That includes not just one, but two appearances in the top-10.
Out of the hundreds of thousands of men’s college basketball matchups so far this century, two iconic Syracuse Orange men’s basketball games are being recognized as some of the absolute best.
The Athletic recently unveiled its rankings for the top-25 men’s college basketball games of the 2000s, and not only did Syracuse have multiple appearances, but both cracked the top-10.
One choice seemed like an easy fit on the list: Syracuse’s memorable, heart-pounding six-overtime victory over the UConn Huskies in Madison Square Garden during the 2009 Big East Tournament.
That game earned the No. 9 spot in the rankings. The final box score of that game was, of course ridiculous. Jonny Flynn led all players with 67 minutes played. Syracuse’s Eric Devendorf and UConn’s A.J. Price also topped 60 minutes, while five other players combined were at 50 or more. In total, there were 209 total shots attempted, 143 rebounds, and eight players who fouled out between both teams.
Here is how The Athletic’s Lindsay Schnell reflected on the game:
This is the ultimate “where were you when …” game, and I can tell you where I was: Watching from the Oregon State media room in the basement of Gill Coliseum, wondering if the game was ever going to end and what the Big East was going to do if either team ran out of subs (between the two squads, eight players fouled out),” Schnell wrote. “It’s hard to pick the wildest part: That the game went so long (70 minutes!) or that Syracuse won despite not leading during any of the previous five overtimes. Everyone was exhausted.
Arguably equally as hard to believe is that this wasn’t the Syracuse game that was highest on the list. That honor goes to the Orange’s 2003 NCAA Championship win over the Kansas Jayhawks.
This game is of course when the dynamic Syracuse freshman duo of Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara shining in the biggest spotlight of their college careers, ‘Cuse defeating a true college hoops Blue Blood, Kansas essentially shooting themselves out of a win with an abysmal performance at the free throw line, Hakim Warrick’s game-sealing block, the Orange capturing their first and only title and so much more.
Another interest point to note: of all the championship games that have taken place so far this century, Syracuse-Kansas was one of eight that cracked the top-25 and third-highest of the title games. The only ones that ranked ahead: Villanova versus North Carolina in 2016 (the Kris Jenkins game-winner) and Kansas versus Memphis in 2008 (Mario Chalmers saves the day).
Should both be in the top-10, and could you make a case either should be higher? Here is the full top-10 from the rankings:
- Kansas versus Memphis, 2008 National Championship
- Duke versus Maryland, 2001 regular season
- Villanova versus North Carolina, 2016 National Championship
- Illinois versus Arizona, 2005 Elite Eight
- North Carolina versus Duke, 2022 Final Four
- George Mason versus UConn, 2006 Elite Eight
- Syracuse versus Kansas, 2003 National Championship
- (Tie) Kentucky versus North Carolina, 2016 regular season and 2017 Elite Eight
- Syracuse versus UConn, 2009 Big East Tournament
- Indiana versus Kentucky, 2011 regular season