OVERTIME

Syracuse 86

UConn 84

Perhaps the sweat from Syracuse’s overtime marathon Big East quarterfinal upset of top-ranked Connecticut had dripped in Gerry McNamara’s eyes. Maybe.

More likely it was the emotion of being branded overrated, and having his beloved coach come to his defense. Or the pride of following Wednesday’s game-winning 3-pointer with yesterday’s OT-forcing one. Or the knowledge that the toughest team he’d ever played on just fought its way into the NCAA tourney.

It did it when McNamara hit his clutch 3 to force overtime, and when UConn’s Marvin Williams missed his last-second jumper to finally end the thriller. It did it with an 86-84 upset that Jim Boeheim called perhaps the greatest victory he’d seen in 44 years.

“It’s a great win, one of the best – if not the best – that we’ve ever had at Syracuse,” Boeheim said. “These guys wouldn’t let it go away. Gerry wouldn’t let it. He was playing on half a leg, but he amazes me every time I see him. He’s got more guts than anybody I’ve ever coached.”

In his final Big East tourney, the senior – derided in the Daily Orange last month and voted most overrated by league assistants in Tuesday’s Post Standard – had 17 points and 13 assists. And, with Syracuse trailing 74-71, he drilled an NBA 3 with :05.6 left to force OT.

“I don’t know if they thought we could beat them, they handled us so easily,” said McNamara, who lost by 23 at UConn Feb. 8. “Maybe we were more prepared because it was our last shot. We could’ve laid down, and didn’t. This team is as tough as any I’ve played on.”

After blowing a 62-52 lead with 7:32 left in regulation, the Orange (21-11) – who came in with an RPI of 39 and was 0-4 vs. UConn and Villanova – gutted out a much-needed win that, most likely, takes them off the bubble, into the Big Dance and also into today’s 7 p.m. semifinal vs. Georgetown.

“Nobody had faith is us, or hope in us, so we had a chip on our shoulder,” said Demetris Nichols, who also scored 17. “We just tried to leave it on the court.”

Darryl Watkins (14 points, eight boards), of Paterson, N.J., made a three-point play that gave the Orange a 79-78 lead 1:40 into OT that they never surrendered.

They came close twice, when Williams – who missed a 17-footer at the end of regulation – missed a left-elbow jumper that rolled off the right side of the rim with :08 left, and another in the final second.

As the crowed serenaded “Gerry! Gerry!” McNamara – who played 41 minutes despite rolling his ankle and nursing a season-long groin injury – all but collapsed into Terrence Roberts’ arms. And when Boeheim came to his defense again, the guard appeared both drained and near tears.

“I was thinking this could be the one. The NCAA tourney is the greatest thing going; to not go breaks my heart. I’m really happy this might be the game that gets us in,” said McNamara, who again saw Boeheim come to his defense.

“He’s backing up his guys. I’m proud to say my coach cares. What he did for me was say what I couldn’t. It frustrated him just like it frustrated me.”

Josh Boone shot just 1-for-11, while UConn (27-3) went 2-for-15 in overtime.

“I’m not taking anything away from Syracuse, but we’re a lot better team than we showed,” said Williams, who had 17 points and 11 assists. “Going into the tournament, I’d say we’re [ticked] off.”