There were no riots, bonfires or demolished trees on Marshall Street last night following SU’s men’s basketball team’s loss. Only depressed basketball fans.

‘I hate losing to teams from south of the Mason-Dixon line,’ said Adam Johnson, a student in the College of Law, standing with his friends by Chuck’s Cafe. ‘I’m depressed.’

They began discussing a second pick to win of the tournament, but the conversation didn’t get far.

‘I think I’m rooting for Alabama,’ Johnson said. ‘They deserved to beat us. What are you going to do?’

After ridiculing his choice, his friends agreed that Alabama and Connecticut were unacceptable and endorsed Kansas instead.

Police and television news crews were out as well, set up at the intersection of South Crouse and Marshall Street.

‘After any big event, there’s a lot of people out,’ said Syracuse Police Officer Anthony Subiech. ‘We have several officers around and some roving patrols.’

A prisoner transport wagon and an emergency services truck were parked up the street from the bars, but remained unused.

‘I’m sincerely disappointed,’ said Paul Miletic, a freshman newspaper major. ‘We didn’t have enough motivation – that’s the problem with this campus in general: lack of motivation.’

He attributed the loss to sloppy turnovers and bad rebounding.

‘We had the game there; we were so close,’ he said. ‘When we were tied at 55, we didn’t take advantage of it.’

Eli Diehard, a street musician, didn’t take the loss too hard.

‘Every dog has his day,’ he sang. ‘I ain’t gonna lose it cause I’m still gonna Syrac-use it.’

Published on March 25, 2004 at 12:00 pm