Feb. 26, 2007
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - Demetris Nichols and Andy Rautins each hit a pair 3-pointers to key a 14-0 second-half spurt and Syracuse beat No. 9 Georgetown 72-68 on Monday night.
The victory snapped the Hoyas' 11-game winning streak and gave the Orange a strong claim for the postseason.
Georgetown (22-6, 12-3 Big East) had won 11 straight conference games for the first time in school history and had defeated Pittsburgh 61-53 Saturday to avenge a road loss to the Panthers in January and take sole possession of first place in the Big East.
Syracuse (21-8, 10-5 Big East) has won five straight since dropping four of five.
Nichols, the Big East's leading scorer, struggled before getting hot midway through the second half and finished with 22 points. Eric Devendorf had 11 points and 11 assists, Rautins had 13 points, and Paul Harris had 11 points.
Jeff Green, Georgetown's leading scorer, finished with nine points on 3-of-13 shooting, the first time he failed to crack double figures in 10 games. Center Roy Hibbert, who has never had much success against Syracuse, continued that trend with just six points and only two rebounds. Starters Jessie Sapp, Jon Wallace and DaJuan Summers scored a combined 25 points on 4-for-29 shooting.
Georgetown, first in the Big East and fifth nationally in scoring defense, allowing 56.1 points per game, got a taste of its own medicine. The Hoyas shot 29.8 percent for the game, just 20 percent in the decisive second half against Syracuse's 2-3 zone.
The key spurt began after Patrick Ewing's a three-point play and two free throws by Sapp put Georgetown up 44-43 with 11:58 left.
Nichols, who was 6-for-16 shooting, hit a jumper from left wing and Rautins fed Devendorf for a fast-break layup off a steal by Nichols to get the spurt going.
Rautins then hit a 3 from right wing, Nichols drained a 3 from the right corner after his own steal, and Rautins hit again from left wing to give Syracuse a 56-46 lead with 7:31 left.
Nichols added a dagger when he hit a 3 as the shot-clock buzzer sounded for a 61-46 lead at 5:26.
Although this no longer is the bitter rivalry it was in the days of former Hoyas head coach John Thompson, this game had its moments. Thompson's son, John III, in his third year as head coach, was called for a technical at 14:05 of the second half after Wallace was called for a charge in the lane.
Nichols converted both free throws for a 41-35 lead, but seconds later Syracuse freshman Paul Harris was whistled for a technical after a collision under the Georgetown basket and Wallace made both free throws to move the Hoyas back within four.
With just under 8 minutes remaining and Syracuse up 53-46, Tyler Crawford and Devendorf each received technicals after a scramble under the Georgetown basket.
Syracuse trailed for much of the first half when its perimeter shooters couldn't find the range. The Orange started the game 1-for-8 from beyond the arc and fell behind 19-14 on Green's three-point play with 8:18 left in the opening half.
