Now We Know How Good Syracuse Can Be

Seton Hall is not a very good basketball team.

Their best wins are against Virginia Tech and USC early in the season, neither of whom look destined to be dancing. The Pirates 7-11 record in the Big East has a grand total of zero wins versus anyone from the top half of the league.

But yet in the Big East tournament in Madison Square Garden, a nationally televised game on ESPN in front of a de facto home crowd, the Orange were going basket for basket with the Pirates. The Orange had jumped out to leads of 8-3 and 18-10, but they could not maintain that level of energy.

It has been the problem for the Orange all season long. They have as much talent 1-7 as just about any team in the Big East, but talent gets you no where without effort, motivation, or a desire to play hard.

That is why a team that can boast wins over Florida, Kansas, and Memphis went 11-7 in the Big East, winning just two games against the top of the league - at home against West Virginia and in overtime at Marquette (after the Eagles had lost Dom James).

All it took yesterday was a hard foul and a little pushing and shoving for us to see what this Syracuse team can be.

The refs had to separate the teams twice in the span of about 15 seconds.
(photo credit: Julie Jacobson/AP)

With 15:58 left in the game, Syracuse was up 46-44. After a block by Arinze Onuaku where John Garcia thought he got fouled, Onuaku clapped in the Pirate center's face. This led to him slapping away Onuaku's hands, starting a little jawing between the teams. Double technicals were called, and things seemed to settle down.

But on the next possession, Kristoff Ongenaet went strong to the basket and was fouled very hard by Seton Hall's back-up center Brandon Walters. There was a little pushing and shoving between the two teams, when Eric Devendorf and Eugene Harvey both got their hands up on the other's neck. They were separated, and both teams were sent to their benches to calm down. After another set of double technicals, the game resumed.

It was a different Syracuse team that came out after that incident. More importantly, it was a different Devendorf.

On the very first possession, Devo hit a tough three-pointer with Harvey right in his grill, yapping all the way back down court. That sent the Orange on a huge run, out scoring the Pirates 35-14 over the next nine minutes of game play. Devo had 16 himself.

Let me repeat - 35-14 over nine minutes, where Devo scored 16 himself.

The Orange were everywhere - forcing turnovers, running the break, hitting three's, getting dunks in the paint. The run was capped by, who else, Devo. Jonny Flynn (who finished with 19 points and 11 assists, some of them worthy of the And-1 mixtape) threw a beautiful, one-handed, cross court bounce bass (literally, across the entire court) threw the defense to Devo in the corner, who buried a three (ED. Note: Devo's celebration after hitting this three was hilarious. It was half Zorro, half King-Kong. See this picture of it).

And that was it.

Once the Orange decided they wanted to play, the Pirates had absolutely no chance to compete with them.

Jonny Flynn, dropping one of his 11 dimes. This one was behind his head to Onuaku for a dunk.
(photo credit: Julie Jacobson/AP)

When Syracuse is playing like that - not just playing hard, but playing with emotion, playing with the mindset "I'm not going to just beat you, I'm going to embarrass you and run you off this floor" - they are talented enough to make a Final Four.

If they aren't, any team in the country can play with them.