Georgetown vs. Syracuse. It's the game that built a conference; the Super Bowl of Big East basketball. And just like most of those Super Bowls, last night it wasn't even close.
The sixth-ranked Hoyas jumped out to a 15-6 lead in the game's first three minutes and didn't slow down until the final buzzer, dismissing the 17th-ranked
Orangemen 83-64 before 18,753 delighted fans at USAir Arena.
Georgetown (17-2, 7-1 Big East) dominated every facet of the game, out-hustling, out-shooting, out-rebounding and simply out-running an overmatched Syracuse team that's now lost three straight conference games. The win gives the Hoyas a commanding three-game lead over the Orangemen in the Big East-7 division. The Hoyas follow this win, their first over a ranked team this season, with a trip to St. John's on Saturday.
Everything was working for the Hoyas against Syracuse (13-5, 4-4). Sophomore Allen Iverson (26 points, six assists, four steals) and freshman backcourt mate Victor Page (17 points, four assists) performed a virtual clinic on turning intense defense into transition points. Iverson was one step ahead of the Syracuse transition defense all night, routinely streaking up the court on Syracuse misses to receive long outlet passes for easy scores.
'We did a very good job defensively early,' said Georgetown coach John Thompson. 'We wanted to pressure them defensively and get out on the break.'
And on those rare instances when Iverson and Page weren't racing past the slower Orangemen for layups and jams, Othella Harrington was playing like the Othella of old in the paint. Harrington connected on eight of his 10 shots from the field, posting 23 points and nine rebounds in upstaging Syracuse big man John Wallace.
Over the first four minutes of the game, Harrington followed a sloppy Iverson layup attempt for a score, made two impressive turnaround jumpers from the foul line, delivered a 60-foot pass to Iverson for an assist and came from nowhere to block an Otis Hill jam. In short, it was Harrington who staked the Hoyas to an early nine-point lead.
'I think the difference in the game was Harrington,' said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. 'When he plays like that, they are a very difficult team to contend with.'
Sporting a menacing new goatee, Harrington did most of his offensive damage from the foul line, capitalizing on a soft spot in the sagging Syracuse zone.
'That was the shot they were giving me, so I was taking it,' Harrington said. 'If I had been called upon to get down inside and bang, I'd have done that, too. The big thing is that I've gotten more touches of late.'
Syracuse power forward Wallace, who entered the game averaging almost 24 points per game, didn't get many touches last night. Thompson used 6-foot-7 sophomore Boubacar Aw on Wallace for most of the night, and the Hoyas' defensive stopper held Wallace to a quiet 17 points.
'I thought Boubacar and Jerry [Nichols] did an excellent job on Wallace,' said Thompson. 'Boubacar was so excited about playing him that when I told the kids I wanted someone to run at Wallace everytime he touched the ball, Boubacar said, `No, no. I'll guard him myself.' '
In fact, there wasn't much Georgetown didn't do well. Only Syracuse center Hill (19 points) was able to find open shots consistently for himself.
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HOYAS REPORT
Analysis and commentary from last night's game:
MAKING A POINT - In the latest in a long line of new looks out front for the Hoyas, Boubacar Aw spent much of last night's first half running the point for Georgetown. The spread set with Aw flanked by Allen Iverson and Victor Page seemed to work well for the Hoyas, as the 6-7 Aw was easily able to pass over the Syracuse zone, while keeping clear of the lanes of penetration so key to Iverson and Page.
ALL CYLINDERS - Georgetown's Allen Iverson spent most of last night's postgame news conference describing the benefits of having everyone involved in the offense. 'When Victor [Page] and Jerry [Nichols] are making their shots and Othella's opening things up in the middle, teams can't focus on me,' Iverson said. 'It's great to see everyone involved like that.'
AW-ESOME - Even after holding Syracuse power forward John Wallace to a quiet 17 points, Georgetown swingman and defensive specialist Boubacar Aw wasn't the least bit happy. After a performance applauded by all, Aw could only comment, 'I didn't want him to score double-digits, so I am not happy.'
Lighten up Bobcat: Wallace didn't score until the 12:13 mark in the first half. By that time, Georgetown already had a 26-13 lead.
