UConn Falls in Never-Ending Game

Six overtimes. Two hundred shots. Eight players fouled out. The longest game in the history of the Big East.

When all was said and done Friday morning at Madison Square Garden, UConn's hopes of a Big East Championship and a secured #1 seed in the NCAA tournament fell short.  The #3 ranked Huskies fell to the #18 Syracuse Orange, 127-117.

UConn fans cringed at the end of regulation as Syracuse's Eric Devendorf sunk what appeared to be a three-point shot as time expired.  But the game was far from over. Officials reviewed the tape and ruled the shot would not count.  

A.J. Price led the way for UConn with 33 points. Stanley Robinson added 28 points and Hasheem Thabeet had 19.

Jonny Flynn led Syracuse with 34 points.

UConn appeared to be in control throughout the overtime sessions. Syracuse never took a lead until the sixth overtime.

UConn head coach Jim Calhoun pointed to the team failing to shut down Syracuse and foul shooting as reasons for the loss.   UConn made 57 percent of its shots from the foul line, and 11 percent drop from the Huskies' season average.

“I’ll look back and say, 'What a historic battle it was,'" Calhoun said.  "Right now, it’s a loss. There’s no other way.”

The UConn loss came hours after #2 ranked Pittsburgh fell to West Virginia in another Big East quarterfinal, 74-60.

The Huskies will now play the waiting game to see where they'll be ranked on Sunday when the NCAA tournament seeds will be released.

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