PHILADELPHIA – Where rebounding had been a problem for Syracuse in its three losses this season, it was the Orange’s key to victory against Villanova on Saturday.

The Orange out-rebounded Villanova’s three-guard lineup, 44-36. Syracuse center Craig Forth had 10 rebounds, while Hakim Warrick added 12. Size was a factor as Forth had four inches on Villanova’s tallest starter, 6-foot-8 Will Sheridan.

‘We rebounded better,’ SU head coach Jim Boeheim said. ‘We’d been getting beat very badly in the last three games on the boards. I thought we did a better job there.’

‘We knew they were going to try to trap us and use their speed and quickness,’ Warrick said. ‘We tried to limit their second-chance points using our size. Whenever you got a 7-foot guy against those guards, you want to out-rebound them.’

Warrick was simply too nimble and athletic, leaping over his opponents to grab his 12 rebounds.

‘We knew coming in that rebounding was the key,’ Warrick said.

Coming into Saturday’s game, you may have expected a match up of former high school teammates, SU guard Louie McCroskey and Villanova guard Allan Ray, but SU head coach Jim Boeheim had other plans, starting guard Billy Edelin in McCroskey’s place.

Still, McCroskey saw 11 minutes of playing time off the bench and got to see some of his old friend from St. Raymond’s in the Bronx.

‘It was always good to see Allan,’ McCroskey said. ‘He’s a good friend of mine.’

The two grew up in the Bronx and played together, though Ray is a year older.

On Saturday, McCroskey had two points and two assists, but Boeheim was happy McCroskey is finding open shots.

‘He missed his shots, but he got shots,’ Boeheim said. ‘I think it’s important for him to help us and those younger guys helping down the stretch.’

As for Ray, he scored 12 points and dished four assists. Last year in their first collegiate match up, Syracuse beat Villanova, 64-59, at the Carrier Dome on Feb. 23.

Asked if there was any extra rivalry against his former teammate, McCroskey responded: ‘Not really, that was last year. Since we beat them already, it was a regular game.’

Forth snapped out of a scoring drought that spanned Syracuse’s last two games.

Against Villanova on Saturday, Forth scored eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds in 32 minutes of play. Previously, SU head coach Jim Boeheim had yanked Forth early and often in favor of Terrence Roberts and Darryl Watkins.

‘Craig gave us some really good play inside,’ Boeheim said. ‘We really played a three-guard lineup as good as they did. Craig can catch and pass and Hakim can handle the ball.’

He was easy to overlook playing alongside Warrick, but Forth set several picks to get his teammates open on the offensive end. He had one assist on the stat sheet, but in reality he should’ve had a double-double with the plays he made before fouling out with 1:57 left in the game.

‘He’s huge,’ McNamara said. ‘It’s amazing how far he can elevate this team when he plays well. He did such a good job limiting second-chance shots and playing in the middle of the zone.’

Josh Pace proved to be an important third wheel for Syracuse against Villanova.

He scored 21 points, one short of his career high, and added five assists in 40 minutes of play. A career 51 percent free-throw shooter, Pace also made 3 of 4 free throws.

‘Nobody asks a question about him, nobody looks at him, nobody even thinks about him because he doesn’t dunk or make long jump shots,’ Boeheim said. ‘Coming into this game he was shooting 60 percent, that’s pretty good for a guy who can’t shoot. He can shoot the shots he’s getting pretty good.

‘He makes steals, get rebounds and hustles and he finished around the basket.’

SU’s 15-point win was its largest margin of victory since it defeated Seton Hall on Jan. 8, 75-50. … Oak Hill star Eric Devendorf, who has already committed to Syracuse for next year, attended the game. He sat in the locker room afterward wearing a blue Yankees hat.

Published on February 13, 2005 at 12:00 pm