As he plodded through his postgame question and answer session with reporters following Saturday’s win over Georgetown, one topic perked the interest of Syracuse shooting guard Eric Devendorf.

It wasn’t his recent heroics – namely a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:43 left in overtime that helped Syracuse take down the Hoyas. Or the classic Big East rivalry reincarnated at the Dome. It was about what’s next for his Syracuse team.

Eric, do you like having a week off?

‘Yes, I do,’ Devendorf said, flashing a rare grin. ‘I’m tired, man. I’m ready to just relax and get healthy.’

Following the hard-fought overtime victory over the rival Hoyas, No. 24 Syracuse has spent the last week resting and recuperating as it prepares for a Sunday afternoon tipoff against No. 12 Villanova at the Carrier Dome (1 p.m., CBS).

After taking off a full eight days between Georgetown and Villanova, Syracuse will face five teams in a 14-day stretch – including a trip to Madison Square Garden to face St. John’s on Tuesday and a March 7 trip to No. 10 Marquette in the team’s regular-season finale.

Before that onslaught is upon it, the team has used this past week to regroup and get some key practices in. After the Georgetown game, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said the week is especially important for center Arinze Onuaku and shooting guard Andy Rautins, who have both been hampered nagging injuries in recent weeks.

‘We need this week,’ Boeheim said. ‘I think Arinze is coming back healthier, and Andy. But this week I think will be very good for us. I think we need this week to kind of get retooled.’

Both Rautins and Onuaku showed improvement on Saturday – Rautins hit three of his first four 3’s, while Onuaku finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds. But Onuaku said after the game that though he will likely not fully recover from his right knee sprain this season, more time off can only help.

‘That’s what we need,’ Onuaku said Saturday of the week off. ‘…With this week off, we’ll get a little treatment and a little rest, and we can break down the film of Villanova and see how we can beat them.’

And if this season is any guide, the week off should prove beneficial for the Orange. The only other time during the 18-game Big East schedule that Syracuse has enjoyed a week off came after the Providence game on Jan. 28, when Syracuse had just capped off a three-game losing streak by losing to the Friars, 100-94. After a week off, the Orange came out with a convincing 74-61 win over West Virginia at the Dome.

On top of the added energy, Syracuse will have some extra encouragement going into Sunday’s game. On Feb. 7, Villanova scored 15 points in the first six minutes, as it trounced the Orange, 102-85, at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. SU has now lost four of the last five in the series against Villanova.

Add that to the list of topics Devendorf doesn’t mind talking about.

‘I look forward to every game,’ Devendorf said. ‘But especially how (Villanova) put a spanking on us at their home place, we have to come out here and protect our home court.

kbaustin@syr.edu

Published on February 19, 2009 at 12:00 pm