Monsters of MSG

Heard a funny story today about a New York team that actually plays well in New York. At first, I laughed it off. "Preposterous," I thought. "The Knicks are 2-9 and headed for the sub-basement of the NBA. St. John's hasn't sniffed the NCAA tournament since 2003 and hasn't actually made the Big Dance since the year before that. Even Manhattan has fallen on hard times. What Empire State team could possibly be playing well in New York?"

Turns out I was wrong. Now I'm seeing red -- Orange, actually.

From winning the longest NCAA game in recent memory to two Big East tournament championships this decade to a blowout upset win on Thursday night, Syracuse has made Madison Square Garden its home away from home. Led by rapidly aging coach Jim Boeheim, Orangemen from Carmelo Anthony to Gerry McNamara to Jonny Flynn have taken the Big Apple by storm and left the rest of the Big East in their wake.

Syracuse's latest MSG triumph, a 95-73 pasting of No. 12 Cal, propelled the No. 24 Orangemen into the Coaches v Cancer Classic's championship game Friday night against defending NCAA champion North Carolina. Boeheim's squad led from the outset, overwhelming the Bears with an offensive barrage that included nine 3-pointers and a ridiculous 57.1 field goal percentage. Redshirt sophomore Scoop Jardine led the way with a career-high 22 points.

Jardine is just the latest in a line of Orangemen to have their best games at the Garden. Though he was a key player on the 2003 team that won the Big Dance, McNamara's finest moments came in the 2006 Big East tournament, which Syracuse came into as an NCAA bubble team. But Gerry hit impossible shots on back-to-back days, a running, game-winning three-pointer against Cincinnati and a game-tying trey against Connecticut to keep Syracuse's NCAA hopes alive. The Orange went on to win the Big East tournament -- their second straight conference tourney crown -- and earn an automatic bid to the Big Dance.

The Orange played Connecticut in the conference tournament quarterfinals again last season, but this time one overtime wasn't enough. In a marathon game that actually seemed to go on forever, Syracuse needed six overtimes to overcome the Huskies, 127-117. In three of the first five extra periods, the Orange trailed with 20 seconds left. Each time, they rallied to even the score.

I watched that epic contest with a group of friends, and we had made plans for our Friday night after the game. Suffice to say we didn't make it out.

On this Friday night, Syracuse will be significant underdogs to the No. 4 Tar Heels, who have won 10 straight dating back to last season and overcame a late rally by a tough Ohio State team in their semifinal victory. But in this building where the Orange have had so many triumphs, can you really bet against them?