Spring Break
The Daily OrangeREALLY?: Division II Le Moyne embarrasses Syracuse in final exhibition tuneup
By Matt Ehalt
Posted: 11/4/09, 2:20 AM EST Section: Sports
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"You lose to a Division II team right in your home and you just embarrass your fans and yourselves with the way you play," Rautins said. "It's inexcusable."
In one of the most shocking losses in recent Syracuse history, SU's porous defense proved too much to overcome, as the Orange lost to Le Moyne, 82-79, Tuesday night in its exhibition finale at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse took a one-point lead with 22 seconds to go, but Chris Johnson's 3-pointer with nine seconds left won the game for the cross-town underdogs.
"When you play exhibition games, you feel like this is a team you're used to beating by so many points," center Arinze Onuaku said. "We feel as a team we let ourselves down, because on the defensive end we didn't feel like we played like we know we can."
Even with the defensive deficiencies, Syracuse still had a late chance to win the game. The Orange used a 6-0 run over a span of 20 seconds, capped by a Wesley Johnson 3-pointer from the right corner, to change a 78-73 deficit into a 79-78 lead with 22 seconds left in the game. All the Orange had to do was stop the Dolphins on one play.
Durrett Miles brought the ball up, and the play broke down as time ticked off the clock. In the timeout leading to the inbounds pass, Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim talked about not letting Chris Johnson, who had been 5-of-12 from 3 up to that point, touch the ball.
Instead, Johnson was wide open and Miles found him at the top-right of the arc. Point guard Brandon Triche ran over to block the shot, but Johnson put it home to give Le Moyne the game-winner with nine seconds to go. Wesley Johnson, who led all scorers with 34 points, missed a 3-point attempt to tie the game with three seconds left, and Rautins missed a desperation 3 from the other foul line with time expiring. The Dolphins would add one free throw.
The defensive lapse in the last seconds that left Chris Johnson wide open fell on the shoulders of SU sophomore forward Kris Joseph.
"The play before they got an alley-oop and they ran the same play, overload," Joseph said. "So in my head I knew the shooter was coming, but I didn't want to put the man in the middle in a bad predicament, maybe they get an alley-oop. But I should have followed directions and gone to the shooter."
Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 7
Torque Whala
posted 11/04/09 @ 8:15 AM EST
Jimmy B is so far past his prime, when will the calls for his dismissal come? He can recruit but he can't coach during a game. He offense never has any flow and his players don't seem to improve year to year. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 11/04/09 @ 10:05 AM EST
All I will say, is that it is going to be a long, long season for the Orange. People aren't going to admit it but Boeheim running Harris and Devendorf out of the program is going to have a devastating effect for this team. (Continued…)
Nick
posted 11/04/09 @ 10:06 AM EST
Yeah? Really? And I bet you welcomed Robinson with open arms. How'd that work out for you? Sit back down and quit acting like you know better then the professionals. (Continued…)
Anon
posted 11/04/09 @ 11:00 AM EST
Another reason why Daryl Gross should have been fired YEARS ago. If this isn't the epitome of how far our sport's programs have FALLEN, I don't know what is. (Continued…)
CalifCuse
posted 11/04/09 @ 12:05 PM EST
Gross was merely an acolyte at USC who thought being the AD at SU would be a stepping-stone to even bigger and better things. I guarantee he can't wait to go to a warmer location and a bigger sports budget school. (Continued…)
Pete
posted 11/04/09 @ 1:47 PM EST
I have to agree with Torque, did you see how Lemoyne was running pick and rolls, back door cuts, give and gos for dunks? While SU had no offensive game plan? Jim relies on talent and then sits backs and hopes for the best (see the Melo year). (Continued…)
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