Syracuse University
Pittsburgh
Syracuse Upsets #3/3 Pittsburgh, 49-46, in Overtime
2/29/2004 7:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- The arv/arv Syracuse men's basketball team (19-6, 9-5) snapped #3/3 Pittsburgh's (25-3, 11-3) 40-game home court winning streak by defeating the Panthers, 49-46, in overtime at the Petersen Events Center on Feb. 29.
The Orangemen held Pittsburgh without a field goal in the overtime session and outscored the Panthers, 7-4, in the extra period to earn the win. It was the first time any opponent had come into the Petersen Events Center and won since the building opened prior to the 2002-03 season. Pittsburgh had been 34-0 in the arena before Sunday's defeat. SU's win also snapped Pittsburgh's 20-game winning streak versus BIG EAST foes at home.
Sophomore #Gerry McNamara# scored five of SU's seven points in the extra frame, including his only field goal of the contest, a three coming with 3:53 left in overtime. He finished with nine points and was 6-of-6 from the foul line in the game. Junior #Hakim Warrick# led SU in scoring for the 15th time this season. He finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. Junior #Josh Pace# contributed 13 points, five rebounds and three steals.
McNamara connected on two free throws with 1:03 left in regulation to put the Orange ahead by four, 42-38. On the ensuing possession Pittsburgh's Julius Page nailed a three from the left wing to get the Panthers within one, 42-41, with 45 seconds left. After a shot clock violation by the Orangemen, junior #Craig Forth# committed his fifth personal foul, sending Pittsburgh's Chevon Troutman to the free-throw line with three seconds remaining and a chance to win the game. Troutman made the first free throw, but missed the second and freshman #Terrence Roberts# controlled the rebound for SU to force overtime.
Pace opened the extra frame with a basket, but two free throws by Jaron Brown tied the game, 44-44. After McNamara's three, SU held a 47-44 margin and the Panthers would get just two free throws from Chris Taft the rest of the way. Two free throws by McNamara with 27 second left in overtime sealed the win.
"We battled on every play and every possession," SU head coach #Jim Boeheim# said. "The way we battled defensively was the key to the game."
SU held Pittsburgh without a double-figure scorer. Taft and Carl Krauser finished with nine points each to lead the Panthers and Taft also contributed a game-high 11 rebounds. The Orange limited Pittsburgh to 30.9 percent shooting from the field (17-55). It was the third time in the last six games SU held an opponent to less than 31 percent shooting. The Panthers' 46 points was the fewest points the Orangemen have allowed since it held Richmond to 46 in the 2002 NIT.
With the Orange leading 5-2 early in the game, Pittsburgh went on an 11-0 run to take a 13-5 lead with 11:01 remaining in the opening half. Syracuse was 0-for-5 from the floor during the stretch. A jam by Roberts stopped the drought at 10:13 and SU scored six of game's next eight points to cut the Panthers' margin to two, 15-13, at 8:05. The Orangemen's defense held Pittsburgh to one point and no field goals for the next 5:23 until a basket by Julius Page put the Panthers ahead, 18-15, at 3:28. Pittsburgh held a 22-19 edge at the half.
SU re-gained its advantage on a hoop by Pace, 23-22, but the Panthers claimed a 27-23 edge at 14:56 of the second half after a three-point play by Julius Page and basket by Mark McCarroll. Down by five, 32-27, the Orangemen reeled off nine straight points to grab a 36-32 lead at 9:31 and never trailed again.
"It was a tremendous physical effort by our guys," Boeheim said. I'm very proud of this team."
SU's 49 points represented the lowest point-total the Orangemen have scored in victory since Boeheim took over the program in 1976-77. Its 19 first-half points was its lowest total in a period since it scored 18 points in the first half against Connecticut in the BIG EAST Tournament on March 5, 1999.
Syracuse will play at West Virginia on Tuesday, March 2. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m.
