One minute to go. The crowd outside Chuck’s tries to peer into the window at the screen at the front of the bar. Faegan’s is filled with fans wearing orange, drinks in hand, eyes glued to multiple screens. At Varsity, both Syracuse locals and students take over every table.

The final seconds count down. In Varsity, no one jumps up, no one screams. People begin to leave before the end of the game. The Syracuse Orange lose to the Ohio State Buckeyes 77-70.

By 9:45 p.m., Marshall Street returned to its normal late night routine, but with an atmosphere of disappointment.

After watching Saturday night’s loss to OSU, Syracuse fans were outraged, upset and disappointed. Some wished sophomore Fab Melo had played in the game, but said it was the foul trouble and minimal leadership that many attributed to the loss.

There was an increased presence of Syracuse Police Department officers on Marshall Street due to the large crowds and an increased risk of vandalism, said SPD Sgt. Tom Connellan.

There would be an even higher presence of officers if the Orange made it to the Final Four, Connellan said.

‘I’m truly heartbroken by the outcome of the game,’ said Syracuse University alumnus Eric Loia.

Without seniors Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine, Loia said he thinks the team may match this year’s result in the NCAA Tournament next year, but won’t go any further.

Darius Smith, a junior public affairs major, said he knew the game was over when sophomore Dion Waiters fouled out.

‘With Dion just being out for most of the game, that really hurt us because you could tell that his presence made a big difference,’ he said. ‘As soon as he fouled out, I knew it was done. The moment was gone.’

Erin Devine, a senior communications design major, said ‘disappointing’ was the word of the evening.

‘Very disappointing. The defense was a complete disappointment also. The entire thing was a disappointment,’ she said.

The team’s inability to protect a rebound and lack of defense was upsetting for Devine, who knew it was over when OSU was up 73-64.

At the end of the game, Devine said there was one OSU fan inside Chuck’s that was later chased out of the bar by fans and bouncers. Fans yelled obscenities as he left the building, she said.

Rob McCabe, a student at the University of Rochester, watched the game with his cousin and said he was frustrated with the result.

‘We’re Syracuse. They can win with anyone but they can lose to anyone,’ he said. ‘This should have been our year.’

mjberner@syr.edu 

Published on March 24, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Maddy: mjberner@syr.edu