Heading home to the Carrier Dome for three consecutive games presented the Syracuse men’s basketball team with a prime opportunity to regain momentum as postseason play fast approaches.

But as it turned out, home isn’t always so sweet.

Toward the end of Syracuse’s first home game in the stretch – a 17-point loss to Cincinnati on Wednesday night – the Bronx cheers rained down from what is often described as the Orange faithful.

‘You don’t boo your own team,’ SU guard Gerry McNamara said. ‘You never. No. You don’t boo your own team. I don’t agree with that at all.’

Whether or not he agrees with it, there’s no question Syracuse must avoid another hostile crowd to save its NCAA Tournament chances when it hosts Louisville on Saturday at 9 p.m. in the Carrier Dome before ESPN’s College GameDay.

Orange fans have already watched four losses at home this season, the most defeats on Jim Boeheim Court for Syracuse (17-8, 5-6 Big East) than any year since 1998-99, when it lost six. Of the four losses this season, two opponents were ranked. Besides Cincinnati, the other teams to win were No. 24 Bucknell, No. 1 Connecticut and Seton Hall.

And considering the three home opponents remaining – Louisville, No. 11 West Virginia and No. 5 Villanova – it could become even worse for Syracuse this season at the Dome. McNamara stressed on Wednesday night the team can’t tolerate any more losses in the white jerseys, starting with Louisville.

‘We have to protect our home court – I think it’s our third loss on our home court – and you really can’t do that in this league,’ McNamara said. ‘We have to protect. It’s a must-win. They all are.’

On Saturday, SU faces a second consecutive team with a prestigious history that is struggling this season. Louisville (16-8, 4-7) enters the game in desperation mode with a young team one year after making the Final Four with a veteran squad.

That said, the Cardinals boast the type of shooters that drained shot after shot for the Bearcats. Guards Taquan Dean and Brandon Jenkins can pick apart a 2-3 zone like Syracuse’s with the 3-pointer. They will also be the leaders of Louisville head coach Rick Pitino’s trademark press.

‘They are obviously a well-coached team with Pitino,’ SU guard Louie McCroskey said. ‘They play a lot of good defense as far as trapping and not giving you a lot of good shots. So our offense has to be as good as it was (against Cincinnati in the first half) but also have to get some stops.’

The trouble is Syracuse does not have a win against an opponent that is a lock to make the NCAA Tournament, a fact that could hurt its chances when the selection committee convenes to determine which teams don’t belong. The most likely team that will make the Big Dance that SU beat is actually Cincinnati, when the Orange won back on Jan. 14.

And though Louisville is by no means an easy one, a win over the Cardinals still won’t be the notable victory Syracuse needs on its resume.

‘We have a lot of quality losses, I tell you that – a lot of quality top 10 losses,’ McNamara said. ‘We’ve played a tough schedule and some tough teams. That’s the difficult thing. Sometimes you get punished for playing great teams. Hopefully we can get that win we can lean on.’

But at this rate – after six losses in its last eight games, three of four in front of increasingly frustrated fans at the Dome – Syracuse could use any victory.

‘A lot of teams didn’t pick us to win the national championship but we did it,’ McNamara said. ‘That’s that attitude you have to take.’

Published on February 16, 2006 at 12:00 pm