Gerry McNamara came to Syracuse in the fall of 2002 after leading Bishop Hannan High School in Scranton, Pa., to a state title the previous spring. He’ll play his final game in the Carrier Dome in front of a new NCAA on-campus record crowd when Syracuse hosts No. 4 Villanova on Saturday. McNamara’s unlikely rise to fame as the most beloved athlete in Syracuse history has included countless memorable games, whether it is at the Carrier Dome, on the road or in the NCAA Tournament. Here’s a rundown of his best 10 games accompanied by quotes from the archives of The D.O.

1vs. Notre Dame (Feb. 15, 2003) ‘If you get it, rip it.’Sound advice. Down a point, Carmelo Anthony was supposed to take the final shot. But assistant coach Mike Hopkins told McNamara to be ready. And sure enough, when Anthony was covered, guard Billy Edelin found the ‘other’ freshman wide open in the right corner. Nothing but net: McNamara drilled the 3 with 20 seconds left to give SU an 81-80 win. All in front of the storied packs of Irish-bred Scrantonites switching allegiances for the first time. The legend was born.

2NCAA Second Round vs. Oklahoma State (March 23, 2003)’I used the left eye to shoot.’Eye, matey. Turns out he needed that accidental head-butt and elbow by the Cowboys’ Victor Williams. With blood trickling into his right eye, McNamara turned around his entire postseason with a 3 at the 14:24 mark for SU’s first lead. Coming into that second half he was scoreless in the game and 6-of-21 in the Big East and NCAA tournaments. Hello, blood. Good night, slump. He finished with 14 points on four 3’s as the Orangemen pulled away to a 68-56 victory.

3NCAA Championship vs. Kansas (April 7, 2003)’I just got off early.’You don’t say. Then again, it probably hadn’t hit him. That those 20 minutes would forever remain his signature. His one shining moment. All over. As a freshman. Still, nobody can ever take it away from him. McNamara’s sublime sextuplet of 3’s in the first half of the national title game paved the way for SU head coach Jim Boeheim’s elusive title. And to think, McNamara’s 18 points in the 81-78 victory was still overshadowed by Anthony’s near triple-double.

4at Georgetown (Feb. 21, 2004)’Just an incredible shot’Second that notion. But Boeheim didn’t just say that simply because McNamara’s off-balance game-winning 3 at the buzzer between three defenders to help save the Orangemen’s NCAA hopes was truly improbable. That wouldn’t be the whole story. For 10 minutes in the second half, McNamara didn’t try a single shot. Boeheim said the sophomore – for the first time ever – was worried about misfiring. That didn’t last long. An ugly game ended beautifully: 57-54 SU.

5at Pittsburgh (Feb. 29, 2004)’He screamed my name.’So he found him. Without hesitation. Warrick knew McNamara – for the first time in his career – hadn’t converted a field goal in 40 minutes. But it was overtime. Crunch time. Gerry Time. So Warrick obliged. And McNamara complied. The buried 3 – his only basket of the game – early in the extra period eventually proved the difference as the unranked Orange handed the No. 3 Panthers their first loss ever in 40 games at the Petersen Events Center, 49-46. NCAAs? Check.

6NCAA First Round vs. BYU (March 18, 2004)’Gerry was as good as I have ever seen in college basketball.’No hyperbole. With nine 3’s and 43 points, Boeheim knew McNamara had single-handedly allowed SU to avoid an upset to 12th-seeded BYU, 80-75. The critical stretch came when Warrick picked up his third foul with 7:01 left in the first half. Soon after, the Cougars built an 11-point lead. Enter G-Mac. He made a 3, a free throw, a lay-up, four more free throws and a fast-break 3. Thirteen points in three minutes. The deficit was two. In reality? It was over.

7vs. Notre Dame (Feb. 5, 2005)’He’s just so clutch.’Broken record. This time courtesy of Warrick. But for once it looked like it wouldn’t apply. In front of an NCAA on-campus record crowd of 33,199, McNamara choked in the first half with one field goal. On SU’s first possession of the second half, he searched for a 3. And got it. Swish. As he ran back down court, he fiercely slapped the media table. It was the first of his 18 points in the second half. Order restored. His free throws late clinched the electric 60-57 comeback win.

8Big East tournament First Round vs. Rutgers (March 10, 2005) ‘Once he gets going, we don’t need to do anything else.’Except feed him the ball. In a throwback effort reminiscent of his efficient freshman and sophomore years, McNamara shot only when open. Wise choice. Along with everyone else, Warrick watched as McNamara nailed 6-of-9 3’s and all seven of all foul shots for 25 points as the Orange shellacked the Scarlet Knights, 81-57. This after a 2-for-10 forced performance from downtown against UConn. Syracuse was on its way to its first Big East tourney title since 1992.

9vs. Towson in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. (Dec. 27, 2005)’No seriously, I probably knew about 5,000 of them.’We believe you. After all, you see most of them at the Carrier Dome. But this time, they didn’t have to go anywhere. Playing 20 miles south of his hometown of Scranton, Pa., in the Wachovia Center in front of a frantic 8,209, McNamara didn’t disappoint. So what if Demetris Nichols had a career night with 25 points? Under enormous pressure, McNamara treated the adoring fans to four of his classic 3’s and 20 points as the Orange rolled to an 86-52 victory.

10vs. Louisville (Feb.18, 2006)’Arinze got me. Matt got me. Mookie got me.’Craig Forth revisited. All four of the current Orange big men – Onuaku, Gorman and Darryl Watkins and Terrence Roberts – allowed McNamara a long-time, no-see clear look at the basket. He finished with 30 points on 10-of-16 shooting. And he didn’t forget the crowd, probably watching his last memorable game – a 79-66 SU victory that staved off NIT talk. After one of his four 3’s, one fan freed himself of his beer and cell phone just in time for a high-five.

Published on March 1, 2006 at 12:00 pm