Syracuse Loses an Absolute Heart Breaker to Georgetown

Syracuse did everything right but hit their free throws and it cost them dearly. The Orange took multiple trips to line in the last two minutes of the game and in overtime but couldn't cash in from the charity stripe in their 64-62 loss to Georgetown tonight.

Arinze Onuaku missed four free throws during the last six odd minutes of the game, and Donte Green missed one in overtime that proved to be the difference. I said it earlier this year, this team, mainly A.O. was going to lose a game at the free throw line at some point in the same manor Terrence Roberts cost Syracuse last year against St. Johns in MSG.

Syracuse did pretty much everything right, they held onto the ball, got offensive rebounds, and forced Georgetown in terrible shots in the second half, but it wasn't enough.

Donte Green put the Orange in a hole earlier by starting the game at least 1-11, it may have been even worse than that. His inability to hit shots early got Syracuse in an eleven point deficit at one point. Green remains an enigma to me on the defensive side of the floor. I give him more credit than most people defensively, I don't think he's good, but at all means I don't think he's terrible. He showed that on two of Georgetown's first possessions. He was late getting out to the arch and allowed a three that went down, but the next trip down floor he excellently read a back screen, forced the Hoya into an awkward shot and blocked it. I've watched a lot of Georgetown's games this year and it's not too often a defender read Georgetown's cuts as well as Donte did tonight.

I'll admit, Syracuse did a lot things tonight that suggested they shouldn't win this game with the miss free throws and 36.5% shooting from the field. They blew many opportunities down the stretch to win the game, however, the officiating late in the game was flat out terrible. Jay Bilas and Bill Raftery both agreed that when Jonny Flynn went baseline, got mugged and turned the ball over should have been a foul. They also weren't happy with the "nickle and dimer" called on Syracuse late in the second half. They said if you are going to call that then, you have to call it all game and they weren't. They also pointed out the Georgetown player who stole the ball from Donte Green late in the second half stepped out of bounds and looked pretty clearly that he fouled Green when getting the ball from him. If this was the Villanova game from Saturday, the G-town player would have 100% guaranteed been called for that foul.

So I've said it, Syracuse blew several opportunities at the end to win the game, but should have had several more had it not been for the officiating.

Moving on, Paul Harris played extremely hard tonight and Bilas and Raftery took note. They were very impressed with him calling him the strongest small forward in the game after he was able to get a rebound from behind Roy Hibbert, grabbing it out of his hands.

Scoop Jardine needs the Paul Harris treatment with his three point shooting. He took two tonight and badly missed. Stop shooting Scoop. Please stop shooting Scoop! You can get to the basket, that's about it right now, so only do that.

I loved the aggressive nice of Kristof! the Badass Belgian Waffle Baller tonight. He took the ball to the hoop several times tonight including one really, really nice drive from in front of the Georgetown bench all the way into the basket for a nice layup.

I wouldn't be surprised in the least bit if Syracuse beat Georgetown at home. I think it's becoming pretty obvious if the starting five can stay out on the floor and out of foul trouble they are going to be very hard to beat.