The Huskies rallied to come back from an 11-point deficit late in the second-half. But it was the game's momentum changes that told the story. Georgetown's Allen Iverson and Connecticut's Ray Allen met in a battle of All-American guards. This matchup will forever be known as Allen vs. The next day in the title game, McNamara's pass in traffic set up the winning bucket against Pittsburgh, sending Syracuse to the championship game.ģ. McNamara took a deep three-point attempt to tie the game and send it into overtime where Syracuse took over. In the next game against Connecticut, Syracuse found itself down 74-71 with just under 10 seconds to play in regulation. The clutch jumper beat the buzzer and advanced the Orange. One quick hop-step and he launched a three-pointer just behind the arc. In the opening round against Cincinnati, it was McNamara's smooth behind-the-back move at mid-court with under five seconds left on the clock to elude a defender. Gerry McNamara was set on dancing, as his play led Syracuse to four wins in as many days, including the tournament championship. Syracuse's fuming coach ranted, "Michael Graham, in front of 19,000 people, punched my player, and the ref had the nerve to call it a two-shot foul."įirst, it's important to present the setting to point out how unbelievable this tournament memory was: Syracuse had lost nine of its last 13 and had no chance of making the NCAA tournament. Of all the Jim Boeheim quotes, his input after the 1984 title game might trump the rest. Graham stayed in the game and the Hoyas won 82-71 in overtime.
But Jodi Sylvester over-ruled Paparo and only called an intentional foul.
Referee Dick Paparo appeared to toss Graham out of the game. Tempers flared perhaps the most ever throughout the storied rivalry when Georgetown's Michael Graham punched Syracuse's Andre Hawkins after fighting for a rebound in a close game. 'Michael Graham punched my player' (1984) Pearl Washington (1985), Pearl Washington denied by Walter Berry (1986), Seton Hall's Oliver Taylor emerges (1991), Taliek Brown's 35-footer propels UConn in 2OT (2002), Da'Sean Butler comes up big for West Virginia's first title (2010).ĥ. John's wins first Big East Tournament (1983), Patrick Ewing vs. Honorable mentions: Leo's tip-in wins it for Syracuse (1981), St. Here's a look at highlights of five of the best. Undeniably, some of the Big East's best memories over the years came in the conference tournament. Sure, the history at Madison Square Garden will live on, but whatever happens in the future will be a new brand of tradition that likely will go unmatched. That doesn't just mean the end of traditional Georgetown-Syracuse wars. There might be another Big East Conference Tournament, but conference realignment has led to the non-football schools going in different directions. The Big East as we know it will come to a sad close this week in the conference tournament with the culmination of a storied league rich with tradition.
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