Armageddon at Verizon: #17/20 Syracuse Orange (23-6, 10-6) vs. #11 Georgetown Hoyas (21-7, 10-6)

Syracuse Orange		Georgetown Hoyas
	vs.
#17/20 (23-6, 10-6); RPI: 17		#11 (21-7, 10-6); RPI: 7

(Perspectives After The Jump)

View from the Student Section - A Perspective from Campus:

I am lying here trying to decide if it makes more sense to pull an all-nighter and leave for the game in an hour or so, or try to get some sleep and get out of here by 5am. These are the tough decisions that I am faced with in college. I think that the students are coming out big-time for this game. It has the same feel that Duke did last year, and the fact that there are people currently in tents outside the Verizon Center shows that pretty clearly.

I think the team will rally to juice the Cuse today. Chris Wright may be out, but this team is very capable of handling the Orange even without Lumpy (even though he is the heart and soul). This is one of the games that Georgetown is most invested in winning (especially with the Gray-Out). I am hoping that no one bought the tickets just to sell them to Cuse fans and make a profit. I am not entirely sure where the Syracuse fans are getting the money to buy tickets however, because I didn’t realize that a Syracuse degree increased one’s salary. Today is an important day to give our Hoyas a home court advantage for a very important game. Hoya Saxa

View from the Court Side Seats - A Perspective from OldHoya:

Georgetown and Syracuse fans have had this game circled for the entire year. And now that it's upon us, the best news is that the gym should be dominated by Georgetown fans and students. Rest assured, OldHoya's been on the road to Syracuse and it's not quite like that gym is overflowing with Blue and Gray - yet somehow, Syracuse fans feel entitled to orange out the Verizon Center? OldHoya strongly supports the excellent work of the ticket office but remains dismayed that Clyde's, a bar that OldHoya and his prodigious eating and drinking put on the map - is looking forward to hosting the Cuse folk who don't have tickets. To put it mildly, Clyde's of Gallery Place is Fredo to OldHoya - not my brother, not anything.

This Syracuse rivalry has been one for the ages and it seems like just yesterday that Coach Boeheim was walking out on the floor against Coach Thompson (and a little known fact is that your own OldHoya and Coach Boeheim split the screen for an ESPN Play of the Day some years ago - OldHoya's minions are combing youTube as you read this). This is a special game but made incredibly so this year by a few extenuating circumstances. OldHoya wants to recognize the contributions of this year's senior class - one that he has been thrilled to watch grow and mature over 4 years.

Chris Wright and Austin Freeman came to Georgetown with the biggest reps that the Hilltop had seen in some time. And both have delivered, leaving their names in the history books and contributing both on and off the court. Julian Vaughn, in only 3 years has transformed himself from a role player to a featured offensive player and a feared defender and Ryan Doughtery has consistently been a leader on the team (though putting in most of his work from the sideline). It's a group that has battled through adversity and actually flourished and OldHoya salutes them one and all.

Let's not kid ourselves, though, this is a tough game and it's going to be tougher without Chris (though another Willis Reed routine would be great, OldHoya hopes that Chris rests to put himself in the best position for the Tournament). Everyone knows that Cuse will run a zone - just like everyone knows that Georgetown will make some back doorcuts - but that doesn't mean this is an easy game to prepare for. The teams know each other well and know the history of this matchup. From recruiting against each other to playing twice a year, there are few rivalries that can match up.

Here's hoping for a good game - but more importantly, one that helps Georgetown right its shape as it prepares for the postseason.

View from the Enemy- A Perspective from our Sleeping With The Enemy Interview:

Considering all the tickets I've seen on Craigslist and ticket sites, don't be surprised if there's still a healthy orange attendance in the building despite your efforts. Considering the debilitating injury we've just witnessed, I feel confident predicting a Syracuse vengeance victory, though of course we won't make it easy on ourselves. It'll be a close game, one of your unheralded players will hit 7 three's and Kris Joseph will be something like 1-of-15 from the field.

That said, as we do, we'll find a way to win by six. Enjoy the NCAA 6-seed.

Saturday is huge on many levels. I have watched #15 and #4 grow into who they are, and that has been fantastic. I have also watched a transfer from a second rate football school develop into a 'glue' player. This is their last time putting on that gray jersey in verizon. The last time they take the trip to that arena the way that they have for the last 4 years. It will be emotional for fan and player, alike. No one can know what that means. What we do know is that tomorrow is THE BIGGEST DAY IN THEIR CAREERS. My hope is that they are greeted like the gladiators that they have been. I hope the crowd honors them. I only wished #4 could truly participate. The rest of the players must rise up.

SENSE OF URGENCY. NERVES ARE BEYOND SEVERE. They are 'OH JEBUS' high. Bonheim MUST go down. When was the last time we swept the regular season? Down with CUSE, up with bottoms up beers.

Number of beverages: BLOTTO

See you at the Horse.

View from the Sportsbook (via DonBest) - A Perspective from Vegas:

The Line: Georgetown -1.

Every bone in my body says take Cuse and the damn points. But there is no bone that can account for the emotional wave that will be in Verizon today. Senior Day has to count for something, and I fully expect the Hoyas to come out with guns blazing against their biggest rival. Uncle Scoop doesn't always play for the same team, so we've got that going for us. ALLEGEDLY.

The pick is Georgetown -1. Final score Hoyas 69 - Orange 65.

SWEEP CUSE.

Casual Hoya is 16-12 ATS. Last season: 22-8 ATS.

www.CasualHoya.com: Where Your Money Stays And Plays.