They rubbed their eyes and rolled out of bed yesterday, awakened from Saturday night’s dream.

The Syracuse men’s basketball players strolled into the Carrier Dome for practice at 1:40 yesterday afternoon. It was back to business after Saturday night’s 67-65 win over Pittsburgh.

After all, the Orangemen (14-3, 5-2 Big East) face Georgetown (10-7, 2-5) tonight at 7 at the Dome.

“It’s gonna be a battle,” SU guard Josh Pace said Saturday night.

SU assistant coach Mike Hopkins said Pace is a game-time decision with a sprained left ankle, which he injured Saturday. With four minutes left, he limped to the locker room with trainer Tim Neal. After the game, Pace held a bag of ice on his ankle.

On Sunday, he wore a black brace on his ankle and didn’t practice.

If Pace sits, Billy Edelin will likely see more playing time. Edelin played six minutes and had zero points on Saturday. SU head coach Jim Boeheim said Edelin was never able to get comfortable.

While the guard matchup of Georgetown’s Tony Bethel and Gerald Riley versus SU’s Gerry McNamara and Kueth Duany favors the Orangemen, the Hoyas may find an offensive oasis in the paint.

The Hoyas’ twin towers, Mike Sweetney and Wesley Wilson, could give SU centers Craig Forth and Jeremy McNeil fits.

“Mike Sweetney is one of the best players in the country,” Pace said.

Indeed, the 6-foot-8, 260-pound Sweetney averages 22.2 points and 9.9 rebounds (25 and 11.4 in conference play). The 6-foot-10, 260-pound Wilson is second on the Hoyas with 30 blocks.

Georgetown has lost six of its last eight games but has been in all of them.

Last Wednesday, in a 93-82 overtime loss to Seton Hall, the Hoyas fell victim to an officiating gaffe, when the referees failed to notice that the Pirates had six players on the court with about 10 seconds left. Seton Hall scored on that play, and the officials later admitted their error.

On Jan. 25, the Hoyas lost to Pittsburgh, 65-64. A week earlier, they fell to St. John’s, 77-72, and, on Jan. 8, they lost at Duke, 93-86.

Last season, Georgetown swept SU, beating the Orangemen by 15 points in Washington, D.C., and by six on Jim Boeheim Court Day in the Dome.

The Orangemen last beat the Hoyas on Jan. 29, 2001, when then-No. 12 SU knocked off No. 10 Georgetown, 70-63. Syracuse is 35-34 all-time against Georgetown.

The Orangemen score 79.9 points per game but scored 67, 65 and 54 in their last three. McNamara, SU’s best outside shooter, is 8 of 32 from 3-point range in his last five games.

“We haven’t played great on offense the last couple of games,” Boeheim said.

But against Pitt, the Orangemen buckled down on defense, even having success with a man-to-man set. After the Pitt game, the Orangemen talked excitedly about using the win as a springboard.

“This should be a momentum swing,” Pace said.

Published on February 2, 2003 at 12:00 pm