Paul Harris was at a loss for words.
The Associated Press
Jonny Flynn reacts after Syracuse's loss to Pittsburgh 82-77 Saturday.
Jonny Flynn reacts after Syracuse's loss to Pittsburgh 82-77 Saturday.
He grinned, only for a second, then shook his head in an attempt to rid his brain of memories from last March.
“Man, that ain't gonna happen again,” said Harris after a long pause. “I can't even talk about it. That ain't gonna happen again. Trust me.”
That self-assurance came during media day for the Syracuse men's basketball team in October. The season was still a month from starting and the need to counteract last season's culmination was instantly evident.
Whether it was a snub or not, Syracuse wasn't selected to compete in the 2007 NCAA tournament. It was only the sixth time in 31 seasons that Jim Boeheim did not pilot a team to the tournament.
Harris was positive it wasn't going to happen again.
But that was then, and this is March. The field of 65 is filling up and the Orange haven't yet reserved a seat.
Syracuse is 17-12 overall, 7-9 in the Big East and on the verge of duplicating history.
To make matters worse, the Orange squandered a major opportunity to bolster their resume by blowing an 11-point lead in the final 3:49 against Pittsburgh Saturday.
And Harris was right in the middle of the collapse.
With the lead down to just one, 77-76, Syracuse forced a crucial turnover with 14 seconds remaining. Harris then took the inbounds pass from Donte Greene and dribbled under the Pittsburgh basket, waiting for a foul. It never came.
With Keith Benjamin defending, Sam Young stripped Harris of the ball and, while falling out of bounds, found Benjamin under the basket for the go-ahead layup.
“The ball was inbounded to me and I thought they were just going to rush to foul like how things normally happen,” Harris said after the game. “They waited and tried to trap and got the steal.”
Syracuse still had an opportunity to win - Scoop Jardine's game-winning baseline jumper came up short - but Harris placed all the blame for the 82-77 loss on his broad shoulders.
“I messed up. I'm a man, I'll admit when I've messed up,” Harris said. “I'll take the blame - put it all on me.”
Until their fate is ultimately determined, it won't be known how much that one play will have cost the Orange. Though, Boeheim seemed to immediately understand the consequences for that loss.
“This is the most disappointing game I've ever been involved with,” he said in an abbreviated post-game press conference.
Boeheim may be able to see the writing on the wall, but the Orange still have two regular season games left and one huge opportunity in the Big East Tournament.
At least three wins in a row are crucial to keep Syracuse's postseason hopes alive. But wins haven't come easy, as the Orange have dropped five of their last six.
One positive, that will undoubtedly be overshadowed by the late breakdown, was the play of Syracuse's dynamic freshman duo, Donte Greene and Jonny Flynn.
Greene snapped a February-long slump with 23 points on 10-for-18 shooting while Flynn matched a career-high with 28 points.
In a game where the Big East Rookie of the Year award could have been decided, the SU freshman both outplayed fellow front-runner, Pittsburgh forward DeJuan Blair.
Flynn's sensational play has continued all season but Greene's success has fluctuated. During the month of February, Syracuse went 2-4. It is no coincidence that Greene shot just 30 percent from the field and 21 percent from 3-point range.
While it didn't pay off Saturday, Flynn and Greene clicking in conjunction is essential for SU's success.
“That's the game I should have played all year,” Greene said. “I've had to be the main 3-point shooter on this team but I think I've got to be effective underneath too. We definitely tried to get the ball inside more and I think it worked.”
Syracuse can't afford to let the Pittsburgh loss stay with them. The Orange must regroup in time for Wednesday's matchup with Seton Hall, a team they're tied with for ninth place in the Big East.
But moving on won't be easy.
It wasn't easy for Harris to forget last season, and it won't be easy for this Orange squad to forget Saturday's collapse.
“This is going to be a hard one to get over,” Flynn said. “I'm not going to say we can get over this one right when we leave the locker room.”
On TV
• Syracuse at Seton Hall, Wednesday, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Blog on it
Orange fans, be sure to check out the Orange Slices blog at auburnpub.com/blogs for lively commentary on the SU athletics scene.
“Man, that ain't gonna happen again,” said Harris after a long pause. “I can't even talk about it. That ain't gonna happen again. Trust me.”
That self-assurance came during media day for the Syracuse men's basketball team in October. The season was still a month from starting and the need to counteract last season's culmination was instantly evident.
Whether it was a snub or not, Syracuse wasn't selected to compete in the 2007 NCAA tournament. It was only the sixth time in 31 seasons that Jim Boeheim did not pilot a team to the tournament.
Harris was positive it wasn't going to happen again.
But that was then, and this is March. The field of 65 is filling up and the Orange haven't yet reserved a seat.
Syracuse is 17-12 overall, 7-9 in the Big East and on the verge of duplicating history.
To make matters worse, the Orange squandered a major opportunity to bolster their resume by blowing an 11-point lead in the final 3:49 against Pittsburgh Saturday.
And Harris was right in the middle of the collapse.
With the lead down to just one, 77-76, Syracuse forced a crucial turnover with 14 seconds remaining. Harris then took the inbounds pass from Donte Greene and dribbled under the Pittsburgh basket, waiting for a foul. It never came.
With Keith Benjamin defending, Sam Young stripped Harris of the ball and, while falling out of bounds, found Benjamin under the basket for the go-ahead layup.
“The ball was inbounded to me and I thought they were just going to rush to foul like how things normally happen,” Harris said after the game. “They waited and tried to trap and got the steal.”
Syracuse still had an opportunity to win - Scoop Jardine's game-winning baseline jumper came up short - but Harris placed all the blame for the 82-77 loss on his broad shoulders.
“I messed up. I'm a man, I'll admit when I've messed up,” Harris said. “I'll take the blame - put it all on me.”
Until their fate is ultimately determined, it won't be known how much that one play will have cost the Orange. Though, Boeheim seemed to immediately understand the consequences for that loss.
“This is the most disappointing game I've ever been involved with,” he said in an abbreviated post-game press conference.
Boeheim may be able to see the writing on the wall, but the Orange still have two regular season games left and one huge opportunity in the Big East Tournament.
At least three wins in a row are crucial to keep Syracuse's postseason hopes alive. But wins haven't come easy, as the Orange have dropped five of their last six.
One positive, that will undoubtedly be overshadowed by the late breakdown, was the play of Syracuse's dynamic freshman duo, Donte Greene and Jonny Flynn.
Greene snapped a February-long slump with 23 points on 10-for-18 shooting while Flynn matched a career-high with 28 points.
In a game where the Big East Rookie of the Year award could have been decided, the SU freshman both outplayed fellow front-runner, Pittsburgh forward DeJuan Blair.
Flynn's sensational play has continued all season but Greene's success has fluctuated. During the month of February, Syracuse went 2-4. It is no coincidence that Greene shot just 30 percent from the field and 21 percent from 3-point range.
While it didn't pay off Saturday, Flynn and Greene clicking in conjunction is essential for SU's success.
“That's the game I should have played all year,” Greene said. “I've had to be the main 3-point shooter on this team but I think I've got to be effective underneath too. We definitely tried to get the ball inside more and I think it worked.”
Syracuse can't afford to let the Pittsburgh loss stay with them. The Orange must regroup in time for Wednesday's matchup with Seton Hall, a team they're tied with for ninth place in the Big East.
But moving on won't be easy.
It wasn't easy for Harris to forget last season, and it won't be easy for this Orange squad to forget Saturday's collapse.
“This is going to be a hard one to get over,” Flynn said. “I'm not going to say we can get over this one right when we leave the locker room.”
On TV
• Syracuse at Seton Hall, Wednesday, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Blog on it
Orange fans, be sure to check out the Orange Slices blog at auburnpub.com/blogs for lively commentary on the SU athletics scene.
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