syracuse college basketball wagering spreads

NEW YORK -- Gerry McNamara was a big part of Syracuse's national championship as a freshman in 2003. Four years later, the guard was the runaway MVP in the Orange's surprising Big East Tournament title run.

Syracuse repeated as conference champions by beating No. 15 Pittsburgh 65-61 on Saturday night. It was the first time in the Orange's record four victories that they didn't need late-game heroics from McNamara.

It was sophomore Josh Wright who clinched the title win, making four free throws in the final 17 seconds.

But it was still McNamara's tournament.

"Gerry had as good a four games here as anybody I've ever seen," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. "He just wanted to win."

Syracuse became the lowest-seeded team to win the Big East Tournament -- the Orange came in at No. 9 -- and the third school to repeat, joining Georgetown in 1985 and Connecticut in 1999.

The Orange (23-11) arrived in New York this week with their chances of claiming an at-large NCAA Tournament berth as on the bubble as a team can get. They are leaving with an automatic bid and a folk hero.