Georgetown routs rival Syracuse
by Nicole Auerbach, USA TODAY Sports
WASHINGTON — Everyone watching wanted the game to live up to the rivalry — channeling the epic games of years past, unforgettable finishes and big-time performances from big-name players.
The final regular-season matchup between Georgetown and Syracuse will not go down in history as one of the storied rivalry’s best. It will not go down as one of the closest, most exhilarating finishes.
It’ll go down, simply, as a beatdown: Georgetown 61, Syracuse 39.
In front of 20,972 fans, the largest college basketball crowd in DC metropolitan history, the Hoyas’ trio of Markel Starks, Otto Porter and D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera combined for 44 points and led what ultimately turned into a rout by the mid-point of the game’s second half.
“Beating Syracuse is always special,” coach John Thompson III said after the game.
Both teams struggled to find offensive rhythm in the first half, combining to commit 15 turnovers and seeming ever-so-jittery in the high-pressure environment of the Verizon Center. Syracuse posted a season-low 18 points at the half and found itself facing a seven-point deficit. But that was as close as the Orange would get. Georgetown maintained its lead, stretching it at one point to 21 late in the second half.
With the outcome of the game all but final, Georgetown fans chanted “A-C-C” and sang “Na na na na hey hey good bye” at Syracuse, who is leaving the Big East for the Atlantic Coast Conference at the end of the season. ‘Good riddance’ seemed to be the theme of the day, with former players in attendance reminiscing about big rivalry wins as well as Georgetown students waving an enormous banner that read, ‘Our hatred is eternal.’
Even if these teams continue to play in future, as Syracuse moves to the ACC and Georgetown into the new Big East/Catholic 7, those involved in the rivalry expect it to change. It won’t have regular-season league titles or Big East tournament seeding consequences on the line. It’ll be just another non-conference series. Thompson III said all week he expected Saturday’s finale to be especially emotional.
“I’m disappointed that there will be no more,” Former Georgetown star … [For more on Georgetown routs rival Syracuse, captures share of Big East title, click here.]
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