This Day in Dome History: October 12
10/12/2005 1:20:24 PM | Men's Basketball, Dome 25
The Syracuse football squad has played twice in the Carrier Dome on October 12, posting a 1-1 record in those games. In 1997, the Dome hosted an NBA preseason exhibition game featuring the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs defeated the Knicks, 97-90, in front of 18,495 fans.
The NBA exhibition featured many of the league's top players. The Knicks' roster included Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson, Charles Oakley, Allan Houston and John Starks, while the Spurs' lineup included David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Sean Elliott. San Antonio led after the first quarter and went into the lockerroom with a 53-44 halftime lead. The Spurs outscored the Knicks, 22-17, in the third quarter and held on for a seven-point win. Houston and Starks led all scorers with 20. Ewing finished the game with 17 points and seven rebounds. Duncan led the Spurs with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Robinson had 13 points and eight rebounds.
The Syracuse football squad last played in the Dome on this date in 1996. The Orange recorded 355 yards of total offense en route to a 55-7 victory against Pittsburgh. Rob Konrad scored two touchdowns in the first half, and the Orange scored two touchdowns on special teams. Jim Turner returned the opening kick of the third quarter 100 yards for a touchdown and earned the AT&T Long Distance weekly award. Kevin Johnson returned a punt 72 yards for SU's final touchdown. Syracuse's special teams also blocked two Pittburgh punts. Nate Hemsley earned the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week award for the second straight week after recording seven solo and three assisted tackles.
The Orange's lone loss on this date in the Dome came in 1991 against East Carolina. Future NFL quarterback Jeff Blake scrambled 43 yards for the game-winning touchdown with 2:15 left to play to give the Pirates a 23-20 victory. SU quarterback Marvin Graves was 20-for-25 passing for 295 yards, and Qadry Ismail recorded 123 all-purpose yards.
More than 23.5 million people have passed through the revolving doors of the Carrier Dome since the building’s first public event on September 20, 1980. Throughout the 2005-06 SU athletics seasons the University will celebrate the first 25 years of the Loud House.
In the first 25 years of the Dome, more than 1,740 events were staged, including collegiate, professional and high school athletics events, University commencement, concerts, a circus, and community events. These activities are chronicled in the more than 100 photographs that are currently in the concourse of the Dome. Fans who attend events in the Dome can re-live the memories with these photos.
