New York, NY (Sports Network) - It was only fitting the final Big East battle
between Syracuse and Georgetown was decided in overtime.
C.J. Fair made up for his forgettable play in regulation with a highlight-reel
dunk and a late steal, sparking the 19th-ranked Orange into the conference
tournament final with a thrilling 58-55 victory over the fifth-ranked Hoyas.
James Southerland, Brandon Triche and Baye Keita each scored 13 points for
fifth-seeded Syracuse (26-8), which has won three games in three days and will
play the winner of the Louisville-Notre Dame semifinal on Saturday.
The Hoyas (25-6), which had swept the season series by a combined 33 points,
lost as the No. 1 seed in this event for just the second time.
Mikael Hopkins had a team-high 15 points for Georgetown, while Markel Starks
and Otto Porter Jr. chipped in 13 and 12, respectively, in the loss.
The storied programs met in the first-ever Big East Tournament title game in
1980. Georgetown won that contest and rallied from a 12-point second-half
deficit to force overtime on Friday, but the Orange pulled out the victory in
their final showing in this event before moving to the ACC next season.
The Sports Network