CARRIER DOME,SYRACUSE,N.Y.
Monday January 25,2010.
As I arrived at the Carrier Dome, around 5:00 pm, there were already long lines of mostly students, and others, anxiously awaiting their turn in line, to purchase tickets for the most anticipated game on the Orange schedule, so far this season. The rivalry between the two Big East original members, goes right back to the birth of the conference in 1979, including a Georgetown win in the final game of the first home of the Syracuse basketball team,the Manley Field House. The Orange have called the Carrier Dome their home since its opening, in the fall of 1980. A crowd of nearly 30,000 has been talked about as a possibility for this evenings game. To the best of my recollection, the all time record for a crowd at the dome for a college basketball game is around 33,000, which was for a game with Notre Dame, when guard Gerry McNamara, a hero from the 2003 national championship team here, was still playing with Syracuse.
The Orange are 19-1 overall, and 6-1 in the Big East,while Georgetown is 15-3 overall, with a 6-2 record in the conference. Syracuse is led by 6-7, Jr. forward, Wesley Johnson, who is averaging 17.3 points per game, 9.1 rebounds, 2.2 block per game, and 31.7 minutes played per game. He is one of the top 30 candidates for the John R.Wooden Award, the nations most coveted college basketball honor. Georgetown's Jr. guard, Austin Freeman,6-3 , 227, is leading the Hoyas in scoring, averaging 15.6 points, to go along with 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 33.4 minutes per game. This is the 82nd meeting between the two schools, and the Orange lead the series 44-37. The teams have split the last four games. Four of the last 12 games between the teams have gone to overtime.
The Orange came out looking very nervous early, and making some uncharacteristic sloppy turnovers. However, after falling way behind to the opportunistic Hoyas by 14-0, with 16:45 to go in the first half, Syracuse, responding to the almost ear aching thunderous noise, of the nearly all dressed in orange Carrier Dome crowd, slowly chipped away at the Georgetown lead. Three key steals and 2, three point shots from guard and Team Canada member, Andy Rautins, pushed the Orange along, and with 2:18 remaining in the half, the Orange trailed by one, and got their “A” game going for the remaining segment before the break, to take a halftime lead of 34-29. As expected, Georgetown’s Austin Freeman was the Hoyas best player in the first half, and led all scorers with 13 points.
Syracuse pulled away in the second half, and played to the level expected of a team with only 1 loss and ranked in the top 5 nationally. They used their size and athleticism, along with a smothering defense, to shut down the Hoyas, in front of an announced crowd of more than 26,000. Syracuse prevailed by 73-56 over Georgetown, after what Hall Of Fame coach Jim Boeheim referred to, as the “worst start we have ever had”. He credited Andy Rautins defense and stealing prowess (6) for turning the game around for the Orange.Rautins also had 15 points, tied with Montreal native Kris Joseph, for the team lead. Wes Johnson finished with 14 points, 4 blocks,, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists, as well as 7 turnovers. Austin Freeman led all Georgetown scorers with 23 points,and also had 6 rebounds, as well as 2 steals.
Like most major college basketball arenas,the Carrier Dome crowd have some unique traditions of their own. When the visiting team is introduced, one by one , each of the starting 5 get a response, when they are announced over the public address. In the order they are announced, the Orange fans ( mostly the students), can be heard yelling in the following order for the 5 starters. 1: ‘ Who’s he ?’ 2. ‘So what !’ 3: Who cares?’ 4: ‘Big deal’. 5: ‘Big #@&% !’ : A rather interesting greeting, to be sure. For both halves, the Orange fans do not sit down until after the Orange have scored, as long or short as it may.