As the Syracuse men’s basketball team’s charter flight took off late Monday night, Billy Edelin and Gerry McNamara settled into seats at the back of the plane.

McNamara, who shot 1 of 9 for a season-low three points in the Orangemen’s 75-61 loss at Connecticut earlier that night, bemoaned his effort.

Edelin, meanwhile, played psychologist.

“He was beating himself up, saying he didn’t make shots on the road,” Edelin said. “I was just trying to figure out what it was.”

The solution is simple: Put McNamara in the Carrier Dome. There, the freshman should shoot better tomorrow, when the No. 17 Orangemen (16-4, 7-3 Big East) host No. 10 Notre Dame at 1 p.m.

The last two months, McNamara has shot 45.8 percent at home, compared to 32.8 percent on the road.

Tomorrow, he faces Notre Dame sophomore Chris Thomas, whose steps McNamara is following as the Big East’s best freshman point guard. Though McNamara’s more of a natural shooting guard, he’s started every game this year at the point, averaging 14.2 points and five assists.

As a freshman last year, Thomas averaged 15.6 points and 7.6 assists. This season, Thomas is second on the Fighting Irish (19-4, 7-2) in scoring (18.1 ppg) and first in assists, with seven per game.

“I don’t think they’d be where they are without him,” McNamara said. “I like how he’ll get right after it. That’s the way I like to play.”

Despite similarities in stats and size — McNamara is listed at 6 feet, 2 inches, one inch taller than Thomas — the two point guards differ in their styles.

While McNamara would rather shoot, Thomas prefers driving to the hoop. Still, Thomas shoots 35.9 percent from 3-point range, which gives him a second option if he can’t maneuver through the paint.

“(McNamara and Thomas) both do some of the same things,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said. “They’re both outstanding players.”

In comparing their last games, though, Thomas trumps Scranton’s Golden Boy. Thomas scored a team-high 24 points, on 11-of-21 shooting, in the Irish’s 66-64 home win over No. 4 Pittsburgh on Sunday.

“He makes that team go,” Edelin said.

Matt Carroll and Dan Miller help, too.

Carroll, a senior guard, shoots 39 percent from 3-point range and leads the Irish with 20.6 points per game. Miller, a senior forward, shoots 36.7 percent from 3-point range and is third on Notre Dame with 14 points per game.

“They’re probably the best offensive team in the country,” Boeheim said.

The Irish average 79.7 points and have beaten four top-10 teams. Plus the Pitt win, Notre Dame beat No. 10 Marquette, No. 9 Maryland and No. 2 Texas in one early-December week.

“We’re gonna have to get out on their shooters, just like we did (in wins) against Pittsburgh and Missouri,” SU freshman forward Carmelo Anthony said. “We’ve got to know who their shooters are.”

Lately, opposing teams have keyed on McNamara, SU’s best shooter. McNamara said teams are starting to bump him around more.

Now, like Thomas, his play is a shock to no one, especially UConn, which readied for McNamara and shut him down.

“It was a real low point,” McNamara said. “We didn’t come out ready to play. I expect more out of myself.”

Published on February 12, 2003 at 12:00 pm