20 minutes to win 901 for Jim Boeheim, and an 11-0 start or this year’s consensus Top 5 team. The only problem was a well-coached Temple team spoiled the fun for the majority on hand.
Despite the disastrous hire of Greg Robinson weeks later, there is not a whole lot of negatives when it comes to the direction and thought process behind the other coaching hires during the Gross regime.
Since the ’03 title, Gerry McNamara (2003-06) appeared on the March Madness issue cover in ’04, ’05 and ’06, while Eric Devendorf (2006-09) appeared with Georgetown’s Roy Hibbert promoting great college hoops rivalries for the 2007-08 preview issue.
It was the last Big East media day for Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, and the first for new commissioner Mike Aresco, before the Orange head to the Atlantic Coast Conference next year.
The Orange had four turnovers, ill-timed penalties among their seven infractions overall, and trouble converting on Rutgers side of the field, spotlighted by the third quarter field goal block.