On This Date in Sports March 12, 2009: A Marathon in the Garden
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
In the longest NCAA game ever played during championship week, Syracuse outlasts UConn 127-117 in six overtimes in the Big East quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden. Only one game in NCAA history was longer and it occurred before the creation of the shot clock in 1985. The epic takes nearly four hours to play, as the Orange don’t hold the lead in any of the first five overtimes before getting the win.
In the week before the NCAA Tournament, all conferences hold a tournament for the automatic bid. Some conferences have everything on the line, as they will only get one team in the tournament. The major conferences are just as thrilling despite the top teams being assured of an at-large big if they fail. The Big East Tournament traditionally held at Madison Square Garden in New York has always been one of the top conferences during Championship Week. The 2009 Big East Tournament was no different.
It had been a long day of basketball for fans at Madison Square Garden as Syracuse and UConn faced each other in the final of four quarterfinal games in the Big East Tournament. Earlier Louisville defeated Providence 73-55, Villanova edged Marquette 76-75 and West Virginia beat Pittsburgh 74-60. The final game featured two teams in the Top 25, as #3 Connecticut had a record of 27-3 under Jim Calhoun. While Syracuse was #18 under Jim Boeheim with a record of 24-8. The game tipped off at 9:36 local time, it would not end until 1:22 in the morning.
The game was close throughout the first half, as Syracuse held a 15-10 lead early before the Huskies made their move. When halftime came, UConn had surged in front 37-34. UConn would at one point in the second half hold a 46-40 lead, however, Syracuse we on a nice run and appeared to be on their way to a win, leading 64-57 with just under four minutes left. The Huskies would battle back, tie the game 71-71 on a layup by Kemba Walker with four seconds left. In the first five-minute overtime, Connecticut scored the first four points and was in control before Andy Rautins hit a clutch three-pointer to keep the Orange in the game. After Rick Jackson tied the game with a dunk, Walker had a chance to win it for UConn but missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.
Scoring was at a premium in the second overtime, as both teams struggled to find the range, each scoring just six points. Again, Kemba Walker had the ball in the final seconds letting go a half-court shot that hit the rim, sending the game on to a third overtime tied 87 apiece. UConn raced out to a six-point lead in the third overtime and led throughout. However, the Huskies could not finish the game at the free throw line, allowing Syracuse to tie the game 98-98 on a three-pointer by Rautins with 18 seconds left.
As the game went to a fourth overtime, fans and players at other championship games could not help but be captivated as Midnight came and went with nothing decided. Again, UConn took the lead early on a shot by Hasheem Thabeet. Though Syracuse continued to answer at every turn. The final two minutes would see both teams in a scoring drought in the final two minutes as the game went on and on to fifth overtime, tied 104-104. The scoring drought continued into the overtime number five, with A.J. Price putting the Huskie back in front after nearly 90 scoreless seconds. Johnny Flynn would be a one many army for Syracuse, scoring all six Orange points as the game that would not end went to the sixth overtime tied at 110-110.
In the history of the NCAA, there have three other games reach this length. Niagara defeated Siena 88-81 in 1953. Two years later Minnesota beat Purdue 59-56. On December 21, 1981, in the only game to go to seven overtimes, Cincinnati beat Bradley 75-73.
For the first five overtimes, Syracuse did not hold the lead once. When the sixth overtime began it was a different story as Andy Rautins started it with a three-pointer to give the Orange the lead. Paul Harris, meanwhile, scored the game’s next five points to put Syracuse in front 118-110. By the time A.J. Price answered for UConn, it was clear the Huskies were out of gas. Where the Huskies failed at the line to close the game out earlier, the Orange were strong from the line, as Harris answered to make it 120-112. After Price was off on a shot, Johnny Flynn stretched the lead to ten at the line, finally putting the game to rest. Syracuse would go on to win 127-117.
UConn had nobody to blame, but themselves for the loss as they struggled from the free throw line, making just 24-of-42 from the charity stripe while committing 27 turnovers. Johnny Flynn was the game’s leading scorer with 34 points, while A.J. Price had 33 to lead the way for Connecticut. Paul Harris had 29 points for the Orange, with Andy Rautins, scoring 20 off the bench. Stanley Robinson had 28 points for UConn, while Hasheem Thabeet had 19. However, Kemba Walker had a nightmarish night, scoring just eight points, while making just 4-of-18 shots, including 0-for-7 from beyond the three-point arc.
A day after their epic marathon, Syracuse won in overtime again, beating West Virginia 74-69 in the Big East Semifinals. However, the Orange would be beaten by Louisville 76-66 in the Big East Championship Game. In the NCAA Tournament, the Orange would reach the Sweet 16, losing to Oklahoma 84-71. UConn meanwhile, recovered from their Big East letdown and went to the Final Four, where they were beaten 82-73 by Michigan State in the semifinals.