Top 10 moments in Syracuse-Georgetown Basketball

The top 10 moments in Syracuse-Georgetown basketball rivalry

from syracuse.com

10. Jim Boeheim court
Feb. 24, 2002, Carrier Dome

The day was set aside for the special dedication of the Carrier Dome court in honor of Jim Boeheim. The long-time coach’s autograph was freshly stenciled on the court. Syracuse mayor Matt Driscoll presented Boeheim with a proclamation declaring it Jim Boeheim Day.

Then the Georgetown Hoyas ruined the party. Georgetown beat Syracuse 75-69 as Gerald Riley scored a team-high 18 points, including a 3-pointer late in the game to clinch the victory.

9. The Donovan McNabb game
Feb. 8, 1997, Carrier Dome

Donovan McNabb, the Syracuse quarterback, received very little playing time in his two years as a Syracuse basketball walk-on in the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons. But on this date, the McNabb entered his name into Syracuse-Georgetown lore.

Syracuse centers Otis Hill and Etan Thomas got into early foul trouble. Third-string center Elvir Ovcina was AWOL, having left the SU campus to visit a friend in Georgia. Boeheim moved forward Todd Burgan to center and insert McNabb into the game.

McNabb played a career-high 19 minutes against the Hoyas. He scored 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting from the field and keyed Syracuse’s 77-74 win. His biggest play came on the defensive end. When Georgetown center Jahidi White rose up for a slam, McNabb met him at the rim and rejected White’s dunk attempt.

8. McNaMiracle at the Garden
March 10, 2006, Madison Square Garden

Gerry McNamara had started his miracle-filled run through the 2006 Big East Tournament with buzzer-beating shots against Cincinnati and Connecticut. But now the 23rd-ranked Hoyas seemed on the brink of ending Syracuse’s Garden party.

Georgetown led for the entire game, leading by 15 at halftime. But McNamara led Syracuse back, scoring 15 of his 17 points in the second half. Then Matt Gorman came up with a steal and got the ball to McNamara. In transition, McNamara whipped a left-handed bounce pass to Eric Devendorf for the go-ahead layup with 9.3 seconds left. Syracuse won 58-57.

7. Smith trumps Sherman
Jan. 24, 1988, Carrier Dome

Georgetown came in ranked No. 15 and Syracuse was one spot ahead at No. 14. One last-second shot wasn’t enough in this contest between the two rivals.

Syracuse’s Sherman Douglas gave the Orangemen a 68-67 lead with eight seconds remaining in the game. Unlike today, the game clock didn’t stop running after a made shot in the last minute of the game. So Georgetown had to inbound the ball and get it upcourt quickly.

The Hoyas did just that with point guard Charles Smith dodging through traffic. Smith’s layup went through the net just as the buzzer sounded for a 69-68 victory.

6. A shot over Zo
March 15, 1992, Madison Square Garden

Syracuse and Georgetown had met in the Big East Tournament championship game three times prior to 1992 and the Hoyas had won all three games. A Syracuse win didn’t seem likely on this day either.

Syracuse entered the game unranked after going 18-9 in the regular season. Georgetown was ranked 22nd.

The game remained tight throughout. Syracuse got the ball with the score tied at 54 in the final seconds. Syracuse went to senior Dave Johnson who dribbled across the lane and lofted a high shot over the out-stretched arm of Georgetown center Alonzo Mourning. Johnson’s shot gave Syracuse a 56-54 victory.

5. Ewing’s haymaker
March 8, 1985, Madison Square Garden

Tensions were always high when Syracuse and Georgetown got together in the 1980s. Emotions came to a boil in the 1985 Big East Tournament semifinals.

Georgetown’s Patrick Ewing caught Syracuse’s Pearl Washington in the ribs with an elbow as the two ran down court  A few moments later, Washington returned the elbow, catching Ewing in the gut. An infuriated Ewing unleashed a right-handed haymaker that narrowly missed Pearl.

“Dwayne just was lucky that he ducked,’’ Syracuse’s Howard Triche said. “I don’t know if he saw it coming or it was just instinct, but he’s lucky he ducked out of the way or he’d have no head.’’

Neither Ewing or Washington was ejected. Both players received technical s.

Georgetown went on to win 74-65.

4. Three refs, three technicals
March 4, 1990, Carrier Dome

With two minutes and 14 seconds left before halftime, Georgetown led Syracuse 36-33 when Dwayne Bryant was called for a reach-in foul against Derrick Coleman. Coleman hit the first of a one-and-one, but then referee Jim Burr hit Georgetown coach John Thompson with a technical.

It was Thompson’s first technical of the season. It would not be his last.

Thompson, upset over the technical, left the coach’s box and received his second technical from Larry Lembo. Thompson then stomped onto the court and the game’s third referee, Pete Pavia, whistled Thompson for another technical, which meant an automatic ejection.

Coleman hit the second of his one-and-one and then hit five out of six shots for Thompson’s technicals. Syracuse retained possession and Billy Owens hit a 3-pointer for a 10-point possession.

Syracuse benefited from another bizarre call at the end of regulation. With Georgetown ahead by two points, Georgetown’s Sam Jefferson fouled Owens at midcourt with one second left.

“I couldn’t believe that,’’ Coleman said of Jefferson’s foul. “I’m just like ‘OK, Bill, you knock these free throws down.’’

Owens hit both shots, sending the game into overtime where Syracuse would win 89-87.

3. Michael Graham’s punch
March 10, 1984, Madison Square Garden

Did we mention that tensions tended to run a little hot in Syracuse-Georgetown games back in the day? Never did things get testier than when Georgetown’s Michael Graham punched Syracuse’s Andre Hawkins during the 1984 Big East Tournament.

The two players were battling for a rebound with Syracuse up three late in the game. As Hawkins struggled to hold onto the ball, Graham threw a left-handed punch at him. Hawkins tumbled backward to the floor.

Referee Dick Paparo gestured with his thumb, appearing to toss Graham out of the game. But Jodi Sylvester over-ruled Paparo, who later said he was merely signaling an intentional foul.

Graham stayed in the game. Georgetown rallied to tie and then won the game 82-71 in overtime.

After the game, Boeheim fumed, “Michael Graham, in front of 19,000 people, punched my player, and the ref had the nerve to call it a two-shot foul.’’

2. Pearl’s shot
Jan. 28, 1985, Carrier Dome

On this date in the 1984-85 season, the Georgetown Hoyas came to the Carrier Dome as the nation's No. 1 ranked team with an 18-1 record. Syracuse entered the game at 12-3 and ranked 11th.

Georgetown, the defending national champion, featured Ewing, Reggie Williams, Michael Jackson and David Wingate. Syracuse's lineup included Rafael Addison, Rony Seikaly and Washington.

In the game's final minute, Georgetown had the ball and a 63-62 lead, but the Hoyas turned the ball over with 34 seconds remaining. Boeheim called timeout with 16 seconds to go. Boeheim called for Washington to take the last shot despite the fact that Washington was 4-for-10 from the field with just nine points to that point.

Washington dribbled from the wing to the foul line as Jackson defended him. Washington pulled up from 15 feet and sank the jumper for a 64-63 lead. Syracuse would go onto win 65-63.

Years later, Rafael Addison would recall Pearl's shot and say, "Georgetown. Big Monday. ESPN. Of course, Pearl wins it. He had a flair for the dramatic.''

1. Manley Field House is officially closed
Feb. 13, 1980, Manley Field House

Not all rivalries can trace their origins to one specific game. The Syracuse-Georgetown rivalry can.

On Feb. 13, 1980, the Georgetown Hoyas upset No. 2-ranked Syracuse 52-50 in the last game at Manley Field House.

After his team’s win, which ended Syracuse’s 57-game home court winning streak, Thompson twisted the knife with his famous (or infamous) line, “Manley Field House is officially closed.’’

With those words a rivalry began.

The 1980 loss stunned Syracuse fans and players alike. Syracuse seniors Roosevelt Bouie, Louis Orr and Hal Cohen had not lost a game at Manley Field House in their entire careers.

“I was upset,’’ Orr said years later. “I remember walking home in the snow. I remember walking to my apartment by myself. It was a tough loss.’’