Gerry McNamara had enough. During the Syracuse men’s basketball team’s week-long layoff between games, McNamara practiced his 3-point shooting to stay in rhythm.

His 1-for-6 shooting first half, like the play of his entire team, was unacceptable. Not in front of the largest on-campus crowd in campus history. Not in front of 50-plus busloads of loyal Scrantonites, who made their pilgrimage to the Carrier Dome to cheer on their native son.

With the record-setting crowd of 33,199 roaring to open the second half, McNamara swept behind senior forward Hakim Warrick and finally found his opening. Warrick handed the ball off to McNamara. Splash. Nothing but net.

As he ran back down court, McNamara viciously slapped the media table, showing his irritation from his earlier misses. The emotional display was one of many shown by the Orange on Saturday night during its second-half comeback. No. 8 SU came from 11 points down with 5:50 remaining to defeat Notre Dame, 60-57, at the Carrier Dome.

‘That was just frustration,’ McNamara said. ‘I worked extremely hard this week to really stay in a rhythm because I hate going a week, especially after a loss. I like to keep playing because you get a good rhythm. I worked extremely hard this week to keep my shot going and to come out and shoot that poorly in the first half, that frustrated me. I hope I didn’t hit anyone or hurt anyone. That was just me letting out frustration.’

McNamara didn’t hurt anyone on press row, but he inflicted pain on Notre Dame (13-6, 4-4). He scored a game-high 22 points, teaming with Warrick – who scored 20 – to lead SU’s second comeback win in three games. Unlike Jan. 24, when the Orange came from 18 down at the half to defeat Rutgers, the Orange trailed by just six at the break on Saturday.

Also unlike the game at Rutgers, SU’s comeback came painfully slow, compared to a ferocious come-from-behind victory at the RAC.

McNamara finally capped the comeback with three free throws with 1:40 left, giving the Orange (21-2, 8-1) a lead it would never relinquish. It was Syracuse’s first lead since it was up 3-2 at the 16:31 mark of the first half.

In front of throngs of home-town faithful, McNamara calmly sank all 11 of his free-throw attempts. Nine of those came with less than 3:30 to play, sealing SU’s victory.

‘I’m more confident with (McNamara) than anyone on any other team I’ve ever played on,’ Warrick said. ‘He’s just so clutch.’

Even with McNamara’s shooting, Notre Dame senior guard Chris Thomas was inches from sending the game to overtime. His half-court heave with less than a second remaining nearly banked in to tie the game.

‘I grabbed Hop (Syracuse assistant coach Mike Hopkins) and said, ‘Are you kidding me?” McNamara said. ‘You don’t want to put yourself in that situation.’

After SU’s dismal first half, the Orange was lucky to be in position to win at all. Even with the crowd screaming and waving its orange ‘Break the Record towels,’ SU played flat.

McNamara had open looks, but missed. The team passed to Warrick and watched him attempt to dance his way through the lane. Fortunately for SU, Notre Dame wasn’t much better. The Orange managed just 20 points in the first half and trailed at the break, 26-20.

‘We knew we had played one of the worst halves of Syracuse basketball in history,’ McNamara said.

Initially, the second half wasn’t much better. Even with McNamara’s big shot to open the half, SU still struggled to gain consistency. Finally, and perhaps inevitably, the switch from zone to man came with 6:08 remaining. As did SU’s full-court press.

With 5:50 left, a Warrick dunk cut Notre Dame’s lead to 50-41. After two Warrick free throws, SU again set up the press. A turnover ensued and Warrick picked up the loose ball. The senior again slammed it home, igniting the crowd to its peak.

On SU’s next possession, McNamara drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key, cutting the lead to two. After a five-second violation on the Irish’s Chris Quinn, Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey received a technical foul. SU forward Terrence Roberts charged to SU’s bench, hands high in the air, again sending the crowd into a frenzy.

McNamara hit the two free throws, finally drawing SU even at 50. McNamara’s 3 with 4:07 remaining was SU’s last field goal of the game. The Orange didn’t need the field goals with McNamara’s foul shooting.

With each of McNamara’s makes, the crowd roared. Satisfaction for sure, for the work he put in. Nearly an hour after the game, much of the crowd remained, still cheering near the set of ESPN’s College GameDay. A perfect ending to a record-setting night it seemed. A night that without McNamara may have ended bitterly for the Orange.

‘It was amazing,’ McNamara said. ‘Hakim and me were just talking about it after the showers and he’s saying, ‘You know, I got chills when they announced the attendance.’ I said, ‘I know.’ The sad thing was we were down.

‘The fan-base and the excitement tonight was unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of.’

Published on February 6, 2005 at 12:00 pm