Syr/Cincy amazing ending!

[CoachC.]

In case you haven't seen it......

SU blew a 14-point 2nd half lead.....
Cincy hit a shot with 10 secs left to go up by one.....
Cincy stole the inbounds pass.....Syracuse fouled with 8 secs left....
Cincy hit first FT, missed 2nd (Cincy now up by 2 w/8 secs left)....
Cincy fouls Syracuse because they have one to give (now 6 secs left)....

Then......
Syracuse gets the ball inbounds to Gerry McNamara who dribbles through center court, double-teamed, goes around the back, and splits the two defenders. As the clock goes down to about 2 secs, G-Mac throws up a running 3-point prayer (running...as in took off from beyond the arc, headed towards the bucket and floats it with one hand). BOOM! SU up one. (now 0.5 secs left).

Cincy throws the ball to half court.....player grabs it on the run and shoots as he's sprinting to his right.....from half-court.....off the front of the rim!

WHEW! SU survives another day....and will probably get destroyed by UConn tomorrow, but may have earned an NCAA berth by beating another bubble team on a neutral court (remember, they're 2-1 now against fellow-bubble team Cincy).

But senior G-Mac coming up that big in that situation...incredible shot!

Even if we get crushed by UConn, today's a good day for Orange fans!

[admarc]

He drives you crazy, but you can't help but love this kid.

If they don't make it to the big show, at least G-Mac has given us one more memory today.

[CoachC.]

He drives you crazy, but you can't help but love this kid

I agree.

I actually think we play better w/out him in a lot of times. But that's more for short stretches than long ones.

As much as he drives me crazy (which he often does), he's still all grit and guts, and when the chips are down, he MUST have the ball in his hands.

He's a great example of a true college athlete.

[Jayhawk]

gmac will be on the coaching staff next year, mark my word

[admarc]

I agree.

I actually think we play better w/out him in a lot of times. But that's more for short stretches than long ones.

As much as he drives me crazy (which he often does), he's still all grit and guts, and when the chips are down, he MUST have the ball in his hands.

He's a great example of a true college athlete.

SU doesn't win the National Championship without him his freshman year. Everything else he does is icing on the cake. His legend at SU is secure. Although, that was some sweet icing today. ;)

[admarc]

Wow, JB was about as fiery as I've ever seen him talking about G-Mack in the post game interview. He said they wouldn't have won 10 bleeping games without him this year. He seemed upset about a school paper article that said he was overrated. The article quoted anonymous assistant coaches. JB said that if they think G-Mack is overrated they will never be qualified to be a head coach.

[WhiteRabbit]

I am definately rooting for the Orange in the Big East tourney. They're so much fun to watch. The game was on at the gym when I was working out. I almost fell off the eliptical at the end, lol, it was awesome :D

[Orange Nation]

I've just become sick and tired of everyone skewering GMAC over the past week or so.  no one seems to remember his clutch play over the years, they just want to focus on him not living up to pre-season POY honors.... to those people, I say:  GERRY, GERRY, GERRY!

I think i may have shat myself.... GMac comes through big, and I'm glad to see our two big men acting more like players and less like hat-racks in the zone today. Im glad one of my predictions about Mookie that ive been making all year decided to come true. NCAA bid possible.

[nyjunc]

I still think SU needs to beat UConn today although tw/ Cincy and SH faltering maybe just a close loss could get them in?

[nyjunc]

Syracuse beats UConn in OT, NOW you are offically in. Congrats and I'll send the chips to Orange nation.

[Orange Nation]

gracias, nyjunc.

gotta admit, I was getting pretty nervous errrrr..... really nervous.

[admarc]

I've just become sick and tired of everyone skewering GMAC over the past week or so.* no one seems to remember his clutch play over the years, they just want to focus on him not living up to pre-season POY honors.... to those people, I say:* GERRY, GERRY, GERRY!

I think i may have shat myself.... GMac comes through big, and I'm glad to see our two big men acting more like players and less like hat-racks in the zone today. Im glad one of my predictions about Mookie that ive been making all year decided to come true. NCAA bid possible.


G-Mac is underrated ;)

All I have to say is WOW !

[Orange Nation]

G-Mac is underrated ;)

All I have to say is WOW !

WOOOOORDDD.

Gerry comes up clutch again.* I loved the comments on-air by Bilas and Raftery saying how he was "overrated" but being completely sarcastic about it.* Great feeling and a great win.

Gerry has now become a Garden legend based on two shots in two games

The kid is a winner. Period. He's not the best athlete but he's all heart, all guts. And he's a winner.

BTW, Gottlieb is a tool, thinks SU will be in...but says thats whats wrong with college BB.

Wasn't Gottlieb the one who got kicked out of ND for credit card fraud?

[CoachC.]

Amazing game once again!

G-Mac is one of the most clutch players in college B-Ball history. That's not over the top to say. Right up there with a guy like Christian Laettner.

It's just too bad Gerry didn't have a better supporting cast after Melo left. He would have even better numbers. He simply gets so much attention because there's no one else for opponents to really worry about.

Now, on to tomorrow night. I'm going to have to record the damn game because I have an away track meet to coach. But I'll have the Internet on my phone checking the score. 3 games in 3 days, after those two really emotional wins? I say too much to ask of the Orange. They're pretty sure to be in now, so I feel a let down. But, with Gerry McNamara on the floor, it's obvious to never count them out.

Go 'Cuse!!

[WhiteRabbit]

unbelievable game!

[Orange Nation]

What an impact Syracuse's win over No. 1 UConn had on the Orange's RPI and, therefore, it's NCAA tourney status.

Syracuse went from No. 39 in Ken Pomeroy's RPI rankings to No. 21 on the strength of Thursday's win. Strength of schedule is now 4th in the country.

[nyjunc]

G-Mac is one of the most clutch players in college B-Ball history. That's not over the top to say. Right up there with a guy like Christian Laettner.


That's very over the top to say. Laettner was doing it as the team's go to guy for years and was going to the FF every year. gerry was clutch in '03 but that was as a 3rd option and he's struggled the last couple of years until this 3 day stretch.

[CoachC.]

That's very over the top to say. Laettner was doing it as the team's go to guy for years and was going to the FF every year. gerry was clutch in '03 but that was as a 3rd option and he's struggled the last couple of years until this 3 day stretch.

No it's not over the top.

Laettner may have been the go-to guy, but with guys like Grant Hill, Bobby Hurley, Thomas Hill, and Brian Davis around him, it also made his job of being the go-to guy a little easier. There were a lot of guys who opponents had to worry about in Duke's end-of-game situations. With SU, EVERYONE knows Gerry McNamara's getting the ball in a close game at the end. You're right. Duke's team (over a 4-year period) is much better than SU's. But that's what makes G-Mac's clutch play just as impressive.

I'm not comparing Laettner to McNamara.......Laettner was maybe the best college basketball player I've ever seen, and one of the most clutch. G-Mac is really good (but not on Laettner's level) and clutch. That being said......

You're a smart college basketball fan. But those of us who've watched this team and this kid over the last four years know that he gets constrantly doubled, constantly harrassed, and constantly beat-up. He's not very big or fast, which hurts his chances of creating his own shot. Yet, he still makes them when they matter most.

3rd option on that title team???? Who was 2nd? Warrick? Not really. He had good offensive numbers, but G-Mac was the guy who they looked to after Melo.

And as far as only being clutch in this run......that's not true. He hit a buzzer-beater against GTown his sophomore year on the roal to win it. The last 5 points in the end (including a trey AT Pittsburgh to beat them the next game), and most impressively (I think), a 43-point performance, including 9 threes, against BYU in the opening round his sophomore year to come back and advance. Even more impressive......Warrick was on the bench for the last 4-minutes of that first half and Gerry scored 13 points in 4 minutes without him. (there were others, too).

And let's not forget this is the second year in a row this team has made a run in the BET when no one thought they would.....Beating UConn both years.

OK.....I'm feeling warm and fuzzy right now after these last few days.....and I'm a little biased towards the kid. But, honestly, I don't feel most people outside of Orange fans really look beyond the numbers to see what this kid has done over his career. Even us SU fans have taken him for granted far too often.

[nyjunc]

OK.....I'm feeling warm and fuzzy right now after these last few days.....and I'm a little biased towards the kid. But, honestly, I don't feel most people outside of Orange fans really look beyond the numbers to see what this kid has done over his career. Even us SU fans have taken him for granted far too often.


I happen to like him and think he's an easy guy to root for but I think folks ahve gone a little overboard the past few days.

[nyjunc]

Laettner may have been the go-to guy, but with guys like Grant Hill, Bobby Hurley, Thomas Hill, and Brian Davis

By the way, laettner was clutch before Hurleyand Hill got there. Hurley arrived his soph year and Hill his Jr year. laettner was the guy everyone wanted to stop and T. hill and Davis were good role players- nothing more.

[CoachC.]

By the way, laettner was clutch before Hurleyand Hill got there. Hurley arrived his soph year and Hill his Jr year. laettner was the guy everyone wanted to stop and T. hill and Davis were good role players- nothing more.

And McNamara's been clutch for three years since Melo left and one year since Hak left.

And the guys around him now are just as much role players as the Duke players were.

Again, just saying that BOTH of them are two of the greatest clutch performers in college basketball history. Of course, G-Mac would need another Final Four on his resume to be considered by most in the same realm as Laettner. But if you look at how they've performed in the biggest of situations on the biggest of stages, it's pretty incredible. I can't think of anyone else that's similar to them in that regard.

[nyjunc]

And McNamara's been clutch for three years since Melo left and one year since Hak left.

And the guys around him now are just as much role players as the Duke players were.

Again, just saying that BOTH of them are two of the greatest clutch performers in college basketball history. Of course, G-Mac would need another Final Four on his resume to be considered by most in the same realm as Laettner. But if you look at how they've performed in the biggest of situations on the biggest of stages, it's pretty incredible. I can't think of anyone else that's similar to them in that regard.

I just don't think they come clsoe to comparing. Gerry has been clutch at times but I ahve seen him miss alot of big shots as well and that can't be erased b/c of a great weekend at MSG. You want to say he's been a clutch player all his career? OK I can buy it but he's nowhere near the discussion of Laettner.

[CoachC.]

..... he's nowhere near the discussion of Laettner.

True. As a player as a whole.

Most people really don't realize how good of a college basketball player Laettner was. Maybe because he was a very mediocre pro player, and that he was a "hated" college player.

But he really was amazing while at Duke.

That game against Kentucky that everyone remembers for his last second shot.....what people forget is that he was 11-for-11 from the floor that day, too. Incredible.

[BillyT92679]

True. As a player as a whole.

Most people really don't realize how good of a college basketball player Laettner was. Maybe because he was a very mediocre pro player, and that he was a "hated" college player.

But he really was amazing while at Duke.

That game against Kentucky that everyone remembers for his last second shot.....what people forget is that he was 11-for-11 from the floor that day, too. Incredible.
Perfect from the FT line too...
could not stand him, but he was great. Buffalo roots too.

[nyjunc]

True. As a player as a whole.

Most people really don't realize how good of a college basketball player Laettner was. Maybe because he was a very mediocre pro player, and that he was a "hated" college player.

But he really was amazing while at Duke.

That game against Kentucky that everyone remembers for his last second shot.....what people forget is that he was 11-for-11 from the floor that day, too. Incredible.

I think you know how much I hate duke and I think Laettner is the best CBB player I have ever seen. I only go back to the early-mid 80s but in my time he has been the best I have seen.

The problem w/ that UK game was that he should have been thrown out after he stomped on the UK player's chest during that game.