PHILADELPHIA – Syracuse attempted a season-high 35 3-pointers Saturday at Villanova, with no presence whatsoever in the paint. SU’s Terrence Roberts and Darryl Watkins combined for six points and only nine rebounds.

But that’s not what had Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim upset after the game.

‘We just stopped rebounding the ball,’ Boeheim said. ‘We had a big advantage at halftime. Second half they dominated on the boards. Our front line got six rebounds in the second half.’

After holding an eight-rebound advantage at the half, Syracuse was out-rebounded by the smaller Wildcats, 25-14. There’s nothing to blame it on, Boeheim said. Foul trouble isn’t even an excuse. Both Roberts and Watkins played much of the first half with two fouls each – and still dominated the boards.

‘The one weakness we’ve had that’s really killed us in two or three of our losses has been the rebounding,’ Boeheim said. ‘We just haven’t done a good job and there’s no excuse for that.’

Watkins grabbed seven rebounds in the first half and just one in the second. Roberts, who played only 10 minutes in the first, had five rebounds. In 14 second-half minutes, he had three boards.

‘We didn’t do a good job getting rebounds on the defensive end,’ Roberts said. ‘The only time we were doing good on the defensive boards was when we were winning the game by 10. After that … I don’t know.’

Despite 20 offensive rebounds, the Orange finished with only 13 second-chance points. That, Boeheim said, was because of careless play in the paint.

‘A lot of times we got it and threw it out,’ Boeheim said. ‘We throw it to our big guy four times and he threw it our four times. We don’t want him to throw it out, we don’t ask him to throw it out, but he throws it out.’

Wright back

Josh Wright played significant minutes for the first time in four games after battling the flu and inconsistency on the court. He scored eight points – the most since Jan. 30 against Notre Dame.

Villanova pressed early against the Orange and Boeheim sensed he needed another ball handler on the court. Thus, he went to Wright four minutes into the game.

‘Josh was very good today,’ Boeheim said. ‘I thought he did a tremendous job in the first half. He made a couple of mistakes, but I thought he did a good job. That’s a good sign. We’re going to need help. We’re going to need his help.’

Work to do?Syracuse won five of its final six games after Boeheim professed to ESPN’s Andy Katz that the Orange needed four out of its last six to have a chance.

‘It’s been a couple of very good weeks,’ Boeheim said. ‘These guys had their backs against the wall. They have really played tremendous basketball during these six games.’

Boeheim thinks his team is in the NCAA Tournament, regardless of what happens in New York City during the Big East tournament.

‘If the fifth place team in the Big East doesn’t get in, I’d say that would be shocking,’ Boeheim said. ‘Somebody with 10 wins – nobody in Big East history has had 10 wins and not gotten in. I think we’re in one of the better conferences in the country and we’ve got 10 wins in the conference. I don’t think you need to do much more than that.’

Boeheim then stood up to end his press conference, but not without an obligatory Doug Gottlieb crack.

‘Well, some people would still think it,’ Boeheim said. ‘That’s all right.’

Star-studded crowdFormer Syracuse quarterback and forward Donovan McNabb sat in the first row behind the Syracuse bench Saturday with Director of Athletics Daryl Gross. McNabb sported an orange jacket and hat. Fellow Philadelphia Eagles teammate Brian Westbrook, Villanova alum, was also in attendance.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Kyle Lowry was shown on the Wachovia Center Jumbotron just before halftime. Lowry would be a junior this season at Villanova if he hadn’t entered the NBA Draft last year. Lowry was in town after Memphis played the 76ers Friday night. No sign of Lowry’s Grizzlies teammate and former SU star Hakim Warrick.

Syracuse Class of 2011 recruit Antonio ‘Scoop’ Jardine was also in attendance. Jardine is a Philadelphia native from Neumann-Goretti High School. He’s coming to SU with teammate Rich Jackson, who was not at Saturday’s game.

Published on March 3, 2007 at 12:00 pm