Nearly every member of the Syracuse men’s basketball team remembers SU’s last trip to the Louis Brown Athletic Center, home of Rutgers. Nicknamed ‘The RAC,’ Rutgers’ home court has caused the Orange all kinds of problems.

But SU’s last trip there in 2002 may be the most memorable of all. Not many players will ever forget Herve Lamizana’s 3-point bank, which sent the Orange to a 68-65 loss.

Four of the last five times Syracuse has visited Rutgers, the Orange has left a loser. But with a 3-0 road record entering tonight’s game, the Orange hopes to reverse its fortunes at The RAC. SU gets that chance tonight when it tips off at 7 against the Scarlet Knights.

‘It was crazy,’ junior guard Billy Edelin said of SU’s last trip to Rutgers. ‘We played well, but they found a way to win. I’ll never forget that place.’

For SU’s seniors, it marks their last chance for a victory in The RAC. The arena’s unique build places fans right on top of the action. Though it holds a capacity of just 8,000, it often sounds much louder. That’s because the structure of the building – a truncated pyramid – reverberates the sound through the arena. Tonight’s game is sold out.

But so far this season, the Orange has dealt well with road adversity. Most of that is thanks to SU’s veteran leadership. Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim has been criticized for having not left New York state until a Jan. 10 trip to Notre Dame.

Despite leaving Syracuse just six times so far this season, the Orange has played remarkably composed on the road. Against the Fighting Irish, SU trailed by as many as eight points in the second half before Josh Pace and Gerry McNamara pushed Syracuse to victory.

On Jan. 15 in Providence, the Orange dealt with a brutal crowd that spat personal insults at SU players. While Syracuse led by double-digits for most of the second half, the Friars closed within one before a pair of Pace baskets put the game out of reach.

‘That’s just classless,’ McNamara said of the Providence fans’ actions. ‘It’s one thing to root for your team, but it’s another thing to say direct stuff about your family. That’s classless. You’re gonna put up with it and can’t let it frustrate you.’

While Providence fans may be brutal, sophomore Terrence Roberts, who hails from New Jersey, said Rutgers fans are of a completely different breed. Roberts attended the loss two years ago and remembers the rowdy atmosphere.

He said while Friars’ fans got on players before the game, Rutgers fans are boisterous throughout, making it difficult for visiting teams to communicate.

‘They sell out the place all the time,’ Roberts said. ‘It’s crazy. Everyone’s down on top of you. You can hear what the fans are saying.’

But SU players have vowed to block the fans out, something they’ve done successfully so far this season. While many young teams tend to falter away from home, SU’s core of veterans has helped the Orange.

Even last season, SU fared well away from home, finishing 7-3. Even more impressive, SU became the first team to win at Pittsburgh’s Peterson Events Center, defeating the Panthers, 49-46, in overtime last February. Dating back to last season, SU has won seven straight road games.

‘It’s about composure,’ Roberts said of the Orange’s road success. ‘The seniors step up and are getting it done.’

But still, the seniors are in search of their first victory at The RAC since 2001.

‘It’s crazy how much they love their team,’ senior forward Hakim Warrick said. ‘My last two times there, we lost close games. I definitely want to go in there and get one.’

Published on January 23, 2005 at 12:00 pm