Lately it seems Syracuse men’s basketball head coach Jim Boeheim takes every available opportunity to rave about the Big East’s strength. Reporters don’t even need to ask the questions. Without provocation, Boeheim launches into a drawn out lecture on the strong competition.

And the rankings seem to back Boeheim. Six Big East schools rank in RPI.com’s Top 40. The Orange’s next four games, and five out of SU’s last seven, come against those six teams.

Arguably the toughest stretch of No. 8 Syracuse’s schedule begins tonight at 7 when SU takes on No. 23 Connecticut at the Carrier Dome.

‘As the season’s unfolding, everyone sees just how good the Big East is,’ Boeheim said. ‘Boston College and Villanova could arguably be playing as well as anyone in the country. Seven or eight teams are playing at a high level.’

Boston College and Villanova have certainly been the Big East’s two biggest surprises. After beginning the season unranked, No. 5 Boston College has swept through the rankings and remains one of two undefeated Division I teams. No. 24 Villanova just entered the AP Top 25 poll following its wins over No. 3 Kansas and Notre Dame.

SU has road games at Villanova and BC on Feb. 12 and Feb. 19, respectively. Before SU can concentrate on those games, it must first worry about Connecticut, a team that has caused Syracuse fits in the past.

During the Orange’s 2002-2003 national championship run, the Huskies defeated SU twice. Last year, the teams split their two meetings, but Syracuse’s Feb. 2 loss at the Hartford Civic Center came by 28 points.

But without its two leading scorers from last year, Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon, the defending national champions have struggled. UConn’s troubles may be the best sign of the Big East’s strength. The Huskies (14-5, 6-3) lost just four Big East games all of last season.

‘Every game from now on is tough,’ Syracuse guard Gerry McNamara said. ‘Who thought UConn would have three losses?’

Still, the Huskies are one of the league’s – and nation’s – top teams. SU also comes off a hard-fought comeback win over Notre Dame on Saturday, giving the Orange less than 48 hours to prepare. This marks the third time this season that SU plays on a Saturday and returns to action the following Monday.

The previous two times, the Orange won both games. But those wins came over Seton Hall and Notre Dame the first time, and West Virginia and Rutgers the second. Next week, Syracuse has a Saturday-Monday schedule again, with games at Villanova and home against Pittsburgh.

‘It’s not hard to get up again for a big-time team like UConn,’ senior forward Josh Pace said. ‘But in the Big East anyone can lose on any given night.’

So why the sudden string of tough opponents? None of SU’s first seven league games came against Top 25 opponents. Just one, Georgetown, is ranked in the RPI Top 40.

So now, SU is left with its toughest stretch of the season. The Orange is in second place in the Big East, but that could quickly change with the late-season schedule.

‘These last couple games are going to be as hard as any I’ve been a part of,’ McNamara said.

Saturday’s three-point win over the Fighting Irish proved to be another reminder of the league’s strength.

‘It’s the best (the conference has) ever been top to bottom,’ Boeheim said. ‘Especially since we’ve gone to 12 or 14 teams.’

Published on February 6, 2005 at 12:00 pm