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Closer Look Boeheim has plenty to whine about
Posted: Thursday March 09, 2000 04:32 PM
By Albert Lin, CNNSI.com NEW YORK -- Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim has long been known as one of the game's biggest whiners, someone who can find fault with his team even when it's winning. Thursday, he had every reason to complain. His Orangemen, the No. 1 seed, were upset 76-72 by lightly regarded Georgetown, and it was a case of the Hoyas simply wanting it more. The Orangemen sleepwalked through the first half, showing little passion and no urgency, seeming to just go through the motions. Save for a span midway through the opening 20 minutes, Syracuse trailed the entire game. Watching the team on the court, however, you would never know it; the Orangemen were completely devoid of emotion. "We've been coming here as many years as the tournament's been here, and we've never played a game like this in New York," Boeheim said. "Why we did, I have no idea. ... I have a hard time figuring out why it happened at this stage, when it hasn't happened at any other stage this season." Meanwhile, Georgetown was scampering to and fro, challenging shots, breaking Syracuse's zone defense and full-court pressure with ease. These are not your father's Hoyas, the intimidation having exited with former coach John Thompson, and this game doesn't really mean much in the grand scheme of things. The win was a result of free-throw shooting (27-for-31, a season-best 87.1 percent) as much as anything else. Georgetown is still miles away from being a factor nationally, but results like this and next season's recruiting class show that Craig Esherick at least has the program heading in the right direction. On the other hand, the loss again calls into question just how good this Syracuse team is and exposes its greatest weakness: a lack of scoring punch. The Orange made just one field goal in the first eight-and-a-half minutes of the second half, falling behind by 10 points and never getting closer than five until only 1:19 remained on the clock. After a dominant first half (13 points, seven rebounds), center Etan Thomas was essentially shut down. Fellow seniors Jason Hart and Ryan Blackwell were barely getting off shots, let alone making them. Junior Damone Brown and freshman DeShaun Williams combined for 23 after the break, but they also gave Boeheim a chance to unleash his most biting verbal barrages. On Brown: "He plays once in a while." On Williams: "He's a good offensive player, so we're going to have to put up with his defensive shortcomings. He can't guard anybody." So now both teams wait -- Syracuse to see just how far the NCAA selection committee drops it in the seedings, Georgetown for another chance to play its way into the tournament. This is Boeheim's only consolation: He knows the Orange are going dancing, while Esherick might be the only person in America who feels the Hoyas deserve to get an at-large bid (they have 18 wins but were a dismal 6-10 in conference play). And, ultimately, the goal is to be playing next week.
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