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The now 941 game-winner Jim Boeheim said “it seemed hard” when asked about getting out to Duke’s shooters. His sarcasm came as no surprise in his postgame presser, as the head man cracked a few smiles after Syracuse’s 91 – 89, overtime thriller win over Coach K and the Duke Blue Devils.
The Orange victory notched the program’s best start in program history at 21-0.
“We’ve had a lot of games that have been here that are great. There’s never been one as good as this one,” Boeheim said.
The first-ever matchup with Duke at the Carrier Dome easily exceeded expectations. The hype and anticipation started all the way back during the summer months. The constant debate on whether or not Syracuse would move the floor into the center of the Loud House arguably created more conversation than SU football’s 2013 season. The team’s hot start and road to get to 20-0 obviously sparked the fanbase even more leading up to Saturday’s events. ESPN’s College Game Day added flare and fire.
Both teams had answers for each other the entire game. CJ Fair exploded in the second half with 17 points in that frame alone and 28 overall to set a new career-high. Jermai Grant produced big-time in OT with eight extra frame points. He also totaled a career-high: 24 points. Easy to forget the game Rakeem Christmas had down low for the Orange. Christmas pulled down 10 boards and had an eye-pooping six blocks. SU’s wing play performed as it’s played all season long. Tyler Ennis and Trevor Cooney, who’s slumped in recent bits, chipped in 14 apiece. As it turns out, Syracuse needed each of the weapons in its offensive quartet to play at a high level.
Duke enlightened the record-breaking crowd of 35,446 with its aggressive three-point shooting. The Blue Devils took 36 threes and banged 15 of them. They needed every last one of them, as Rasheed Sulaimon’s top of the key shot sent the game to overtime. Coach K admitted that on a scale from one to ten, the loss of Jabari Parker and Amile Jefferson to foul trouble was “no doubt a 10” and it was “painful.” Props to college basketball’s all-time winningest, Division I coach for handling the game with class despite the unfortunate outcome. He also said both teams deserved to the win a tremendous game.
The Orange at one point jumped out to a seven-point lead in second-half action, but as mentioned, Duke pretty much had an answer for everything. Fair’s clutch play stood out, while the other parts of the whole filled their roles as well as you could have asked. A monumental win for an already very successful basketball program, to say the least.
So did Duke-Syracuse live up to all the anticipation?
Yes, it did.
The teams blew it out of the water.
Posted by: Brendan Glasheen
24 responses to “Syracuse vs. Duke: Orange Win 91-89 in Overtime Instant Classic”
There are great games every week…upsets..buzzer beaters.
But last night was extraordinary.
Two class coaches..two “heavyweight” programs. One very highly ranked and one that should have been as they were/are playing their best ball…is Duke #17 in the nation?
I’ve been down on their rankings in the past and feel they’ve benefited from their reputation. But Duke destroyed a sound, physical PITT team at their place and went toe-to-toe with Cuse at the dome…#17?
San Diego St and Wichita st are top 5.. would DUKE kick their a55es right now?
Monday I’d like to see CUSE #1 and Duke about 5th..they are deserving..finally.
But last night…the teams, the programs, the environment, it all met the expectations of the build up. THERE WAS NO HYPE- IT WAS REAL.
Skill, emotion, athleticism, noise…GREATNESS on many levels…
Didn’t see much “look at me” or taunting either. Congrats to both programs.
I didn’t get a chance to watch much of that game,but from what I’m reading it was an instant classic in which Syracuse improved it’s record to (21-0 8-0 ACC) best start to a season in school history.
As good as the game against duke was,THE FANS WERE EVEN BETTER. At times you couldn’t hear yourself think,it was amazing to experience the whole package from Game Day to the end of the game when the fans went crazy that Syracuse had won.
And on Big Monday were going to have Notre Dame come into the Loud House and go (22-0 9-0 ACC) Really folks could it get any better than this?? Could it?
Legendary finish, this ranks right below the Marathon men saga and the 2003 Natl title game! #epic finish
I’m still riding the mile high feelings that I recieved afte the Womens Baskewtball team beat North Carolina on Thursday.
The ladies play another top 10 ten today at 2:00 pm. It will be on tv, and I hope some of you have a chance to watch the ladies play. Believe me,you won’t be disappointed.
Great weekend to be a orange fan. Great weekend indeed.
Great game and scene. It could not of hurt the recruiting of both SUFB and SUBB!! Dome was jumping. Imagine packed house in 1986 and Owens running around left end for a 2 point conversion and win against WVU!! I still think that’s the loudest ever in the DOME!! But as for SUBB this will never be forgotten-ever!!
DO NOT FORGET THE KIDS OF PSABUSEDU!! The NCAA did!!
@Orangeniva – well said.
Now on to ND!!
Great ,Great , GREAT game it will definetly help recruiting ….
Go Cuse …
Great Game….It was not all Hype…it was All Real!
I know this is a hoops story but, how about the football team picking up commits from Alabama…..Florida……and Georgia! I will take recruits from these states over New York and New England any day of the week! Go Cuse…ACC…..Just ANOTHER CUSE CONFERENCE!
The number in attendance will increase by those saying they were there for this game will expand from 35,446 to 50K as the game is remembered and told about.Epic is just one way to look at this event.A tournament quality game in February. If this were a championship game as in the final four type it would be one of the all-time best. No doubt about it.
Ron, Really? ‘Cuse WBB? Here,now?
Feel free to mention the WBB team in another post for another time as they are doing very well this year. You had no business posting your comments pertaining to that team under this particular story….stay focused dude!! We just witnessed the most exciting buildup and performance by this ‘cuse team that will will be discussed for decades!
FYI – WBB team got smoked yesterday.
@Theocuse;
I thought this website was a sports website talking about sports. i ghuess you didn’t watch the women play #6 ranked North Carolina last Thursday evening. I will tell you again,they probably played the best game in Syracuse history of the womems program.
so you want me to leave that off of this website. keep smoking what ver it is your smoking buddy,because there is no chance in hell that I will ever leave the womens program off of a sports website.
Now,do you think I should add the play of the Womens Ice Hockey Team that’s been playing well? What about more on the basketball team that’s been ranked as high as 20th in the polls,or the #2 ranked Womens Field Hockey Team or the #3 ranked Womens lacrosse Team???? What about the Cross Country Team who became ACC Champions the first year in the league?
Like I’ve said here before,I just don’t concentrate on the mens basketball and football teams,I follow all of the teams progress during the year. You ought to try it and find out just how good things are with all of the teams that represent Syracuse University. Hell I didn’t even mention the Womens Softball Team yet. give me some time though and I promise that I will try and keep the low information people informed. I promise.
Oh!!Theocuse I will talk about the women athletes as much as possible anywhere and everywhere I can.
And you call yourself a Syracuse Fan. Get with the program bud.
@Theocuse;
I’d like to apologize to you for my response that I made about your comment to me leaving the Women Team off of this site.
Saturdays game was a thriller and you felt the day belonged to the men. Thursdays game against North Carolina was for me the very same thing. Both the womens and mens basketball teams have great athletes on them and all should be trearted with respect they deserve. Yes I know they were trounced by Maryland on Sunday.
if you were to reread my post here, I was decribing the higfh that I was on after the women had won,my twelve year old granddaughters modified team was still undefeated and the men had just claimed the #1 spot in the country by beating Duke on Saturday,and “WAS HOPING THE WOMEN WOULD BEAT MARYLAND ON SUNDAY”. I was hoping on Monday that the mens team beat Notre Dame.
If all of that were to happen,the high that I was on would carry through to Sunday when we play Clemson. The one thing I will not apologize to anyone for is my love for Syracuse Athletics. When you made the statement to keep the womens team off of this post and put it on another thread kind of put me in a different frame of mind.
On Thursday the women will host Virgina Tech at 7:00 pm. I will be there and hope that I see you there as well.
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