If the fans in the outer reaches of Section 318 in the Carrier Dome didn’t hear Terrence Roberts scream the first time, they definitely heard him the second time.

And if they didn’t hear him the second time, they sure as heck heard him the third time.

The cheerleader-like Roberts was a big part of Syracuse’s victory against Princeton on Friday, 56-45. With his yells, screams and jersey tugs, he fired up the crowd and his teammates, too.

‘I love the Carrier Dome fans,’ Roberts said, ‘so whatever I can do to get my team going and the fans going, I’m going to do it.’

Roberts, who was questionable for the game with a bruised left knee, set the tone on three straight plays in the first half, yelling his heart out after each one. With five minutes left in the first half, Roberts slammed down a monstrous, left-handed dunk off a rebound. He raced down the court, jumping up and down, beckoning the crowd to cheer.

Then, on the next possession, Princeton was called for traveling, causing Roberts to yell even louder, this time with more crowd-pumping expletives.

Finally, Roberts finished the streak with a swooping baseline layup on which he was fouled. That sent Roberts into a frenzy. He tugged on his jersey and motioned to the crowd. ‘I tried to tell him, ‘Let’s finish this 3-point play first,” SU guard Gerry McNamara said. ‘When he grabs his jersey, I just don’t want him to pick up a technical. But that’s what he brings to the team. Every team needs a guy like that.’

Roberts made the subsequent free throw, giving SU (2-0) a 20-17 lead.

After Thursday’s win over Northern Colorado, in which Roberts injured the knee, he claimed he would be back in the lineup versus Princeton. But the scenario looked much bleaker. SU head coach Jim Boeheim exercised caution and told reporters Roberts would be evaluated Friday morning.

‘I was worried (Thursday) night because I thought he would be a key player (against Princeton) with his quickness,’ Boeheim said.

Boeheim said Roberts’ knee was only bruised and, despite its soreness, he allowed the 6-foot-9 forward to test it in pregame warmups. Roberts felt OK and played 26 minutes in the game, the most of any reserve.

The cumbersome brace over his left knee was the only tangible sign of Roberts’ injury. He didn’t limp during the game and only cringed when he smacked against the floor after taking a fall in the first half.

With SU’s man-to-man defense failing and SU trailing, 14-5, Boeheim inserted Roberts into the game to replace center Craig Forth. Princeton effectively screened the Orange to death and ripped apart its man defense. But when Roberts came into the game, SU switched to its patented zone.

When he left the game 11 minutes later, the game was tied at 22. Besides the motivational plays in the first half, Roberts was most effective on the glass, pulling six rebounds. He also contributed two steals.

‘Every time he steps on the floor he brings it 100 percent,’ McNamara said. ‘Without him tonight … you never know. We need people like him to step in.’

Published on November 14, 2004 at 12:00 pm