Syracuse vs Connecticut
Back
2009 Big East Tournament Quarter Finals @ Madison Square Garden, New York City  
March 12th, 2009  
Syracuse
127
Pos Player Min FG FGA 3FG 3FGA FT FTA Reb Asst TO Stl Blk Fls Pts
G
Jonny Flynn
67
9
24
0
1
16
16
3
11
7
6
1
2
34
G
Eric Devendorf
61
8
21
3
7
3
4
2
4
1
0
2
5
22
C
Arinze Onuaku
39
3
7
0
0
2
5
9
2
2
0
2
5
8
F
Rick Jackson
29
5
8
0
0
0
3
2
0
1
2
1
5
10
F
Paul Harris
56
8
23
0
3
13
14
22
1
2
2
0
4
29
-
Andy Rautins
49
6
15
6
12
2
2
4
2
1
3
1
4
20
-
Kris Onganaet
28
0
2
0
0
4
7
9
0
2
0
2
5
4
-
Kris Joseph
14
0
3
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
-
Justin Thomas
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
 
Syracuse Total
350
39
103
9
23
40
51
56
20
16
15
10
30
127
Connecticut
117
Pos Player Min FG FGA 3FG 3FGA FT FTA Reb Asst TO Stl Blk Fls Pts
G
A.J. Price
61
10
29
3
13
10
12
3
10
6
1
0
5
33
G
Kemba Walker
53
4
18
0
7
0
2
11
2
5
1
0
4
8
C
Hasheem Thabeet
53
7
10
0
0
5
10
14
0
5
1
6
5
19
F
Jeff Adrien
56
5
11
0
0
2
6
14
7
3
1
3
4
12
F
Stanley Robinson
48
11
19
1
2
5
10
14
2
3
3
1
5
28
-
Craig Austrie
45
2
13
2
10
2
2
2
4
1
3
1
4
8
-
Gavin Edwards
25
2
2
0
0
0
0
10
2
3
1
5
5
4
-
Scottie Haralson
5
2
4
1
3
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
3
5
-
Donnell Beverly
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
 
UConn Total
350
43
106
7
35
24
42
69
27
27
11
16
36
117
Attendence 19,375

Comments:

Syracuse (ranked #18) beat Connecticut (ranked #4) in Six Overtimes in the Quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament, with the game ending around 1:40 am EDT. The game is the longest in Big East history, and the 2nd longest in NCAA history (the record being 7 overtimes in a game between Cincinnati and Bradley in 1981).

Arinze Onuaku, who shot 16% from the free throw line in Big East action, sank two free throws in the last minute of regulation to help Syracuse keep the lead. UConn tied the game up with 1.1 seconds remaining in regulation. Paul Harris threw an inbound pass 3/4 the length of the court to Eric Devendorf, who shot and made a three point shot as time expired, which would have given the Orange the win in regulation. However, upon instant replay review, it showed that the tips of Devendorf's fingers were still on the ball as time was at 0.0 seconds, thus the basket was waived off.

Syracuse never led in any of the first five overtime periods. They had a chance to win it at the end of the fourth overtime, but Paul Harris missed two point blank range shots. Andy Rautins sank a three pointer with 11 seconds remaining in the third overtime period to tie the game game up, and UConn missed two attempts to win at the end of that quarter.

Four Syracuse players fouled out. When Eric Devendorf fouled out of the game 3 minutes into the fifth overtime, walk-on senior guard Justin Thomas had to come into the game. Thomas had played only 21 minutes prior in the season, and would end up playing seven critical minutes in this game. Freshman Kris Joseph did not play at all during regulation, logging all 14 of his minutes in overtime play.

Early in the fourth overtime period, all three Syracuse big men (Arinze Onuaku, Kris Onganaet and Rick Jackson) had fouled out. UConn's 7'3" Hasheem Thabeet played a few more seconds before he also fouled out.

© RLYoung 2009