points on 6-11 shooting, 5-9 on three point baskets, and hit 9-11 from the free throw line, including two at the end of the game to give Syracuse a four point lead, putting the game out of Georgetown's reach. He also pulled down seven rebounds in this game, and picked up a technical foul for doing not much of anything.
Wes Johnson had 16 points on a terrible shooting night. While he did hit 2-4 from behind the arc, he went 3-8 from the floor. He was a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line though. He also had eight rebounds. His big contribution to the game however was his wing defense and his five blocks on Georgetown in the first half. He still did not take over this game on offense, although he appeared to be 100% healthy in his shooting mechanics.
Kris Joseph had the play of the night in SU's final play from the floor. With 25 seconds left and only a one point lead, the play was drawn up for Joseph. The floor was spread, Joseph attacked the basket down the lane, split two defenders, and nailed the lay up. Rautins then later sealed the deal, but this game could have ended up totally different had Joseph not made that final basket. He finished with 11 points despite having a terrible day on the floor shooting 3-11.
The SU big men did not have a great day, but did do their part on defense in the first half. Rick Jackson had 12 points and eight rebounds on 4-7 shooting in 29 minutes. Arinze Onuaku on the other hand had two points on 1-3 shooting and only two rebounds. Both men fouled out in the second half with significant minutes to play. Both men should not have had so many fouls in the first half. I will add however that the foul that sent Rick Jackson to the bench was a completely legitimate blocking foul, despite what all of Twitter seemed to think. He shuffled his feat and banged the G'town player, despite being straight up and down.
Speaking of the referees, it is possible we are playing more attention based on all this referee talk and the Higgins article as of late, but they were not great in this game, especially in the first half. They were calling very insignificant touch fouls and body contact that should never be called, especially in the Big East. The days of calling fouls in one league one way and a different league another are gone, but there were still problems in this game. It seemed that the referees wanted to set the tone early that this game is not going to get too physical or out of hand. While this is not necessarily a bad strategy for refereeing as referees at every level do this, it was absolute overkill and there was no indication that the game was in fact getting to physical or chippy. This strategy resulted in a double technical foul being called on Andy Rautins and Chris Wright after right fouled Rautins hard at the top of the key. We obviously don't know what was said, but James Breeding made a completely unnecessary call.
Looking at the game, Syracuse outperformed Georgetown on the offensive end. Syracuse only shot 44.4% (20-45) in this game, but Georgetown did worse with 38.5% (25-65). Additionally, hitting 8-15 (53.3%) from beyond the arc always helps as well. Georgetown only manged 5-20 (25%). Syracuse had excellent perimeter defense in the first half, but missed a lot of open looks in the second. In the shocking statistic of the season, Syracuse shot 90% (27-30) from the free throw line in this game. Their hitting of shots from the charity stripe, and better than they have done all season, was a huge factor in keeping the lead against Georgetown. Georgetown only hit 16-24 (66.7%). Unfortunately, Syracuse had 18 turnovers in this game, while Georgetown limited their turnovers only to 10, most of which happened in the first half. Syracuse was also out rebounded by one with 30, but had two more assists with 12.
Syracuse performed a virtually perfect half to start this game on both ends of the floor, but then shot poorly in the second half and got both tired on defense in the second half, but had both their big men unavailable for a good portion of the stretch, resulting in a furious Georgetown comeback that almost turned into a Syracuse loss. But it was not to be. Syracuse hit their free throws and made big plays when they had to as well. It also helped that Georgetown took unnecessary three point shots instead of feeding their big man inside at the very end. Syracuse walks away with another win versus a ranked team and a season sweep of Georgetown. Syracuse may not appear to be invincible anymore, but when you keep winning who cares.
Finally, the big winners in the latest t-shirt contest were Ben and MCamps Mike T. You folks need to e-mail me at the e-mail on the sidebar to claim your prize. Congratulations to them and look for more chances to win in the future.
And one more thing...
Labels: Basketball, Big East, Georgetown, Rivalries
Syracuse - Georgetown Preview OR Georgetown Still Sucks
0 Comments Published on 2.18.2010 by Brian Harrison
Matt Glaude doing what he does.#5 Syracuse looks to rebound from only its second loss of the season against Louisville. But the thing is, Georgetown, a top 25 team mind you, went into Rutgers the same day and lost to them. Yes, that Rutgers. Coached by Fred Hill. I know right? After that stellar effort, Georgetown only averages 73.8ppg, while offensively stagnant Syracuse is averaging 80.8ppg. Syracuse has four scorers still averaging in double figures, while Georgetown only has three. When Chris Wright (14.2ppg, 3.9apg) averages in double figures this season Georgetown is undefeated. But he only had seven against SU in the Dome. Austin Freeman (16.8ppg, 3.6rpg) had 23 against Syracuse. However, despite the fact that Andy Rautins has been cold as of late, he's averaging over 15 points on the road, and Syracuse is undefeated in games played outside of Syracuse, NY. While this game should be tight for most of it, I do think Syracuse pulls this one out. Look for Syracuse to win over the Hoyas and sweep the season by 7.
Be sure to enter the latest shirt contest for a chance to win a Beat 'Nova shirt here. I'm still in the home office, but Orange::44 Correspondent John Brennan (@JBren) will bein the Verizon Center so look for good stuff from him on his Twitter and on this site later. Coincidentally it is also his birthday today as well. Happy birthday to him and here's hoping that SU can deliver on another birthday present.
Labels: Basketball, Big East, Georgetown, Preview, Rivalries
Need some Georgetown Audio Hate? Done.It was time for Sean from Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician and I to record yet another podcast. But we needed something extra special because today Syracuse takes on Georgetown in Washington. Therefore we invited Matt Glaude from Hoya Suxa, the definitive hater of all things Hoya and the founder of this exact notebook, to join us. We talk about such things as crazy internet videos starring Matt, exactly how crafty Fred Hill is, how terrible of a place Storrs, CT is, who will win the game tonight, and even some Olympic Curling talk! It's almost 40 minutes of audio gold well worth your time and perfect to prime you for the game or indiscriminate hate of Georgetown. Something we can all get behind. You can download this show, or any of our past podcasts here, on iTunes, or just listen below. Enjoy and thanks to Matt and Sean as always!
Labels: Audio Euphoria, Basketball, Big East, Blog Talk, Georgetown, Nunes/Magician, Rivalries, Unprompted Hatred