Spring Break
The Daily OrangeMBB UConn | McNamara picks his spots, hits second big shot in two days
By Ethan Ramsey
Posted: 3/9/06, 11:43 PM EST Section: Sports
NEW YORK - Gerry McNamara isn't healthy; hasn't been for a while. Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim described it as playing on a "half a leg." McNamara wouldn't specify - could be the charley horse he suffered on Feb. 1 - but it's suddenly an issue now because the Big East tournament requires back-to-back games. So SU assistant coach Mike Hopkins told McNamara before Thursday's game against Connecticut to pick his spots.
Trailing in the final seconds would qualify. This is McNamara after all. And actually, the No. 1 team in the country actually made it one of the easiest clutch shots of No. 3's career.
One day after splitting two defenders to defeat Cincinnati with a running 3-pointer, UConn's Rashad Anderson allowed McNamara to pull up cleanly from beyond the NBA's 23.9-foot 3-point line. The swish sent the game into overtime and allowed Syracuse to win a game it had most of the way.
The 86-84 victory over No. 1 Connecticut in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament on Thursday virtually cinches Syracuse (21-11, 7-9 Big East) a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Boeheim said the victory was one of the best in the history of the program.
"I've only been here, though, 44 years, so I don't know," said Boeheim, who started his press conference with a brief apology for his expletive-laced rant following Wednesday's first round win over Cincinnati.
Now only two wins from a second straight tournament title, Syracuse faces No. 23 Georgetown on Friday at 7 p.m. in the semifinals at Madison Square Garden. The Hoyas beat the Orange, 68-53, in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 25. Fifth-seeded Georgetown (21-8, 10-6) held off fourth-seeded Marquette, 62-59, in the quaterfinal match following SU's win.
But the Orange could be favored after playing its most complete game of the season. Syracuse's five starters all scored in double figures for the second consecutive game after never recording the feat during the regular season. The 2-3 zone held UConn (27-3, 14-2) to a 30.3 shooting percentage. Only a 28-of-31 mark from the free throw line kept the Huskies within a reasonable distance.
Trailing in the final seconds would qualify. This is McNamara after all. And actually, the No. 1 team in the country actually made it one of the easiest clutch shots of No. 3's career.
One day after splitting two defenders to defeat Cincinnati with a running 3-pointer, UConn's Rashad Anderson allowed McNamara to pull up cleanly from beyond the NBA's 23.9-foot 3-point line. The swish sent the game into overtime and allowed Syracuse to win a game it had most of the way.
The 86-84 victory over No. 1 Connecticut in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament on Thursday virtually cinches Syracuse (21-11, 7-9 Big East) a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Boeheim said the victory was one of the best in the history of the program.
"I've only been here, though, 44 years, so I don't know," said Boeheim, who started his press conference with a brief apology for his expletive-laced rant following Wednesday's first round win over Cincinnati.
Now only two wins from a second straight tournament title, Syracuse faces No. 23 Georgetown on Friday at 7 p.m. in the semifinals at Madison Square Garden. The Hoyas beat the Orange, 68-53, in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 25. Fifth-seeded Georgetown (21-8, 10-6) held off fourth-seeded Marquette, 62-59, in the quaterfinal match following SU's win.
But the Orange could be favored after playing its most complete game of the season. Syracuse's five starters all scored in double figures for the second consecutive game after never recording the feat during the regular season. The 2-3 zone held UConn (27-3, 14-2) to a 30.3 shooting percentage. Only a 28-of-31 mark from the free throw line kept the Huskies within a reasonable distance.
