Boeheim was asked if these sort of games help at this stage of the season.
"I think that's bulls**t," Boeheim said. "It's all bulls**t. We can play next week and get in the same game and lose. We can have 10 of these in a row and win them and then get in the (Big East or NCAA) tournament and lose. It's all bulls**t. You get in these games somebody's got to make a play. Whichever team makes a play ... we were fortunate we had the cushion."
Boeheim was asked a follow-up question about his thoughts if the Big East, which some are projecting could receive 11 NCAA tournament bids, helps toughen a team or beats them up?
"Like that other question," Boeheim said. "The whole thing about toughening a team up: I don't think it hurts you. They see they can make a play but they say play a tough non-league schedule and it will help you for the league.
"Georgetown had the toughest non-league schedule and what did they start out in the league? 1-4. We had a fairly easy one, we were 5-0. Does that mean our schedule wasn't tough enough -- but it took a little longer to kick in? That's all nonsense. It's what kind of team you have. We play a fairly decent schedule -- whatever it is -- you can play 14 easy games and a couple of tough ones, just to see. And then you start playing."
At the start, Villanova played like, well, bull ... uh, let's just say it wasn't good.
"It was not a pretty game and we haven't been playing very good basketball," Villanova coach Jay Wright said.
The Wildcats missed 16 of their first 17 shots, but somehow only trailed 29-27 at halftime.
Even though Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph had picked up three fouls each in the first half - each getting their third foul in the final 30 seconds of the first half - Syracuse never allowed Villanova to pull even in the second half. The Orange built a nine-point cushion, 53-44, with 10:22 remaining.
Villanova pulled within 57-56 with 5:28 remaining, but Dominic Cheek misfired from 3-point range. The Orange held on down the stretch.
Jardine and Rick Jackson had a triumphant homecoming. The Philadelphia products led the Orange with 20 and 18 points, respectively. Dion Waiters, another Philadelphia product, added seven points.
"When the Philly boys come home, it's like a home game for them," Wright said.
Jackson, who has "South" tattooed on his right shoulder and "Philly" on his left, said he enjoyed his last visit to Philadelphia.
"I'd like to think I went out with a bang here," said the senior forward.
The victory avenged Syracuse's 83-72 home loss to Villanova earlier this season.
When Syracuse and Villanova last saw each other last month, they were a combined 34-3.
Since that Jan. 22 meeting in Syracuse, the Orange and Wildcats were a combined 9-9 entering Monday night's game, including a couple of Saturday overtime scares against two of the dregs of the Big East. Villanova edged DePaul, 77-75, and Syracuse outlasted Rutgers, 84-80.
Monday night's loss in the Wells Fargo Center was Villanova's eighth consecutive game decided by five points or less. The Wildcats are 4-4 in those contests.
"We're just a little off," Wright said.
No one was more off target than Corey Fisher. Two days after scoring a career-high 34 at DePaul, Fisher went 3-for-16 from the field, including 0-for-8 from 3-point range. He finished with eight points. Corey Stokes, who had missed the last three games with a sprained left big toe, led the Wildcats with 24.
"We're close," Wright said. "We're not as good as people want us to be. We'll get there."
Syracuse's victory was its sixth this season against a ranked opponent.
"The difference," Boeheim said, "was the Philly guys."
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