By JEFF DIVERONICA
Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim wears his best party hat while clutching the NCAA Championship trophy and net upon arriving in Syracuse, N.Y., Tuesday. Senior Kueth Duany follows (see zoom view). (AP photo) | ZOOM |

NEW ORLEANS - It's not Arizona, Kentucky, Kansas or Duke. Not Maryland, Michigan State or Connecticut. The Syracuse University Orangemen sit atop the college basketball world today.

Finally.

Syracuse, a city outsiders snicker at because of its snow and cold weather. Syracuse, a program guided for the past 27 seasons by Jim Boeheim, who despite his 653 career wins has been called a whiner, criticized for soft scheduling and labeled as a coach who couldn't win the big game.

Perhaps all of that will change after Monday's heart-pounding 81-78 upset of Kansas that gave Syracuse its first national championship, completing the most magical of all Orange seasons.

"You know," freshman guard Gerry McNamara said after the celebration at the Superdome, "it's unbelievable."

Say it again: Syracuse, national champions.

You know that "supposed monkey," as swingman Kueth Duany described it, affixed to Boeheim's back thanks to a few NCAA Tournament flameouts and title game losses in 1987 and '96? Duany said it's gone now.

"He's a national championship coach," said the only senior among SU's top eight players, who showed guile and poise well beyond their birth certificates. "There's nothing you can tell him now."

Don't tell him to relax, that's for sure. Boeheim joked Monday that he started thinking about next season during the post-game revelry. But he did take time to celebrate into the night. He was spotted shaking hands and posing for pictures while Bourbon Street was still rocking in the wee hours.

With the amount of talent the 30-5 Orangemen should have back, even if star freshman Carmelo Anthony decides to depart for NBA riches, they should be ranked high in the preseason.

They might be a top-15 team without him, maybe No. 1 if the national freshman of the year wants to shock everyone and be a sophomore.

Syracuse should only lose Duany and Anthony and has another solid recruiting class coming in.

"I don't regret coming to college," said Anthony, who didn't tip his hand about his future after another brilliant effort - 20 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 7 assists. "I had a fun year. I had a great year on the court and off the court at school. ... This is the best feeling I've ever had in my life."

Boeheim said he hasn't talked yet with Anthony about the 18-year-old's future.

"That's his decision. I'm not going to make it for him. I'll talk to him," Boeheim said. "As I've said many, many times, he's got to make a simple decision: 'What do I want to do?' Then make his choice."

While recruiting Anthony, Boeheim figured the forward would spend two seasons in college because the 6-foot-8 Anthony was only 190 pounds. But he muscled up to 220 and is learning to use his strength to complement his guard-like skills.

"If he still weighed 190, he wouldn't be going anywhere," Boeheim said. "Of course, I wouldn't be talking to you right now, either."

McNamara and point man Billy Edelin will be sophomores next year and could be one of the country's best backcourts. Sophomore forward Hakim Warrick, this year's second-leading scorer, and sophomore center Craig Forth also should return and junior center Jeremy McNeil has shown he can change games with his shot-blocking ability off the bench. Josh Pace did the same thing in the tournament.

The sophomore swingman made a strong case to grab Anthony's spot, averaging eight points while playing about half the game. He also matched his career high with eight rebounds Monday, sparking Syracuse when it was flat on the boards, and added eight points.

The bench was a big part of its success. Pace, Edelin and McNeil combined for 20 points, 15 rebounds, 6 steals and 4 assists Monday.

SU won because it did what it has all year in close games: Find a way to make big plays when it has to. Syracuse was 15-2 in games decided by 10 points or fewer.

SU won because its perplexing 2-3 zone pushed another team outside its shooting range. Kansas was 4-for-20 from 3-point land and also awful at the foul line (12-for-30). SU won because its sizzling first-half shooting - 20-for-36, including an uncanny 10-for-13 from beyond the arc - offset Kansas' rebounding advantage (52-36). McNamara led the long-range daring, hitting 6 of 8.

When asked his thoughts after making five straight 3s and the crowd began chanting his name, McNamara deadpanned: "The first thing on my mind was, hit the sixth."

SU won because in Anthony, it always had the best player on the court. His mere presence affected the entire game. "Talent takes you a long way," Kansas coach Roy Williams said, underscoring Syracuse's youth trumping Kansas' experience.

"Everything (Kansas) tried to do," Boeheim said, "our kids, for freshmen, were unbelievable."