University of Richmond Athletics
Spiders 1991 NCAA Win Over Syracuse Makes ESPN Top Play
03/17/2009 | Men's Basketball
March 17, 2009
BRISTOL, Conn. - Richmond's 1991 NCAA First Round victory over Syracuse, the first time a No. 15 seed knocked off a No. 2 seed, made ESPN SportsCenter's Top Play on Tuesday in a countdown of the top first round NCAA Tournament upsets.
Richmond defeated the Orange 73-69 on March 14, 1991 at Cole Field House on the campus of the University of Maryland.
Curtis Blair led a balanced Spider attack with 18 points and six assists, while Terry Connolly, the man CBS called "Super Sub," scored 14 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had five assists.
With the Spiders up by one with 21 seconds left, freshman guard Eugene Burroughs stepped to the free throw line and calmly drained two shots to seal the victory.
Billy Owens led Syracuse with 22 points and seven rebounds.
This is the fourth time in the last two seasons that the Spiders have made ESPN's Top 10 Plays of the Day, including the third time this season. Richmond sophomore Kevin Smith was also the Top Play for his dunk at the Spiders' version of midnight madness and sophomore Justin Harper made it for a block of Syracuse's Jonny Flynn.
Last season Ryan Butler and Gaston Moliva made ESPN's Top 10 Plays of the day for a steal and dunk to seal a triple overtime win at La Salle.