Reflecting on the 2006 Big East Tournament
by Ray Floriani
NEW YORK – Many figured they were going to be “one and done.” When the smoke cleared it was more accurate to say, “Syracuse was won and done.”
Syracuse finished their improbable, storybook run by capturing the Big East Tournament with a 65-61 decision over Pitt in the finals. The Orange entered New York on the heels of a three-game losing streak and a stretch where they dropped four of their last six. Just six days prior to the tournament tipoff, Syracuse suffered a 39-point loss at DePaul.
Just getting past round one was an accomplishment. Cincinnati had a two-point lead when Devan Downey was attempting the back end of a one-and-one. Members of the Cincy band were beginning their “NIT” chants for the Syracuse players. Downey missed, Syracuse rebounded and got the ball to McNamara, who split two defenders and had the presence of mind to know the time and his location. He buried a top of the key three-pointer at .5 remaining that gave the Orange a 74-73 win.
In the final, to quote a baseball sage, “it was deja vu all over again.” Syracuse had to come from behind. The frontcourt stepped up to help build a 15-point lead. Pitt came storming back and took a lead with just under nine minutes remaining on a Sam Young layup. Of course, it was Gerry McNamara who answered with trey to give Syracuse the lead for good. McNamara, to no surprise, was voted the tournament’s outstanding player.
More than any X or O. And more than any offensive or defensive adjustment, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim summed up the championship best saying, “the way we were going, we were just not going to be denied.” Thanks largely to McNamara.
Notes
- Give Gary Waters credit. Maybe he didn’t recruit well enough for the Big East. Nor did he get into an NCAA tournament with the Scarlet Knights. But the Rutgers coach did accomplish an impressive task the last ten days. Waters’ days in Piscataway are numbered, but he kept his team on track amidst all the off court melodrama. A week ago they entered Carnesecca Arena on senior day to play St. John’s. To add to the difficulty, both clubs knew prior to game time that the winner went to the Big East Tournament, the other went home. Rutgers defeated St. John’s by twelve. The Scarlet Knights then knocked out Seton Hall in the Big East opening round. In the quarterfinals they battled Villanova evenly for a half. In the second half ‘Nova had too may weapons and the fatigued Rutgers club simply ran out of energy as the Wildcats pulled away. Looking back, Waters did a great job keeping Rutgers focused and playing hard during all the off court distractions. Rutgers would be very deserving of an NIT bid.
- Detractors say the conference tournaments are insignificant. Not so, say the Big East coaches. For one, bubble teams are greatly aided by the tournament. Syracuse entered the tournament desperately in need of a win or two. The Orange defeated Cincinnati, then with the win over UConn in the quarterfinals, punched their ticket to the Big Dance. Winning the entire tournament was also significant as Syracuse played themselves into a higher seed. The four-day process, which put Syracuse in the NCAAs, was also an opportunity for coach Jim Boeheim to get added insight.
“We’ve learned some things about our team this week,” Boeheim said following the semifinals. “On offense we’ve picked up a couple things. Some guys showed us some things they can do. That’s really going to help us in the (NCAA) tournament and next year.”
Specifically it was a stretch the Syracuse frontcourt emerged a consistent threat. Demetris Nichols and Darryl Watson earned all-tournament honors. Terrence Roberts fouled out of both the semis and finals but was effective, as he was the first two games, prior to his exit. All three are back next year and will be factors in the upcoming NCAA tournament as well. - UConn entered the tournament virtually invincible. Many anticipated a Villanova-UConn final. Following the Huskies’ overtime loss to Syracuse in the quarterfinals, virtually everyone is questioning UConn’s chances to get to Indianapolis.
“Seeds and ranking mean nothing,” coach Jim Calhoun said after the Syracuse loss. “It’s all about being the best for forty minutes.” A night later Boeheim elaborated on the same theme. “You see games these teams have to win,” Boeheim said. “They’re playing their hearts out.” Boeheim pointed out Wake Forest, who was on a roll in the ACC, and South Carolina, which knocked off Tennessee in the SEC. “The real truth of the matter,” Boeheim added, “is the teams that are better are not that much better.” - The Big East ‘expansion’ teams didn’t fare too well in the conference tournament. First off, South Florida and DePaul didn’t even get to the Garden. Louisville was knocked out by Pitt in the opening round. Marquette had a bye and lost to Georgetown in the quarterfinals. By the evening of the quarterfinal doubleheader, every first-year team was eliminated from the tournament.
- Interesting how things work out. In the preseason many felt that neither Rutgers nor Seton Hall would get to New York. Louisville was pegged a marquee team. The Hall and Rutgers get in, while Louisville fought for its collective life for the trip to MSG. A trip that was brief for Rick Pitino and co.
- The most popular jersey worn by fans was the Syracuse number three of Gerry McNamara. In fact, during one halftime shootout the night of the semifinals, a young lady hit three shots to win a trip to Florida. No surprise, she happened to be wearing a McNamara jersey.
- It is tough for a team to advance to the final without a bye. Such an achievement means you play on four consecutive days with the final included. For the first time in Big East history, the finals with Syracuse and Pitt had two teams playing their fourth game in as many days.
Almost forgotten among the magical Syracuse run was the work of Pitt. They held on to defeat Louisville. Then overcame a double-digit deficit to stop West Virginia before doing a solid job on No. 2 Villanova. With senior leadership at the point in Carl Krauser and an inside game anchored by seven-footer Aaron Gray, the Panthers will be a tough out in the NCAAs. - Jay Wright of Villanova is another coach who takes this tournament seriously. Simply, very seriously. “We have a lot of New York and New Jersey kids,” Wright said following the quarterfinal win over Rutgers. “It’s exciting playing this tournament and playing at Madison Square Garden. If we lose, we are crushed. We really are hurt by losing but then we get back and regroup and move on. But winning here is big for us.”
Good news for ‘Nova. Allan Ray was released from the hospital Saturday morning with a slight tissue injury in his eye. He was poked in the eye early in the second half of the semifinals against Pitt. Ray’s injury was determined not serious enough to affect his sight. - Carl Krauser led all scorers in the finals with 16 points and earned all-tournament honors with teammate Aaron Gray and the aforementioned Syracuse trio of Nichols, Watkins and McNamara. Nichols paced Syracuse in the final with fifteen points, while McNamara had 14 points, 6 assists and a world of inspiration that escapes the box score.
- Memorable…: After the Cincinnati game, Boeheim addressed the Syracuse school paper article where an anonymous assistant coach labeled McNamara overrated. “Without him (McNamara) we don’t win ten bleeping games,” Boeheim told the media. A day later the coach apologized for his profanity. Still, Boeheim had a right to be upset as McNamara was wrongly criticized by someone hanging behind a shield of anonymity. McNamara has been the heart and soul of this program for four years, not just the last four games.
- Best game of the tournament? Take your choice of any of the four Syracuse was involved in. In each contest, Syracuse had to battle from behind. In the quarterfinals they had the early lead, lost it and pulled it out over UConn in overtime. In the semis they trailed Georgetown by fifteen at the half, but rallied and won it in the final minute.
On The Baseline
- Best song: Georgetown band played the late sixties Iron Butterfly classic (I’m sure the spelling is wrong) “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.” This was the short TV timeout version of a great tune that hardly any band plays.
- Cincinnati had a short stay, but their cheer team got on the CBS Morning show before the first round. The group then walked the 25 blocks from CBS to the Garden to take in the sights and sounds of the Big Apple.
- Best sign: By Syracuse fans Jennifer Jordano and Kathryn Kelley, “NEPA loves G-Mac so does NYC.” Neither of these two ladies attended Syracuse but they are such McNamara and Syracuse fans they drove from New York to the Carrier Dome for his last home game.
- Special mention to Syracuse cheer and dance team and “Otto the orange” mascot. They left Syracuse at 2;30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, made the approximately five-hour trip to New York, then headed to the Garden without even checking into their rooms. On little sleep they performed superbly. The Big East Tournament gets everyone’s adrenaline going.
