March Bringing Out Best in Syracuse

March Bringing Out Best in Syracuse

Published: 3/16/06, 4:26 AM EDT
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Jim Boeheim is still amazed at how the NCAA tournament brings out the best in some college basketball teams.

"I've seen teams go up to a league tournament, get beat and go home early, then come out in the NCAA and play well," the Syracuse coach said Wednesday, the eve of the Orange's 25th appearance in 30 seasons.

"Villanova, the year they had the unbelievable run, people forget that we beat them by 30 and Pittsburgh beat them by 35," he said, referring to the Wildcats' 1985 title. "They got beat in the Big East tournament and won the NCAA tournament by beating one of the best teams I've seen ever. There is no explanation for it."

Some might suggest the same for Syracuse's surprising run through its conference tournament last week, a journey that produced victories on four consecutive days to claim the league's automatic NCAA berth.

On Thursday night, Boeheim will find out if the Orange (23-11) - seeded fifth in the Atlanta Regional - have anything left against No. 12 seed Texas A&M (21-8), which is in the NCAAs for the first time in nearly two decades.

Like so many people, Aggies coach Billy Gillispie was intrigued - and impressed - with Syracuse's march through Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown and Pittsburgh for a second consecutive Big East tournament title.

"They captured everyone's interest and imagination. ... It was fun to watch them until they called our name to play them," Gillispie said. "Then, it wasn't so funny."

In the other first-round Atlanta Regional matchup in Jacksonville, No. 4 seed LSU (23-8) faces No. 13 Iona (23-7). In the Minneapolis Regional, third-seeded Florida (27-6) plays No. 14 South Alabama and No. 6 seed Oklahoma takes on one of the big surprises of last year's NCAA field, No. 11 Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Florida-South Alabama pits Gators coach Billy Donovan against close friend, former pupil and longtime assistant John Pelphrey.

"I don't think either one of us liked ... the fact that somebody's season is going to be over after this game. But it is what it is," Pelphrey said. "We don't control who we play in the NCAA tournament."

In Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Oklahoma is facing an opponent eager to build on the success the Panthers had a year ago when the Horizon League champions upset Alabama and Boston College in the first two rounds.

Sooners coach Kelvin Sampson said the Panthers aren't the typical underdogs out to make a name for themselves.

"You may upset one team, but you don't sneak up on the next one," Sampson said. "This team is not Cinderella. This team is the security guard at the back door. They'll beat you up."

Like Oklahoma and Syracuse, LSU is hoping to make amends for a quick exit a year ago.

The Tigers won the Southeastern Conference regular season title, feature the SEC player of the year in Glen Davis and also boast the league's top newcomer in freshman standout Tyrus Thomas.

Still, coach John Brady feels LSU needs a win or two in the NCAA tournament to validate the strides his program have made the past couple of seasons.

"The most difficult thing to have is unmet expectations," Brady said, reflecting on last year's first-round loss to UAB. "We're the SEC champions and we need to play like that."

Although Texas A&M is in the tournament for the first time since 1987, Boeheim hasn't had a problem keeping his players focused on the Aggies, who are enjoying a dramatic turnaround under Gillispie.

"It's tough to concentrate on other teams when they're not in your conference and you are struggling in your own conference," Syracuse star Gerry McNamara said. "We were having problems in our conference early on. When they beat Texas, we knew they were a good team. We are giving them their respect."
credit BellSOuth