NEW ORLEANS — Carmelo Anthony was named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament here last night, but if SU head coach Jim Boeheim had anything to do with it, it would have been someone far more low profile.

“Josh Pace was unbelievable,” Boeheim said. “I told the team that there is the MVP of the tournament for us.”

Pace and fellow reserve Billy Edelin helped the Syracuse men’s basketball team survive a second-half Kansas charge last night and win the national championship, 81-78, at the Louisiana Superdome. Pace finished with eight points and eight rebounds, while Edelin totaled 12 and two.

With Syracuse clinging to a 57-54 lead, the two guards took over. Pace scored four of Syracuse’s next seven points to extend the lead to 66-58.

Then, Edelin scored Syracuse’s next seven points. By the time the two had finished, the Orangemen led, 76-64.

“(Gerry McNamara) got hot in the first half and knocked down a lot of shots,” Edelin said. “In the second half, me and Josh did some things. It was a total team effort.”

Edelin and Pace’s performances were all the more remarkable considering they combined for zero first-half points and two rebounds.

“At halftime, I just felt like whenever I got in the second half, I needed to get myself going,” Pace said. “I was able to do that.”

In the NCAA Tournament, Pace has done it often. Except for the Orangemen’s win over Oklahoma, in which Pace played only one minute, the sophomore guard has scored at least six points in every tournament game.

This weekend, Pace has been even more effective. He scored 12 points Saturday on 5-of-6 shooting against Texas. Using his 6-foot-5 body, Pace hauled down 11 rebounds this Final Four weekend.

“This whole tournament I’ve been able to come in and get myself going,” Pace said. “I don’t think I should be out there if I can’t come in and contribute. I feel like when I get in there, I can make a difference.”

After the game, Pace sat quietly in the corner of the locker room while most of his teammates bubbled with excitement in the middle. Not surprising, considering Pace’s low-profile personality.

But Pace had celebration plans for afterward.

“We’re going to Bourbon Street,” Pace said with a smile. “You gotta celebrate.”

And when he gets back to Syracuse?

“Oh it’s going to be crazy,” Pace said. “We’ve just got to try and stay out of trouble.”

Published on April 7, 2003 at 12:00 pm