Syracuse's Carrier Dome not a welcome site for Villanova

It wasn't pretty.

Late last February, a Villanova team that eventually would get a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament headed to Syracuse to play a squad that ended up with a 1.

It was over almost before it got going. The final was 95-77. It was the Wildcats' fifth loss. They won only two of their remaining five games, by four points 3 days later at Cincinnati and by three in overtime over Robert Morris in the opening round of the Madness. Who knows? Maybe they already were beginning to lose their mojo by the time they touched down in upstate New York. But that probably didn't help matters any.

Now, the seventh-ranked Wildcats (16-2, 4-1 Big East) are coming off Monday's last-second, two-point setback at No. 8 Connecticut (15-2, 4-2). So naturally, next up is tomorrow's return trip to the Carrier Dome to face the third-ranked Orange (18-1, 5-1). Four nights ago, Syracuse fell by eight at No. 5 Pittsburgh (18-1, 5-0), where it trailed 19-0. Top scorer Kris Joseph (head injury) didn't play. His status for this one is yet to be determined.

So, it figures the Orange should be in an even more inhospitable frame of mind than usual. Ditto the 30,000-plus who'll be packing the house.

The environment can definitely be hazardous. The same can be said for a lot of venues in this neighborhood. But the really imposing part has more to do with the kind of team Jim Boeheim usually sends out there.

Funny how that works.

Two years ago, a Villanova team that made the Final Four won there by three, when Jonny Flynn missed a wide-open three-pointer from the right corner at the buzzer. It happens.

Whatever goes down, they'll have a rematch in South Philly on Feb. 21.

The Wildcats may have sixth man Dominic Cheek back, after he missed the UConn game with a sprained left knee. Without him the bench is thin. But one thing we do know about this group is it doesn't lack toughness. That showed at UConn. It's a part of their DNA that'll have to serve them well, especially with two games left against Pittsburgh, not to mention a late trip to Notre Dame and consecutive home dates coming up with Georgetown, Marquette and West Virginia.

It's never supposed to be easy, especially away. You think teams look forward to playing here, particularly at the Pavilion?

This is the conference they've chosen. Villanova's road swing concludes Wednesday at Providence (11-8, 0-6), a team it's beaten eight straight. But the last time the Wildcats were in the Dunkin Donuts Center their season was ending against St. Mary's.

Speaking of intimidating venues, Temple (13-4, 3-1 Atlantic 10) visits Xavier (12-5, 4-0) tomorrow. The Musketeers have only won their last 34 conference games at the Cintas Center.

The Owls, who were picked to finish first, are the three-time defending conference champions. But Xavier has been to a pair of Sweet 16s and a Final Eight in that stretch, a reality that the folks on North Broad Street are all too well aware of.

Two years ago the Owls, who are trying to get back into the Top 25, beat No. 19 X in the A-10 semifinals. They also took last season's meeting at the Liacouras Center by five. The Musketeers, who've been hurt by injuries, have obviously won the last two in Cincinnati: by 11 in 2009 and eight in '07.

The Owls, who lost by double digits Saturday at Duquesne, also have to go to Dayton on Feb. 12. Again, not an easy place to survive. They've lost their last two trips there, in 2008 and '09, but beat the Flyers here last season. Apparently, the Big East isn't the only place where not getting on a plane means a bunch when the heavyweights get together.

The Owls, of course, get Duke in Cameron Indoor on Feb. 23. Rhode Island (Feb. 5) and Richmond (Feb. 17) come here.

The respective rides are just revving up. *