BOSTON — Carmelo Anthony’s known as the outgoing type, but the throng of media awaiting him at Syracuse’s NCAA Tournament press conference yesterday appeared to have quite an influence on the freshman’s demeanor.

Sixteen days ago, after a 92-88 win over Notre Dame, Anthony brashly declared that if the Orangemen earned a No. 3 seed they would reach the Final Four.

Yesterday, Anthony chuckled nervously and shook his head when reminded of the comment.

‘My confidence in this team is real high,’ Anthony said. ‘I think we can do big things.’

Sans another Final Four prediction, No. 3-seeded Syracuse begins its NCAA Tournament trail this afternoon at 12:20 against No. 14 Manhattan at the Fleet Center.

Fortunately for SU, Anthony appeared more relaxed on the court than on the television cameras, grinning after Craig Forth missed two dunks and laughing when he buried a 3-pointer after six consecutive misses. Teammates Kueth Duany and Josh Pace, meanwhile, playfully boxed each other under the opposite basket.

In losing to Connecticut in the semifinals of the Big East tournament, the Orangemen succumbed to nervousness for the first time this season. While SU (24-5, 14-4 Big East) feasted on comeback victories throughout the year, it folded against the Huskies.

Syracuse’s biggest challenge against Manhattan may be suppressing the jitters sure to affect a team with three freshmen and little NCAA experience. Only Duany and junior Jeremy McNeil have played in an NCAA Tournament game.

‘We have to be pretty loose since we rely on offense,’ Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim said. ‘To play good offense, you have to be more relaxed. You can’t get too excited about playing in the tourney. We get them ready to play without making it life or death.’

When the Orangemen have looked tight, they’ve relied on Anthony to supply all the offense. In three of SU’s five losses, Anthony has heaved more than 20 shots and shot 37 percent — seven percent lower than his season average. Anthony attempted more than 20 shots in only six of 24 wins.

‘Hopefully, we’ll stay loose tomorrow,’ Duany said. ‘We’re all just enjoying this experience. We’re happy to be here. We’re attending to business as usual.’

The Jaspers have the potential to hurt Syracuse as much as the jitters. Manhattan (23-6, 14-4 MAAC) has already proven itself, winning 16 road games, including contests against St. John’s and Seton Hall. Most experts had the Jaspers pegged as a No. 12 or 13 seed prior to the tournament.

‘It helps us not be intimidated,’ Manhattan head coach Bobby Gonzalez said of beating two other Big East squads. ‘I think I have to keep the kids from being too juiced.”

Luis Flores, the MAAC Player of the Year, leads Manhattan, averaging 25 points, while sixth-man Dave Holmes is second with 13.

But scoring won’t be Manhattan’s biggest problem. Instead, the Jaspers are concerned about SU’s size.

‘When I think of them, I think of long and athletic (players),’ senior Justin Jackette said. ‘Their zone looks like they have nine players in the paint, and their arms can reach across the entire court.’

Forth, Anthony and Hakim Warrick will all have more than 6 inches in height advantage at their respective positions.

When asked how he planned to stop Anthony, Gonzalez responded with a divine answer.

‘When I get out of this press conference,” he said, “I’m going to sit in church and pray.”

Perhaps rightfully so. After finishing last in the MAAC two years ago, none of the Jaspers have any NCAA experience.

‘We’re nervous, frenetic and hyper,” Gonzalez said. “But we’ve also got toughness, resiliency and a lot of fight.’

Published on March 20, 2003 at 12:00 pm