NEW YORK – Six points usually doesn’t even merit a mention in a postgame press conference, much less an entire answer. But considering the source and timing of the points, it became noteworthy.

Syracuse forward Matt Gorman scored six points in Friday’s 58-57 upset of Georgetown. He also stole the ball the led to the winning lay-up by guard Eric Devendorf. He set screens, played tough defense and was an important piece of the winning puzzle. He also drew the praise of his roommate, Gerry McNamara.

‘Matty’s such a great player, but for a few years,’ McNamara said. ‘It’s tough when you play behind guys like Carmelo Anthony and Hakim Warrick, Terrence (Roberts) and (Darryl Watkins).’

Gorman finally earned his time with Roberts struggling. The Orange used him wisely, having him set strong screens for McNamara and rolling off to a position where he can find his shot. One of those shots was the game-tying 3-pointer with 7:16 which knotted the game at 49-49.

‘He’s been trying that 3 all year,’ Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim said. ‘I said, ‘Some day you’re going to make one of those things.”

McNamara said Gorman excels because he doesn’t rely on athleticism. Rather, the redshirt junior uses his intelligence to go to the proper spots on the floor and make the right plays.

‘When you’re intelligent and you know what you’re doing out there, it makes you that much more effective,’ McNamara said. ‘I think Matt is as intelligent as it gets at knowing who needs the ball at certain times. He knows when he comes in he has to set screens for me. I know if he’s on the 3-point line, if he’s open, I’m going to give it to him because he can make it.

‘He hasn’t played a ton. When he’s played, he’s produced.’

But McNamara’s praise didn’t end with Gorman’s performance on Friday. He took it a step further. The senior is a big a part of SU history. But when sitting in front of the media after Friday’s game, he considered Gorman in a historical perspective.

‘We’ve had some great forwards over the year but Matt is probably one of the top scoring forwards,’ McNamara said. ‘He might be a better score than Hakim was, especially on the perimeter.’

Boeheim’s eyes lit up. He laughed, apparently thinking that although McNamara has become a master at the buzzer-beating, his memory is fading a bit considering Warrick is among the finest players in SU history.

‘He’s his roommate,’ Boeheim said. ‘That sometimes clouds judgment.’

Published on March 11, 2006 at 12:00 pm