Syracuse University
Connecticut
Instant Classic! SU 127, UConn 117 6 OT
3/13/2009 2:37:39 AM | Men's Basketball
Syracuse 127, Connecticut 117 6 OT | Syracuse Quotes
NEW YORK, NY -- After not leading in any of the first five overtime sessions, #18/20 Syracuse (25-8) jumped out in front in the sixth extra session and went on to a 127-117 victory in six overtimes against #3/4 Connecticut (27-4).
Syracuse advances to play West Virginia (23-10) in one BIG EAST Tournament semifinal on Friday, March 13, at 9:00 p.m. Louisville (26-5) meets Villanova (26-6) in the other semifinal at 7:00 p.m.
Sophomore guard Jonny Flynn played 67 out of a possible 70 minutes and finished with 34 points, including a 16-of-16 effort from the free throw line. He added 11 assists and six steals. Junior forward Paul Harris tallied 29 points and 22 rebounds while logging 56 minutes of court time. Harris was 13-of-14 from the charity stripe. Junior guards Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins contributed 22 and 20 points, respectively.
Regulation ended in dramatic fashion.
With the score tied at 71 following a Connecticut rebound basket by Kemba Walker, Syracuse had the ball with 1.1 seconds left under the Connecticut basket. Harris' long pass was deflected into the hands of Devendorf and his desperation three-point attempt found the basket at the horn. Syracuse celebrated the apparent victory -- but reply confirmed the shot was released after time expired.
First Overtime: Connecticut led, 80-76, with 1:31 left but Rautins hit a three and after Stanley Robinson made a free throw with 14 ticks remaining, Flynn went coast-to-coast and dumped it off to Rick Jackson for a dunk with four seconds left. Syracuse 81, Connecticut 81.
Second Overtime: Connecticut led by three with 1:58 left. Flynn converted a three-point play to tie it and after the Huskies made a free throw Devendorf converted one or two from the charity stripe. Connecticut had four field goal attempts in the last 35 seconds but was unable to score. Syracuse 87, Connecticut 87.
Fourth Overtime: With Kristof Ongenaet and Arinze Onuaku already disqualified from the contest with five fouls, SU fell behind by two in the fourth extra session and then had Rick Jackson earn his fifth foul. Jackson's departure brought freshman Kris Joseph into the game for the first time and put him at center, a position he had not played in college. Another Price field goal had Connecticut up two but Devendorf answered right away to tie the game for the 20th time with 1:51 left. Both clubs had two possessions left but the score was unchanged. Syracuse 104, Connecticut 104.
Fifth Overtime: Price scored the first four points of the session and in the meantime Devendorf was called for his fifth foul. SU coach Jim Boeheim called on walk-on Justin Thomas to take his place. Flynn scored in the paint and made two free throws to tie things up again. Husky Scotttie Haralson hit his first field goal of the game then fouled Flynn who made two more free throws. Connecticut had two attempts in the last 15 seconds but failed. Syracuse 110, Connecticut 110.
Sixth Overtime: The Orange won the tip to start the sixth session and Rautins drilled a long three-pointer to give SU its first lead since the final two minutes of regulation. Harris added back-to-back baskets and a free throw to push Syracuse in front, 118-110. Connecticut got no closer than six the rest of the way.
Coach Jim Boeheim earned the 796th career triumph of his career. He ranks third among active Division I coaches.
The two teams played the longest college basketball game of the shot-clock era and the second-longest on record. Cincinnati and Bradley played a seven-overtime tilt in 1981 and there have been two other six-overtime outings on record -- Minnesota 59, Purdue 56 in 1955 and Niagara 88, Siena 81 in 1953.
The elapsed time of the game was three hours, 46 minutes. The game began at 9:36 p.m. March 12 and ended at 1:22 a.m. March 13.
It is the longest game in BIG EAST Championship history and the fifth multiple-OT game in tournament history. The previous long was the 1981 championshp game, when Syracuse defeated Villanova 83-80.
The combined score of 244 points shattered the previous BIG EAST tournament record of 189 points (Villanova 96, Pittsburgh 93 in 2ot, March 4, 1998).
Eight players fouled out including the four for Syracuse.
Connecticut guard A.J. Price had 33 points and 10 assists. Forward Stanley Robinson had 28 points and 14 rebounds. Four other Huskies had double-digit rebound totals -- forward Jeff Adrien (14), center Hasheem Thabeet (14), guard Kemba Walker (11) and forward Gavin Edwards (10). Connecticut had 76 rebounds overall.
