WASHINGTON – The Syracuse locker room after Wednesday night’s game looked a lot like the first half of its game against Georgetown.

Nobody showed up.

Andy Rautins, Paul Harris and Rick Jackson were the only players hanging around in the locker room when the media entered, after SU’s first loss since Cleveland State’s miracle buzzer-beater Dec. 15.

Just like it had done against Cleveland St. and other opponents this year (like Richmond, Kansas, Virginia, Cornell and Rutgers), the No. 8 Orange began the game in the doldrums. This time, Syracuse couldn’t make a second-half comeback and lost to the No. 13 Hoyas, 88-74.

‘I think this was one of the softest games I ever came out and played,’ Harris said. ‘In the first half I wasn’t into it. I just wasn’t there tonight. The second half we tried to get a little energy but it was too late. Get down 18 points, it’s kind of hard to come back. I think it was all in the first half we didn’t play well.’

The Orange put only 32 points on the board in the first half, the lowest total since it scored 30 against Cleveland State. The first-half production was similar against Virginia (29), Kansas (30) and Richmond (31).

Syracuse didn’t have a double-digit scorer in the first half, while Georgetown had two: DaJuan Summers and Austin Freeman, each with 12. SU shot 38.7 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from long-range. Down low, where it looked like the Orange could take advantage of post players who prefer to roam, Syracuse managed only 14 points in the paint and was outrebounded 20-13. Not to mention it allowed 50 points in the first half, the most it has allowed all season.

‘I mean, we came out extremely flat tonight,’ said Rautins, who left the game in the first half with a bruised knee. ‘We came out with no energy and nobody was making plays, so it’s something we’ve got to learn from.’

Like it has in the past, SU resurrected itself in the second half, at one point slicing the 18-point halftime deficit to just eight with 15:35 remaining. It improved its shooting to 56.7 percent from the field and had three players score in double figures. Jackson led the way with 12. Devendorf and Harris weren’t far behind with 11 and 10, respectively.

But Georgetown’s 58.3 percent shooting and unheard-of 80 percent from beyond the arc was too much for SU to overcome.

‘We’ve done a good job defensively this year, that’s why we got to be 16-1,’ head coach Jim Boeheim said. ‘We did not do a good job. You’re going to have bad defense just like you’re going to have bad nights on offense. We just had a real, really bad first half.’

Syracuse outscored Georgetown 42-38 in the second half and cut down its turnovers from nine to six. It also took full advantage down low, doubling its production from the first half with 28 points. It also improved on the boards. SU grabbed 20 rebounds while the Hoyas came up with eight.

But against arguably the best team it has played all season and down by 18, flipping the switch in the second half was much too late.

‘We tried to hang in there, but they got the lead and we had to fight back the rest of the game,’ said Jackson, who finished with 17 points and seven rebounds. ‘And it’s hard to fight back when you’re playing a good team.’

mibonner@syr.edu

Published on January 14, 2009 at 12:00 pm