NEW YORK — Georgetown made James Southerland work, but he tied the record anyway.

Southerland hit four 3-pointers in Friday’s 58-55 win over the Hoyas at Madison Square Garden, tying the Big East tournament for most 3s made in a single tournament. His total through three games sits at 16, equaling the mark set by current Syracuse assistant coach Gerry McNamara in 2006 and former Connecticut guard Albert Mouring in 2000.

What they did in four games, Southerland accomplished in three.

“I just apologize to G‑Mac,” Southerland said with a wry smile in the postgame press conference. “Sorry, man.  I didn’t mean to do that.”

Southerland was hot from the moment Syracuse set foot in the World’s Most Famous arena on Wednesday afternoon. He buried six 3-pointers in a comfortable win over Seton Hall, then followed it up with six more — he did not miss — in a gritty quarterfinal victory against Pittsburgh.

Through two games, he was shooting an unthinkable 80 percent from beyond the arc.

Georgetown, though, would present a different challenge. The Hoyas are one of the best defensive teams in the country, and John Thompson III tried anything and everything to prevent Southerland from getting easy looks.

He was guarded by forward Nate Lubick for most of the game, a player whose agility could not match that of Southerland but whose length — Lubick is 6 feet, 8 inches — could pose a problem. And for a while it did, as Southerland missed his first 3-point attempt of the game and forced another that hit only backboard later in the half.

But as McNamara rose to the occasion in 2006, Southerland would do so again in 2013. His four made field goals all came from beyond the arc on Friday, though it took him 10 attempts to do so.

Still, Thompson III was impressed: “Through three games now, Southerland has given his Gerry McNamara imitation very well.”

Published on March 16, 2013 at 1:22 pm

Contact Michael: [email protected] | @Michael_Cohen13