The career of Syracuse's Gerry McNamara has paralleled the comedic value of the popular 2005 movie "Wedding Crashers." Both started out with so much promise: the point guard's six first-half three-pointers in the 2003 NCAA championship game as a freshman and Vince Vaughn's line: "And all the while you're just really wondering, 'Are we gonna get hopped up enough to make some bad decisions?'"

Both gradually lost their momentum and swagger. Carmelo Anthonyturned pro, and Vermont happened. A two-hour, formulaic romantic comedy emerged.

Entering the Orange's game at Cincinnati on Saturday, McNamara had been shooting a career-low 32.8 percent from the field, including just 33.0 percent from three-point range. His assists were at a career best 6.4 per game, but so were his turnovers at 3.1 per game.

But the senior finally caught fire against the depleted Bearcats, who were still reeling from the loss of Armein Kirkland for the rest of the season. McNamara hit 5-of-9 threes and scored 29 points to help Syracuse pull away in the second half for a 77-58 victory.

His brief return to form comes at a convenient time: Syracuse enters a brutal stretch that includes games at Villanova and Pittsburgh.