a decade after syracuse’s last contest with georgetown in the big east, both sides will face off for their 99th all-time meeting saturday
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Louisville. With the losses piling up, Syracuse had a players-only meeting before the conference utside of Madison Square tournament in New York City. Garden, a documentary crew Cooney said that the meeting caught Syracuse and Georgefocused on putting everything town fans desperately trying to aside and moving forward for the get into the building to see the most important stretch of the sealast rendition of the rivalry as it stood. son. Hart noted that Fair, James The cameras showed a vendor saying Southerland and Brandon Triche that tickets were going for $1,000 while all spoke during the meeting, stata voiceover of fans, coaches and anaing that the Big East Tournament lysts talked about how 2013 was the was a new season. end of the Big East Tournament. In the conference tournament, SyrThe “30 for 30” documentary, acuse immediately showed improve“Requiem for the Big East,” framed ment. Southerland scored 20 points in the story of the rise and fall of the wins over Seton Hall and Pittsburgh to basketball conference around this set up the semifinals matchup against matchup between the Orange and Georgetown. Before the game, Cooney the Hoyas one decade ago. The remembered SU legends like Derrick game itself, a 58-55 victory for SyrColeman talking to the team to remind acuse, not only reflected the rivalry them of the rivalry. and conference’s legendary status, “He was around a lot up in Syrabut where the Orange once stood cuse at away games and stuff,” Cooney as a college basketball powerhouse. said. “He always came to support us.” “This is how everybody expected From the start, the game was simiit to be,” SU forward C.J. Fair said lar to many classic Syracuse-Georgeafter the game. “A big, tough battle town battles. Whenever a player between Syracuse and Georgetown.” fought for a rebound off a missed shot, Backup SU forward Trevor Cooney there was contact. Boeheim tweaked said the rivalry made his own games the 2-3 zone to move up more from against Georgetown special, but the basket to counter the Hoyas’ big felt that there were more intense men like Porter Jr. matchups with foes like Pittsburgh. But early on, it didn’t matter Nolan Hart, a walk-on for the Orange against Porter Jr., who scored the first at the time, felt the same about the points of the contest on a layup where Panthers being the bigger rivals, espehe faced contact from Carter-Wilcially since they beat the Hoyas 7-of-11 liams. The physicality of the matchup times in his Syracuse career. But he led to a first half where the two teams also acknowledged that the rivalry shot a combined 17-of-49 (34.7%). will be intense in 2023. The Hoyas jumped out to an early “Games now aren’t as big as five-point lead, but Cooney sparked they were,” Hart said. “But you the Orange to a nine-point lead can guarantee that they’ll pack at halftime with 10 points and four out that (Capital One Arena) for rebounds off the bench. With 3:35 this game this weekend.” left, Cooney nailed a 3-pointer from SU was coming off a 2011-12 camthe corner before scoring a layup to paign where it lost only once in the extend Syracuse’s lead to 10. In Syracuse’s final game in the Big East, it played arch-rivals Georgetown to a 58-55 victory regular season but fell to Ohio State While Cooney had a team-best in the Conference Tournament semifinals. daily orange file photo in the Elite Eight. The Orange lost first half, SU lacked any produccore members of the roster in Dion Waittion from its starting center Christmas. ers and Fab Melo, yet retained Michael Boeheim said Christmas, who played four Carter-Williams, Fair and Rakeem Christminutes, was “sleeping” that night and that mas. Jerami Grant, now a starter for the the team “couldn’t wake him up to get out Portland Trail Blazers, came off the bench. there to play.” In the first 75 seconds of the Syracuse’s talent led it to the fifth-best second half, Christmas had a missed shot scoring offense in the country while the and committed a foul, causing Boeheim to 2-3 zone produced the third-best scoring sub him out. defense in the conference. In Christmas’ place, backup Baye “It was probably a stretch in terms of Moussa Keita played 41 minutes and regular season dominance and postseabecame one of the game’s critical person runs that was a three or four-year formers. Midway through the second half, run probably as good as any other three Keita converted a layup, facing heavy or four year run in (Syracuse head coach initial run to the Final Four started follow- mantled 61-39. Georgetown limited SU defense from Markel Hopkins, putting Jim) Boeheim’s tenure,” said Michael ing a blowout loss to Georgetown. to a 31.9% field goal percentage and one Syracuse up 45-37. Cohen, a men’s basketball beat writer for Despite Keita’s surprise impact, On March 5, 2013, the Orange 3-pointer as the Orange had their lowest The Daily Orange that season. Georgetown started to claw back. came to Washington D.C. to face the point total since the 1962-63 season. Hart added that the 2012-13 team wasn’t No. 5-ranked Hoyas led by future NBA This loss highlighted a 1-4 stretch to After Keita’s layup, Hopkins drained the most talented Orange team he played forward Otto Porter Jr. Instead of a end the regular season, including losses a 3-pointer on the left wing to cut the for, but they got hot at the right time. The competitive matchup, Syracuse was dis- to ranked opponents like Marquette and see georgetown page 10 By Henry O’Brien
senior staff writer
O
On March 15, 2013, Syracuse traveled to Madison Square Garden (NY) for a final Big East Tournament showdown against bitter rivals Georgetown. The Orange pulled out a 58-55 overtime win.
Games now aren’t as big as they were. But you can guarantee that they’ll pack out that (Capital One Arena) for this game this weekend. Nolan Hart syracuse men’s basketball walk- on
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TIMELESS
Syracuse and Georgetown have produced a plethora of classic matchups. From game-winners FEB. 13, 1980
MARCH 1, 1980
MARCH 10, 1984
JAN. 28, 1985
MARCH 8, 1985
Georgetown beats No. 2 Syracuse in the last game at Manley Field House
Georgetown beats Syracuse in first ever Big East Championship
Hoyas win third Big East Championship: Michael Graham punches Andre Hawkins
Syracuse defeats No. 1 Georgetown on last second shot from Pearl Washington
Patrick Ewing throws a punch at Pearl Washington
In the first Big East battle between the Orange and Hoyas, Syracuse ranked No. 2 in the country while Georgetown was unranked. Despite the differing rankings, Georgetown upset Syracuse 52-50 in the final game ever played at Manley Field House. After the upset win, Georgetown head coach John Thompson said “Manley Field House is officially closed.”
Less than a month after Georgetown defeated Syracuse in the final game at Manley Field House in upset fashion, the two teams faced off again in the first-ever Big East Tournament Championship. In the game, thenNo. 20 Georgetown defeated then-No. 3 Syracuse 87-81. The Hoyas were led by tournament MVP Craig Shelton and All Tournament team members John Duren and Eric Floyd.
The Syracuse and Georgetown rivalry reached new heights in animosity during the 1984 Big East Tournament Championship. In the game, Georgetown big man Michael Graham jabbed his left hand at Syracuse forward Andre Hawkins during a fight for a crucial rebound. Graham was initially ejected but the referees decided to reverse the call, resulting in Graham staying in the game and the Hoyas ultimately winning 82-71 in overtime.
As the defending national champions, Patrick Ewing and the Hoyas entered the 1985 matchup at the Carrier Dome as the No. 1 team in the country. Trailing by one with just seconds remaining, Pearl Washington hit a jump shot from the left elbow to take the lead for SU and ultimately win the game. It was the first-ever win against a No.1 team in program history for the Orange.
In the 1985 Big East Tournament semifinals, Ewing and Washington were involved in multiple physical altercations. After a Washington elbow to Ewing’s ribs, the future Hoyas head coach retaliated with a thrown punch that nearly missed Washington’s head. Georgetown went on to win the game 74-65.
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s to punches being thrown, the rivalry has always brewed strong for the once-Big East rivals. MARCH 15, 1992
FEB. 8, 1997
MARCH 1, 1998
MARCH 10, 2006
MARCH 15, 2013
Johnson clinches 1st Big East Confrence win over Georgetown with game-winning shot
Donovan McNabb rejects Jahidi White and plays career minutes in victory
Syracuse beats Georgetown in last matchup between Thompson and Boeheim
Gerry McNamara leads SU back from 15-point deficit to win in Big East Tournament
Syracuse defeats Georgetown in final Big East Tournament matchup
Heading into its fifth head-to-head Big East Championship against Georgetown in 1992, SU had never beaten the Hoyas. With the game tied 52-52 in the closing seconds of regulation, Dave Johnson drained a game-winning jump shot with 3.8 seconds left, leading the Orange to their first Big East Championship win over Georgetown.
Because of foul trouble to SU centers Otis Hill and Etan Thomas, Jim Boeheim moved forward Todd Burgan to center and inserted walk-on star quarterback Donovan McNabb in at forward. McNabb played a career-high 19 minutes and notched 10 points. But his biggest play was rejecting Georgetown center Jahidi White’s slam dunk, helping energize the Orange to a 77-74 win.
Boeheim and Thompson faced each other 46 times in their careers, with Thompson winning 25 of the matchups. But the last time the coaches met, Syracuse got the best of Georgetown, defeating it 77-72 in overtime. Todd Burgan (19), Ryan Blackwell (17), Thomas (14) and Jason Hart (12) all scored in double figures for the Orange.
After defeating No. 8 Cincinnati 74-73 and No. 1 UConn 86-84, No. 9 Syracuse advanced to the Big East Tournament Semifinals to face No. 5 Georgetown. Gerry McNamara scored 15 points in the second half and assisted Eric Devendorf’s game-winning layup, leading the Orange to a heroic 58-57 win. SU then won the Big East Championship game over No. 6 Pittsburgh.
Before leaving the Big East for the Atlantic Coast Conference, Syracuse faced Georgetown in the Big East Tournament for the last time in 2013. The score was tied 51-51 at the end of regulation, but SU prevailed in overtime, winning 58-55. The Orange’s smothering defense and contributions from bench players Baye-Moussa Keita (13 points) and Trevor Cooney (10 points) propelled them to their final win as conference rivals against Georgetown.
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Adrian Autry’s 17-year long relationship with players and coaches in the Washington, D.C. area has culminated in strong recruiting ties
Six high-profile D.C. area recruits have committed to Syracuse since Adrian Autry’s arrival in 2011. aidan groeling staff photographer
Adrian Autry (right) was the lead recruiter for Benny Williams (left), who joined the Orange in the 2022-22 season. Autry still makes trips to St. Andrews Episcopal High School, where Williams went. aidan groeling staff photographer
No. A 32
By Connor Smith
senior staff writer
Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry’s highest-ever recruit was Maryland native Benny Williams, the No. 32 ranked player in the 2021 class
drian Autry’s coaching career began inconspicuously in Alexandria, Virginia, in 2006, when he began working as a parttime assistant at Bishop Ireton High School. He swept courts before varsity games, drove kids to practice and took them out to eat, all while working an additional job as a settlement agent for a real estate company. Today, Autry is Syracuse’s head coach, and one of the most well-known figures in central New York and college basketball. But over the past 17 years — as he jumped from high school
assistant to an Atlantic Coast Conference head coach — Autry kept doing what he started doing back in Northern Virginia in 2006: meeting and forming close relationships with Washington, D.C.-area players and coaches. Autry was the lead recruiter for Judah Mintz, Benny Williams and Donnie Freeman — a 4-star 2024 SU signee. All three hail from the Washington metropolitan area, a basketball hotbed known as the “DMV” that Syracuse visits Saturday afternoon for its 99th all-time tilt with Georgetown. Autry’s relationships with local high school and AAU coaches — stemming from his two seasons coaching in the region — have helped him establish a
recruiting pipeline for Syracuse. And when he was promoted to head coach in March, Autry quickly brought in George Washington assistant — and DMV native — Brendan Straughn to strengthen that base. “Coach Autry has a ton of respect (in the D.C. area),” said Osman Bangura, a local AAU coach for Team Durant, which Mintz played on in high school. “This was his area, his recruiting base, because of the relationships he’s had. He’ll definitely be successful recruiting from this area, and then adding Brendan in as well helps that a lot more.” Syracuse has always had a strong presence in the region — Dave Bing, Sheman see recruiting page 10
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Naheem McLeod has averaged 5.8 points and a team-high 23 offensive rebounds through eight games with Syracuse this season. He transferred to SU from FSU this past offseason. aidan groeling staff photographer
STILL GROWING A larger-than-life presence, 7-foot-4 Naheem McLeod is the tallest player in Syracuse program history and still boasts untapped potential By Henry O’Brien
senior staff writer
W
henever Naheem McLeod was hungry after practices, he went straight to Phil’s Tavern in Blue Bell, PA, with his high school coach, Jim Donofrio. The staff knew exactly who the then-6-foot-8 center was, and what he wanted. “I got a pitcher of root beer, a cheesesteak, with whiz on the cheesesteak and cheese fries,” McLeod said. In Phil’s Tavern, McLeod became the center of attention. This reflected how he eventually stood out both on and off the basketball court in stops at Chipola College, Florida State and then finally Syracuse, where he is the starting center. McLeod, the tallest player in SU basketball history, has immediately and quite literally stood out among his peers. Through eight games with the Orange, he leads the team in offensive rebounds. Yet, McLeod’s past coaches and those close to him know he hasn’t reached his full potential.
I feel like he can always have more. I tell him that all the time. Nothing is gonna be enough for him. Quadir Copeland syracuse guard
McLeod made an impression on Donofrio during a practice session when he was in eighth grade. Donofrio envisioned McLeod as a future basketball star for Plymouth Whitemarsh High School (PA). In the workout, Donofrio saw McLeod take one dribble from the NBA 3-point line and dunk left-handed. Then from the right side, McLeod made one dribble on a jab step and dunked right-handed. Donfrio wondered if McLeod was left or right-handed. “He said, ‘I'm right or left,’” Donofrio remembered, though McLeod eventually settled on his right. Prior to that practice, McLeod said the middle school he was coming from undervalued his talent, but Donofrio didn’t. According to McLeod, Donofrio said, “This guy's gonna be a pro. Y’all don't know what you did, y’all messed up.” Once McLeod got on the court at Plymouth Whitemarsh, he impressed. In his junior season against Archbishop Wood, McLeod used his frame to dominate and give the Colonials a 55-43 win. He began his senior year with a school-best see mcleod page 10
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georgetown deficit to five. In the final minutes of regulation, the Hoyas went on a 14-6 run. During the stretch, Georgetown never took the lead as Boeheim nervously sat in his chair. But Keita helped the Orange against the surging Hoyas. With under four minutes remaining, Keita was fouled on a dunk attempt before making two high-pressure free throws. Over two minutes later, Keita drew a reach-in foul off a rebound. Hoyas players were livid, but Keita composed himself for two more free throws. He nailed both. Hart said without a doubt that Keita was the team’s most valuable player during that contest. “He was definitely a big guy that was older and had some experience that we could rely on in tough spots,” Cooney said of Keita. Porter Jr. responded with free throws of his own with seven seconds remaining, and CarterWilliams rushed down the floor attempting a buzzer beater, which missed. In the extra period, SU’s defense limited Georgetown to four points while Keita and Fair made clutch shots. Trailing by three with 10 seconds left, Porter Jr. faced a double team from Southerland and Triche and tried to pass out, but Fair stole the ball and sealed the victory. from page 9
mcleod 41 points in a 66-61 victory over rivals Norristown High School. In that game, he distributed the ball much more while sealing the doubleovertime win with a made 3-pointer and a dunk to defeat the Eagles. Similar to how he became the focal point in the final moments of games, McLeod was the center of attention nearly wherever he went. McClure said when McLeod worked basketball camps, kids always ran up to him for a picture. When people asked him how tall he was, he joked that he was 6-foot-4. “He's very social, and he would love to go out,” McClure said. “Whether it's getting a Wawa hoagie, or going to Phil's Tavern and getting a cheesesteak after a practice or a game, he’s a good player, good kid.” Yet in the classroom, McLeod needed time to settle into his environment. During academic help sessions with Plymouth Whitemarsh math teacher Michael Connor, though, McLeod was a curious kid with a positive spirit. McLeod and Connor worked on improving the center’s grades so he could get into big Division-I schools. According to Connor, McLeod never missed any of the help sessions. “To watch someone’s work ethic like that, just really was positive,” Connor said. “That was a pleasure for me.” Still, McLeod couldn’t raise his GPA or SAT scores. Instead of playing at Florida State, where he initially committed in 2018, McLeod ended up at Chipola College of the National Junior College Athletic Association. To Donofrio, most players would’ve just thrown in the towel after their initial dreams foiled. But McLeod didn’t. At Chipola in 2020-21, McLeod scored in double digits six times, including a season-best 11 points against Gulf Coast State. In nine games, he blocked three or more shots, leading it all the way to the NJCAA Final Four. McLeod’s performance at Chipola earned him the opportunity to go to Florida State. In two seasons at FSU, he started just 16-of-46 games. With limited playing time, McLeod searched for another change. “I needed a new start, looking for somewhere new to call home,” McLeod said. Those from his home in Philadelphia knew McLeod would ultimately find what he sought after. Syracuse forward Quadir Copeland’s older brother, Daiquan, played with McLeod in Philadelphia. Copeland said the two hold each other accountable and that no statline will ever
As his team celebrated, the documentary crew caught Boeheim hugging former Georgetown coach John Thompson, a former rival of his and the father of John Jr., the Hoyas’ coach at the time. “Our guys really battled and found ways to win,” said Syracuse assistant coach Mike Hopkins. “You think about how Pittsburgh and Georgetown play us, they’re like the nemesis, the kryptonite, the worst style. We did a really good job and made it a lot more difficult.” With the in-conference rivalry officially over, the Orange focused their sights on Louisville, the eventual national champions. Cooney still remembered the painful defeat in the championship game against the Cardinals, while Hart recalled the Georgetown win being just another step to take. The end of the “30 for 30” episode showed the court being broken down and the hoops coming down. Hart said he understood the historical significance of the moment. “So it was kind of like a little bit of a payback for when John Thompson said, ‘The Manley Fieldhouse is closed,’ Hart said. “Our rivalr y w ith Georgetow n, the Big East at the Madison Square Garden was over at that moment. So we kind of got the last lap.” henrywobrien1123@gmail.com @realhenryobrien
impress the other. After a victory over Canisius on Nov. 8, Copeland said he doesn’t care if McLeod got 15 rebounds, the forward expects 20. “I feel like he can always have more. I tell him that all the time,” Copeland said. “Nothing is gonna be enough for him.” McLeod knew he wanted to come to Syracuse in the middle of last season. Before SU’s game at FSU last February, McLeod pulled aside Copeland, Jesse Edwards and John Bol Ajak, telling them he wanted to come to Syracuse. “I think Quadir was the only one that took it serious,” McLeod joked. Once McLeod entered the transfer portal, he said Syracuse was the second school that contacted him. McLeod spoke with every SU coach and after his only visit to Syracuse, McLeod committed. “When (Autry) preached to me that this team is built around me and I fit the play style for here, I was like it's no doubt that I wanted to stay in the ACC,” McLeod said in October. But through the first nine games of the season, McLeod has had one game where he scored over 10 points and hasn’t recorded 10 rebounds in a single contest. In that stretch, the most boards he recorded in a single game was nine against Chaminade and Canisius. Donofrio still watches and analyzes McLeod when SU plays. He joked that he wishes he could get a listening device in McLeod’s ear to give him advice on his game. “I'd love to see him never accept getting boxed out on the offensive glass,” Donofrio said. “Just continue to pivot off and spin off and don't accept and stay active because those arms of his are so long, he can just keep a ball alive.” McLeod has the hand-eye coordination, footwork and ability to run the floor to be available for his teammates, Donofrio said. The coach also noted that Syracuse’s guards should always remember the 7-foot-4 “gift” right in front of the basket. But McLeod is also learning from his teammates. After the win over Canisius, McLeod said Judah Mintz likes to attack from the left side, so when that happened, McLeod knew where to position himself. And following SU’s blowout loss to Virginia, McLeod acknowledged that there are little, but critical qualities of his game that he has to improve. “Just playing with more energy, definitely just energy,” McLeod said. “Coming out, blocking shots, changing shots, little things like that.”
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recruiting Douglas and Lawrence Moten, among others, are natives — and nearly 15,000 alumni live in the D.C. metro area. But Autry has managed to enhance that presence. Including Freeman, he’s helped recruit six 4-star D.C. area-players to Syracuse since arriving in 2011. Autry began coaching in the area after a 2006 conversation with then-SU assistant Mike Hopkins. He had one-year stints at Bishop Ireton and St. Paul VI (Va.), two powerhouse programs, and coached for Team Takeover, a top AAU program based in D.C. He built relationships with high school and college coaches, and observed recruiting pitches. Once he joined Seth Greenberg’s Virginia Tech staff in 2008, Autry knew where to go — and who to talk to — when recruiting the area. That carried over to SU, too. He brought forward Jerami Grant to Syracuse from Dematha Catholic (Md.) High School in 2012 and guard Frank Howard from St. Paul VI in 2015. Mintz said Autry knows how to connect with recruits in the DMV: he’s personable and knows who he’s talking to and what interests them. Mintz’s relationship with Autry was the driving force behind him choosing Syracuse. After Mintz decommitted from Pitt in November 2021, Autry called Bangura and asked if it was too late to go after the guard. “How serious are y’all about him?” Bangura asked. “I love him,” Autry replied. “We don’t want to waste any time.” Bangura gave Mintz his background with Autry: the two had coached together at St. Paul VI and remained close since. Mintz committed to SU in March 2022. Players in the D.C. area see Syracuse as a place they can be comfortable and have a built-in family, Mintz said, since SU has a track record of “taking care” of local players. “Syracuse is deeply rooted in the DMV area and I hope it continues,” Mintz added. Regularly playing games in the area helps its recruiting presence too, area coaches said. Syracuse has continued the Georgetown series since 2015, and UVA is a short drive from D.C. The ACC Tournament returns to the district this season, too. Those games allow SU to position its brand in front of recruits, and players from the area can compete near home. Mintz said plenty of his friends and family attended the Virginia game, and will have more at Georgetown. He said Saturday’s game is “special” for him and Williams. Both grew up less than 20 miles from Capital One Arena. “I think them just being in this area at all is huge just for their brand, their brand
recognition and just the following that they have in this area,” said Kevin Jones, who coached Williams at St. Andrews Episcopal (Md.) High School. Jones is in a group chat with 25 others who will be supporting Williams and are looking for a restaurant near the arena that opens by 10 a.m. Saturday with the early 11:30 tip-off. Williams said he received a lot of hate after committing to Syracuse over hometown schools Georgetown and Maryland. It’s been a challenge for those programs to keep local players home since the area receives national recruiting attention, Jones said. Williams has cited his relationship with Autry as a big factor in him choosing SU. When Kobe Bryant, one of Williams’ biggest influences, died in 2020, Autry was the only coach who checked in on him. Williams’ mother couldn’t stop talking about the gesture, the forward recalled. Grant, who also played for Team Takeover and has known Williams since elementary school, pitched the forward on coming to Syracuse. Autry coached with Jones at Bishop Ireton and St. Paul VI, and was the best man at his wedding. Jones said Autry visits St. Andrews’ gym both when they have Division-I talent and when they don’t. Coaches said Autry has similar genuine relationships with high school and AAU coaches around the area. “Having a base here and knowing people here with the rich talent is key,” Jones said. “So it's very advantageous for him to already be rooted in an area that has a lot of talent.” The decision to hire Straughn shows SU’s commitment to recruiting the region, coaches added. Straughn grew up and played collegiately in Maryland, and spent five years as a Team Takeover assistant, where he helped develop 70 D-I players and five McDonald's All-Americans. He then went to Loyola Maryland and GW before arriving at SU. Straughn’s DMV connections, along with his energy, attention to detail and work ethic, make him a strong coach and recruiter, Jones said. “It’s easy for him,” Bangura said. “This is home for Brendan.” Bangura said Autry won’t have an issue recruiting D.C. players as head coach. Jones has heard stories of local coaches calling or texting Autry and being impressed by his quick replies. Those 17 years of relationships — from Bishop Ireton to Syracuse — have already paid dividends for the Orange, and coaches expect that to continue. “I know there’s a lot of people around here rooting for him to do well,” Jones said. csmith49@syr.edu @csmith17_
Senior Staff Writer Cole Bambini contributed reporting for this story. henrywobrien1123@gmail.com @realhenryobrien
daily orange file photo
daily orange file photo
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who went where?
beat writer predictions
By Daily Orange Sports Staff
Ten years ago, Syracuse and Georgetown faced off in its final Big East matchup during the conference tournament semifinals on March 15, 2013. SU scraped by with a 58-55 overtime win before leaving for the Atlantic Coast Conference later that year. Despite Syracuse leading in the all-time series, the two sides have evenly split their last eight contests since the Orange joined the ACC. Most recently, at the JMA Wireless Dome on Dec. 10, 2022, the Orange beat the Hoyas 83-64. Judah Mintz tallied 16 points and a career-high 10 assists, while fellow Maryland native Benny Williams added 13. Another chapter in this storied rivalry unfolds Saturday when Syracuse visits Georgetown for the 99th overall meeting. New appointments Adrian Autry and Ed Cooley will meet for the first time as head coaches. Here’s how our beat writers think SU will fare in Washington D.C.:
Cole Bambini pit stop in the capital Syracuse 79, Georgetown 72
In 2013, Syracuse left the Big East conference to join the ACC alongside Pitt and Notre Dame. Numerous other teams joined new conferences to redefine the shape of the league. source: nbc sports
the last laugh Syracuse defeated Georgetown 58-55 in the 2013 Big East semifinals, advancing to the championship game against Louisville
Ever since Syracuse departed the Big East for the ACC, this historic rivalry has been split down the middle. The Orange haven’t won in Washington, D.C., in nearly six years, but I think they’ll come out on top Saturday to make it two straight against Georgetown. It won’t be easy on the road and shouldn’t be a blowout like last year’s matchup. This year’s Hoyas squad is much different than last year’s, which finished 7-25. Longtime Providence head coach Cooley took over the program in March and already has five wins this season. Syracuse can get a solid win over Georgetown, which has one-point losses to Holy Cross and TCU. Georgetown can score the ball, averaging nearly 80 points per game. It put up 83 against TCU and will likely test the Orange by having four consistent players who average double figures. But Syracuse, especially against LSU, has shown it can lock down defensively and get strong offensive performances from players like Chris Bell. SU will still rely on Mintz heavily, but complementing options need to be dependable if it wants to leave with a win.
HenryO’Brien D.C. basketball is atrocious Syraucse 74, Georgetown 70
If you look to the professional team that plays where Syracuse and Georgetown will compete, you will find some uninspiring and bland basketball. The Washington Wizards haven’t been fun to watch, and neither has Georgetown. The Hoyas lost to Holy Cross and barely beat Mount St. Mary’s, American, Jackson State and Merrimack. That’s pretty uninspiring results against teams who have no prayer of making the Big Dance. It should give SU’s stars a chance to shine. One week ago, Mintz had an abysmal five-point performance in the Orange’s ACC opener against Virginia. Now back in the DMV, he will show up against a Hoyas defense which ranks 303rd in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom. He and his SU teammates may struggle against one of the better 3-point defenses in the country. But in this instance, they shouldn’t have too much trouble charging at the rim.
full circle
53 45 Through 98 matchups, Syracuse leads the all-time series 53-45 against Georgetown. SU won the first matchup in 1930 40-18 and the last matchup in 2022 83-64. source: sportsrefrence.com
Tyler Schiff reclaiming its rhythym Syracuse 75, Georgetown 60
Syracuse has suffered a few ugly losses in the young 2023-24 campaign. Two double-digit defeats to then-No. 7 Tennessee and then-No. 11 Gonzaga at the Allstate Maui Invitational were followed up by an 84-62 loss at Virginia in SU’s first ACC game. But just like there’s a substantial gap between SU and the country’s top teams, it holds a similar, sizable advantage, over the Hoyas. Georgetown features just four returners across its 15-man roster. And though five of them are seniors, this is a squad that hasn’t been given enough time to gel. The lack of chemistry has translated into an 88-83 overtime loss to American and a too-close-for-comfort 69-67 victory over lowly Merrimack, which came down to the final possession. The Hoyas don’t have the sharpshooting or lockdown defense that SU’s previous opponents have displayed. So, Mintz should have his way with driving through the lane. Bell should find success from the perimeter and the mid-range game. Hopefully, this contest also serves as confidence boosters for players like Naheem McLeod, Justin Taylor and Quadir Copeland to find their footing amid a series of middling performances. sports@dailyorange.com @DOSports
12 in the paint