Syracuse keeps an eye on UVM

BUFFALO — Just before they headed to HSBC Arena Thursday afternoon for a news conference and practice, members of the Syracuse Orange watched some early action in the NCAA Tournament in their hotel room.

After seeing one of its Big East brethren, No. 2 Villanova, barely avoid a huge upset vs. No. 15 Robert Morris in the South Region, the Orange sat up and took notice.

"Seeing something like that, you know it can happen to anybody," said SU junior Wes Johnson. "If that doesn't make you think that anybody can lose, nothing will. It probably was good for us to se that."

In the eyes of most people, No. 16 Vermont will be fodder for the top-seeded Orange in tonight's final first-round game in the West Region. But SU coach Jim Boeheim has been on both sides, and knows that where a team is seeded can be both a liability and an asset.

"We've won as a low seed and as a high seed in the past. And we've lost in those same situations," said Boeheim, whose only other No. 1 seed came in 1990, when SU went out in the regional semifinals. "The bottom line is you must play well no matter where you are seeded. The lower seeds aren't scared of the big guys any more. They just know that if they play good, they have a chance to win."

Co-captain Andy Rautins said the fact that SU is a top seed and everyone expects the Orange to succeed is nothing new.

"We've been under the gun for a lot of the season, so we kind of know how to handle the expectations," Rautins said. "Usually, lots of people have us going out early. But we wouldn't treat this any differently if we were a double-digit seed."

The Orange has proven to be one of the best teams in the country since the start. Still, SU knows that nothing short of a national championship will be good enough for its loyal fans.

"We've proven ourselves through 30-plus games and I don't see that changing," said Johnson, who won Big East Player of the Year honors. "The strength of this team has been taking one game at a time, and not overlooking any opponent. We know that there are good teams everywhere, and that whoever we play is going to play us hard. We just have to match their intensity."

All the pressure, said Vermont star Marqus Blakely, is on Syracuse.

"Nobody is counting on us winning (today)," said the two-time America East Player of the Year. "So we're basically playing with house money."

Vermont coach Mike Lonergan has told his team not to be satisfied with just being a part of the tournament. "We want to make history just like the 2005 team did," he said.

Lonergan, of course, was referring to Vermont's upset of No. 4 SU in the first round of that year's tournament. "That game has given our kids the belief that it can be done. And why not us, again," he said.

Or as Vermont's Evan Fjeld said, "All the higher seeds better watch out after what happened today."

Lonergan's main concern is how to produce points against SU's 2-3 zone.

"We haven't faced much zone and theirs is so long and athletic," Lonergan said. "We need Marqus to score points, and the zone will probably take some of what he likes to do away."

SU must make do without senior enter Arinze Onuaku, whom Boeheim ruled definitely out with pain in his knees after an injury at the Big East Tournament.

""He's still very sore, but he's getting better," Boeheim said of Onuaku. "There is pain when he puts any pressure on the (right) leg. And I'd say it was doubtful he would even play Sunday if we win (today)."

Sophomore Kris Joseph will start in Onuaku's place, with 7-foot freshman center DaShonte Riley expected to see time if Rick Jackson needs a breather.

"We have less depth and size without AO," Boeheim said. "And it changes our rotation both at forward and center. But we've used a line-up without him probably 60 or 70 percent of the time, so it's not like we haven't done this before."