The Daily OrangeDéjà vu: Reminiscent of 2008, Syracuse again claims early season championship win against defending national champion
By Matt Ehalt
Posted: 11/21/09, 1:06 AM EST Section: Sports
NEW YORK - For the second straight year, Syracuse's early-season tournament ended in the same fashion: the Orange celebrating jubilantly on the court and placing championship T-shirts over its jerseys, while the defending national champions walk away empty-handed.
With No. 24 Syracuse's 87-71 win over No. 6 North Carolina Friday night at Madison Square Garden, the Orange has now won two consecutive championships in the opening part of its schedule over the defending national champions. Last year in Kansas City, Mo., Syracuse defeated Kansas, the 2008 champions.
"It's big," Andy Rautins said. "It doesn't mean anything for us rankings-wise. It's just a good quality win for us and we want to continue to get better day in and day out and we can't be satisfied. We have a big game coming up against Cornell and we can't take anybody lightly and if we play bad they can come out and beat us."
Last season, Syracuse played in the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic and upset No. 17 Florida in the semifinals before toppling the No. 22 Jayhawks in overtime of the tournament championship game. Syracuse entered the tournament unranked, but upset two ranked teams and gave the defending national champions their first loss since the previous season.
This year, the Orange dismantled No. 13 California in the semifinals before trashing No. 6 North Carolina in the finals.
After entering the season with so many questions about replacing the trio of Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris, the Orange has answered any concerns there might have been about this team early on.
"It means a lot," Rick Jackson said. "For us to just show people what type of team we can be. It's just a lot to go out there and win these types of games."
Still, Jim Boeheim seemed to not place that much emphasis in the wins over the defending national champions. After UNC lost key players such as Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Tyler Hansbrough from its 34-4 team last season, Boeheim made sure to remind the media about that.
With No. 24 Syracuse's 87-71 win over No. 6 North Carolina Friday night at Madison Square Garden, the Orange has now won two consecutive championships in the opening part of its schedule over the defending national champions. Last year in Kansas City, Mo., Syracuse defeated Kansas, the 2008 champions.
"It's big," Andy Rautins said. "It doesn't mean anything for us rankings-wise. It's just a good quality win for us and we want to continue to get better day in and day out and we can't be satisfied. We have a big game coming up against Cornell and we can't take anybody lightly and if we play bad they can come out and beat us."
Last season, Syracuse played in the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic and upset No. 17 Florida in the semifinals before toppling the No. 22 Jayhawks in overtime of the tournament championship game. Syracuse entered the tournament unranked, but upset two ranked teams and gave the defending national champions their first loss since the previous season.
This year, the Orange dismantled No. 13 California in the semifinals before trashing No. 6 North Carolina in the finals.
After entering the season with so many questions about replacing the trio of Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris, the Orange has answered any concerns there might have been about this team early on.
"It means a lot," Rick Jackson said. "For us to just show people what type of team we can be. It's just a lot to go out there and win these types of games."
Still, Jim Boeheim seemed to not place that much emphasis in the wins over the defending national champions. After UNC lost key players such as Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Tyler Hansbrough from its 34-4 team last season, Boeheim made sure to remind the media about that.
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