Support The Daily Orange this holiday season! The money raised between now and the end of the year will go directly toward aiding our students. Donate today.

Syracuse and Georgetown used to be two of the premier rivals in college basketball. Physical battles between star-studded rosters with players Patrick Ewing, Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Coleman and Alonzo Mourning became iconic. Legendary chess matches between Jim Boeheim and John Thompson made the rivalry a can’t-miss from the 1980s into the turn of the century.

With Syracuse leaving for the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2013, the matchups have become watered down. Though the teams have faced each other every year since 2015, both programs are way off from where their peaks used to be. In the past four seasons, the teams have combined for two NCAA tournament appearances.

Despite dampened hype, Saturday garnered an iconic milestone: the 100th meeting between the two programs. The talent didn’t garner that of a classic rivalry matchup, but the play style did, with Georgetown (8-2, 0-0 Big East) outlasting Syracuse (5-5, 0-1 ACC) 75-71. Each team respectively went at it in the paint and didn’t back down. Tempers flared at times and energy was high, but it ended with Hoyas’ first win in the JMA Wireless since 2016.

Four of the following matchups between Syracuse and Georgetown were decided by single digits. Saturday proved no different. Following two offensive rebounds, Jayden Epps scored a reverse layup to put Georgetown up 70-69 with 3:34 left. From there, Syracuse couldn’t provide an answer. The Orange went the final 4:12 without a field goal, leading to the defeat.

The somber ending negated a stellar performance from Eddie Lampkin Jr., who scored 18 points. SU’s plan from the jump was to feed the big man. Matched up with Thomas Sorber, Georgetown’s leading scorer, Lampkin went to work inside. He took Syracuse’s first three shots and despite only converting one, easily bodying Sorber each time. It was a sign of things to come for the two.

Donnie Freeman hit SU’s first 3 to put it up 9-4 early before the Orange went back inside. Lampkin took a brief break on the bench and Sorber scored five points to put Georgetown up 13-12.

Neither team provided much threat from the outside. Both teams entered shooting under 30% from deep, ranking in the bottom third of the country. That poor shooting was evident with both teams combining to hit 3 of their first 13 looks from deep.

Jordan Burkes hit a 3-pointer, making it 20-17 Georgetown. However, the Hoyas air-balled their next two attempts from Micah Peavy and Caleb Williams. It became a commonality in the first half. Go inside for success. Try to hit from the outside and fail.

Lampkin and Sorber traded buckets continuously throughout the first half. After Syracuse briefly took a 3-point lead, Sorber converted an and-one to tie the game at 25. It wasn’t just the two centers going at it. Jyáre Davis also chipped in with 11 first-half points to lead SU.

The physicality made it feel like an old-fashioned Big East battle. The stakes and talent might’ve been lower, but the play style was akin to the classic showdowns. Syracuse and Georgetown combined for 46 points in the paint in the first half while shooting 4-of-23 from beyond the arc. The Orange and Hoyas traded body blows through 20 minutes, yet nobody landed anything big. The biggest lead was five early on, but the score was knotted 37-37 at the break.

Georgetown started the second half on the front foot. Two empty possessions from Syracuse were followed by scores from Georgetown, forcing SU head coach Adrian Autry to call a timeout not even 90 seconds in.

The Orange then went back to Lampkin. Sorber had two first-half fouls, so Georgetown head coach Ed Cooley put a leaner Drew Fielder on Lampkin, with Sorber helping on the weak side. Lampkin took advantage, depositing four quick points.

Lampkin’s offense kept Syracuse afloat while Epps came alive for Georgetown. Two 3s from Epps and a transition layup put the Hoyas up 54-46. Though Lampkin once again scored inside and ran the floor after a stop.

Following the bucket, Elijah Moore was called for a foul and a scram ensued between numerous players. Lampkin and Sober exchanged words along with Lucas Taylor and Fielder, both of whom were assessed offsetting technicals.

The scrap brought extra juice to the JMA Wireless Dome crowd. Coming out of the timeout, Autry and Lampkin both waved their hands, pleading for noise. Moore canned a corner 3-pointer to cut SU’s deficit to one with 11:23 remaining.

Following a stop, Jaquan Carlos was fouled on a drive. He hit both free throws to put Syracuse in front for the first time in the second half at 57-56. The Orange took advantage of a stretch where Georgetown only scored two points and turned the ball over two times.

Davis received the ball in the mid-post, spinning off Williams to convert a layup plus the foul. The and-one put Syracuse up 64-58, its largest lead of the game. SU’s paint dominance forced Georgetown into a zone, which slowed the Orange’s frantic pace. The move proved vital for the Hoyas who held SU quiet down the stretch. Georgetown didn’t set the world on fire with its offense, but Epps’ buckets late combined with the defense, were enough to down Syracuse.

Published on December 14, 2024 at 5:02 pm

Contact Zak: zakwolf784254@gmail.com | @ZakWolf22