By DAVE SPAHN

Special to ZAGSBLOG

CHICAGO – Count two former Syracuse players among those who would love to see the ACC Tournament come to Madison Square Garden.

“It would be great having the conference tournament there,” former Syracuse guard Michael Carter-Williams said at the Chicago Pre-Draft Combine. “The Garden is a great place to play. It would help us [Syracuse] a lot. There would be a lot of Orange there.”

As covered in this earlier story, the ACC is investigating moving the tournament to New York at some point after 2015, when their current deal in Greensboro, N.C., expires.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim and several incoming recruits are — no surprise — in favor of the idea.

Players want to compete on the brightest stage, and no brighter spotlight exists anywhere in the country than MSG.

“I feel like if the ACC moved to Madison Square Garden, it would be great for everybody,” said former Syracuse forward James Southerland of Queens. “I know a lot of people from down South would love to come to Madison Square Garden and see it in person. It’s a great venue and makes sense for the ACC to use. “

As for Southerland’s performance here, he reportedly made 14-of-25 3-pointers from a variety of places on the floor on Thursday.

The former Cardozo and Notre Dame Prep star averaged 13.3 points last season and set a new Big East Tournament record for 3-pointers in the event.

“If you’re going to have a special skill, this is the one to have,” ESPN analyst and former NBA general manager Tom Penn said during ESPNU’s broadcast of the combine, according to Syracuse.com. “Every team needs floor-spacers. They need guys on the weak side. James Southerland is the kind of player who can stand out there and bang in threes.”

Southerland does not even appear on the DraftExpress.com 2013 Mock Draft, but he could be a fit for a team needing a shooter.

“He could be a great fit on the right team,” ESPN draft analyst Chad Ford said. “Not necessarily a starter or a star, but off the bench. I think he’s a really nice pick in the late first round or early second round.”

As for the 6-5 Carter-Williams, he is projected as the No. 12 pick by Draft Express, but opted not to participate in the combine, only to do interviews.

Photo: Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com

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NEW YORK — Jim Boeheim

“I think they’re gonna have to do something  down the road to change the roster,” Boeheim told SNY.tv Thursday hours before the Knicks faced the Pacers in Game 5 at MSG. “I’m sure there will be a lot of changes for next year.”

Still, the Knicks are hamstrung by the salary cap and contract obligations.

Jason Kidd, who is scoreless in his last eight playoff games, is 40 and is signed for two more years, as is 39-year-old Marcus Camby.

Pablo Prigioni, 35, may or may not return next season.

J.R. Smith has a player option and is expected to test the free agent market, although his woeful postseason won’t help his stock, nor will the Tweets from Rihanna saying Smith is slumping because he’s hung over from partying.

(For more on the Rihanna story and Mike Woodson’s comments, read the NBA.com blog here.)

“They have a lot of guys that I’m sure are not going to be back,” Boeheim said. “And how they fit guys in and replace those guys is gonna be key I think.”

As for Game 5 and whatever may lie ahead, Boeheim said the Knicks need three scorers to beat the Pacers.

“The bottom line for them is to win is they have to get three guys to score, Carmelo [Anthony], [Raymond] Felton and J.R. Smith,” he said. “Those three guys have to score from what I’ve seen this year. When those guys score, they win. When one or two of those guys struggle, it’s difficult for them to win. That’s really the bottom line.”

Boeheim has always maintained that the Knicks can compete for a championship with Anthony, who led Syracuse to the NCAA crown as a freshman in 2003.

The Knicks — and their fans — thought it was their destiny to take their talents to South Beach for an Eastern Conference Finals date.

But now the Pacers are on the brink of crushing those hopes.

“I’m sure they’re going to be disappointed [if they lose],” Boeheim said. “It’s one of those, you wanna be better, you wanna go further and sometimes it doesn’t work.”

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Maybe Jim Boeheim won’t have to eat at Denny’s after all.

According to ESPN.com sources, the ACC is “thoroughly investigating” moving their tournament to Madison Square Garden sometime after the current deal in Greensboro, N.C., expires in 2015.

Perhaps no school would benefit more than Syracuse from such a move.

The Garden is Syracuse’s second home and fills up with Orange fans every year for the Big East Tournament.

“I think it would be good for the league,” Boeheim told SNY.tv Thursday. “It’s a great venue. It’s all up in the air. Obviously, there’s contracts in place and all that stuff so I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future.”

The Big East has a contract with the Garden through 2026, but it remains possible that the Garden could get out of the contract if the new-look Big East — which now lacks perennial NCAA Tournament Final Four contenders Syracuse and Louisville — doesn’t bring in fans the way the old tournament did.

The pressure is now on St. John’s, Georgetown, Villanova, Marquette and new schools Butler, Creighton and Xavier to deliver the way the old league did.

Still, whatever the new Big East does, the ACC is likely to be the best basketball league in the nation with Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame now joining the league.

“What a powerful basketball conference that has become,” Notre Dame coach Mike Brey Tweeted Thursday. “It will quickly become the league to get 8-10 NCAA bids.”

Imagine an ACC Tournament Final Four featuring Syracuse, Louisville, Duke and North Carolina in the World’s Most Famous Arena?

“There is great momentum to get the ACC tournament to New York City and ESPN really wants it to happen,” one ACC coach told SNY.tv.

“Makes perfect sense,” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas told SNY.tv Thursday.

The ACC has never had its postseason tournament North of Maryland/Washington, D.C., but the league now features seven former Big East schools and its geographic footprint is moving North.

“It’s all in the early stages of discussions about where the tournament will be played in the future,” Boeheim said.

“It’d be great to play someday there [at the Garden],” he added. “But whether that can happen or not I don’t know.”

Syracuse’s recruits, especially those from the New York area, would love to see it happen.

“I hope the ACC Tournament does move to MSG,” said Roselle (N.J.) Catholic senior forward Tyler Roberson, who will be a freshman at Syracuse next season.

“All of my friends and family would get to see me play. I also never there before so it would be a fun experience.”

Chris McCullough, a 2014 Syracuse commit from New York City, would be a sophomore at Syracuse in the spring of 2016, the first year the ACC could potentially have its tournament at the Garden.

“If the ACC tourney is in MSG I would really like that,” McCullough said. “It means I can have my family there to support me. I think it would be great if I can get a chance to play in the Big Apple.”

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Syracuse will play Villanova in the Carrier Dome on December 28, 2013. The Wildcats will host the Orange at the Wells Fargo Center the following year.

“We are excited to announce the continuation of the Villanova-Syracuse rivalry,” said Villanova AD Vince Nicastro. “Our annual games against Syracuse were an integral part of our basketball schedule over the past 30 plus years, and included some of the greatest college basketball experiences in the nation.  We are thrilled to be able to continue that for the next two years.” 

“The Villanova rivalry has given us some of our best moments,” said Dr. Daryl Gross, the Syracuse AD. “It has traditionally been one of the top matchups in college basketball and we look forward to continuing the series.

Syracuse will also play a game against former Big East rival St. John’s Dec. 14 at Madison Square Garden, as well as home games against Indiana in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge Dec. 3 and against North Carolina and Duke in the ACC regular season. Those dates have yet to be set.

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“He has not announced,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim told SNY.tv Tuesday.

Asked if he thought the 6-foot-8 Fair would announce today, Boeheim said, “No, I don’t think so, I don’t think so. We’re going to have to wait and see what happens there.”

Fair was due to have a press conference today, but Boeheim said Fair would postpone it.

“I believe he is,” Boeheim said.

As noted by the Syracuse Post-Standard, David Aldridge of NBA.com reported that Fair had declared for the draft while Evan Williams of BustingBrackets.com reported that Fair had decided to come back to Syracuse for one more year.

Fair may have changed his mind back and forth, but for the moment is in limbo.

He averaged 14.5 points and 6.9 rebounds last season as the Orange reached the Final Four.

If he returns Syracuse will have another major weapon heading into the ACC, and current freshman Jerami Grant will complement Fair at the small forward spot.

If he leaves, incoming frosh B.J. Johnson and Tyler Roberson will have increased roles at small forward behind Grant.

**Related: Who’s in and Who’s Out of the NBA Draft?

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“It’s great for our fans,” Boeheim, who led his team to the Final Four where they lost to Michigan, told SNY.tv Tuesday. “I think making this move to the ACC, the teams that they identify with — obviously, they’re all good teams — but the teams they identify with in the ACC are Duke and North Carolina. And we’ll get both those teams at home. It’s a huge thing for our fan base, to get those two teams.

“Obviously, it’s difficult but it’s a huge thing for the fan base.”

Syracuse will have home-and-home series with Miami and Duke, meaning they will also travel to Cameron Indoor, giving Boeheim a chance to match wits with close friend and Team USA colleague Mike Krzyzewski and Michael Gbinije a chance to return to his former school in his first year of eligibility at Syracuse.

“Duke’s got a great recruiting class and they’ve got arguably the best player in the country [Jabari Parker] and they got the kid sitting out from Mississippi State [Rodney Hood] who’s really good,” Boeheim said.

The Orange will play home-and-homes dates with its ACC “partners” Boston College and Pittsburgh, both former Big East members.

“I know Pittsburgh’s still gonna be good,” Boeheim said. “I know Boston College is much improved, they really got better at the end of the year, and those are teams that will we’ll play twice.”

Syracuse will also play home games against Georgia Tech, Clemson, N.C. State and Notre Dame.

The remaining road games include trips to Florida State, Wake Forest, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Maryland.

Actual game dates and times will be announced by the ACC office once television network designations are made and tip times are decided upon.

“It’s just a good schedule,” Boeheim said. “It’s a great league. It was a really good league and you added us and Notre Dame and Pittsburgh to the league, so it’s only going to get better.”

Boeheim repeatedly said this past year that he would coach next season when his loaded recruiting class includes Tyler Ennis, Tyler Roberson, B.J. Johnson, Ron Patterson and Chinonso Obokoh.

He also  indicated that he would also coach in 2014-15 to coach incoming recruit Chris McCullough.

He sounded even more excited about his future on Wednesday.

“I’m excited anyway,” he said. “I’m excited about the whole challenge of playing in that league.”

“You look at that league, you realize a team like Miami nobody knew about was the best team in that league, so there’s gonna be a team this year coming up that will be from that league that will be a great team that people aren’t talking about right now.”

Photo: Syracuse Athletics

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NEW YORK — When St. Benedict’s senior point guard and Syracuse recruit Tyler Ennis was left off the roster for the McDonald’s All-American Game, he took his frustrations out by dropping a school-record 53 points on Eastern (N.J.) High School the next day in a 116-65 victory.

Ennis didn’t go that far on Saturday at the Jordan Brand Classic, but he certainly proved his worth on the national stage, scoring 14 points on 6-for-13 shooting to go along with six assists, five rebounds, four steals and just one turnover but his East squad lost to the West, 102-98, in the Jordan Brand Classic at Barclays Center.

“Ever since that game went on or that game was picked, I wanted to come out and prove that I’m one of the top players and that I should’ve been picked for that game,” the 6-foot-2 Toronto, Ontario native said. “It’s kind of like a wake-up call that I have to go out and play and prove to everybody what I can really do.”

“I thought Tyler played really big, I thought he was the MVP,” said fellow countryman and CIA Bounce teammate Andrew Wiggins, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Ennis’ play even impressed former Syracuse star Carmelo Anthony, who sat courtside.

“I like the guy that’s going to Syracuse, Ennis,” Anthony told SNY.tv. “He’s good. A lot of the young kids, they wouldn’t be here if they didn’t do what they was doing.”

Told that Ennis projects to be the starting point guard next year for the Orange, Anthony said:

“I hope so. We’re gonna see what [Syracuse coach Jim] Boeheim does. You know how Boeheim do sometimes.”

In a contest that featured far more defensive intensity than your typical All-Star game, Ennis showed basketball IQ and maturity beyond his years, which has been the norm for him. Of course, it also helps to be playing with several guys projected to go inside the top 10 in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Among them is projected No. 2 pick Julius Randle, who was on the receiving end of several Ennis drives through traffic.

“Tyler’s a great point guard, he gets to the spots and he makes the game easier on you because he gets you in your spots,” said Randle, who will have East teammate Andrew Harrison as his point guard at Kentucky beginning next season. “He makes the game easier and it was fun playing with him.”

Ennis, along with Wiggins, are part of the current wave of Canadian talent sweeping through American high schools and in many cases, to high-major colleges. At this point, Ennis has younger Canadian players looking up to him for advice, one of whom being Jamal Murray.

The 6-foot-4 point guard from the Class of 2016 impressed in Saturday’s International Game at the Jordan Brand Classic, finishing with 24 points and seven rebounds to take home team MVP honors for the White team.

While Wiggins is obviously the big name from North of the border, the legacy that Ennis has left for the kids following him cannot be discounted.

“Kids like that, I just wanna show them they can get to this level and with him playing in this game, I think it gives him a lot of confidence, especially with the MVP performance he put on,” Ennis said of Murray, who he said he has worked out with back home. “A lot of people didn’t know his name, some people knew a little bit about him. I told him to be aggressive and I know the talent level he has. He’s going to be a real good player in a couple of years.”

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NEW YORK -- In this interview from the Jordan Brand Classic, Syracuse-bound point guard Tyler Ennis of St. Benedict’s Prep talks about St. Ben’s run to the ESPN NHSI final, the Orange’s future, fellow Canadian Andrew Wiggins and Saturday’s Jordan Brand Classic.

**For the SNY.tv documentary on Ennis and his voyage from Canada to Newark, click here.

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“Michael has informed me of his intention to enter the NBA Draft,” said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. “He’s coming off a tremendous season and we appreciate all he’s done for Syracuse basketball. We wish Michael the best of luck as he pursues a pro career.”

Carter-Williams started all 40 games for the Orange this season and finished fifth in assist average (7.3) and fourth in steals average (2.78) among Division I performers. He also averaged 11.9 points per game and a squad-best 35.2 minutes a game.

Carter-Williams probably helped his stock in the NCAA Tournament, going for 24 points in Syracuse’s win over No. 1 Indiana in the East Region semifinals.

DraftExpress.com projects him as the No. 12 pick in the Draft.

“He has really helped himself in the Tournament,” a veteran NBA scout told SNY.tv. “Great size for position, makes teammates better with his penetration and passing, improving his shooting. Very good using length and anticipation for steals. Great upside.”

Carter-Williams’ family home in Hamilton, Mass., also recently burned down, and going to the NBA will help him aid his family going forward.

Carter-Williams’ decision officially means that St. Benedict’s Prep floor general Tyler Ennis will take over the point guard duties when the Orange move to the ACC.

The 6-2 Ennis led his team to the ESPN NHSI championship game on Saturday, where he hit a huge clutch 3-pointer to put St. Ben’s up by one point with 12 seconds left.

Montverde answered with a 3-pointer at the buzzer to win the game and end Ennis’ tremendous career at the Newark school.

“I think he’s going to be pretty good, he’s pretty good,” Boeheim said in the locker room after Syracuse lost to Michigan Saturday in the national semifinals Saturday. “He’s a good player. I think we have a good group coming in. I think we’ll be fine.

“I think we got a really good player sitting out [Michael Gbinije], I think we’ve got some good players coming in, and I think we’ve got some really good players here.

“But next year is next year.”

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ATLANTA — Jim Boeheim is already on record — several times — as saying that he will definitely coach in 2013-14 and probably beyond.

Why, just the other day he said on “PTI” that even if Syracuse were to cut down the nets on Monday night, he wouldn’t “ride into the sunset” with his second championship ring.

Yet in the wake of Syracuse’s 61-56 loss to Michigan in the national semifinals, CBSSports.com reporter Gregg Doyel thought it appropriate to ask Boeheim — on the podum, in a room full of reporters — if was coming back next season.

That’s basically the equivalent of asking a kid, say Michael Carter-Williams, after a season-ending loss if he’s headed to the NBA. (Hint: in Carter-Williams’ case, he more than likely is.)

The exchange went just like this:

Q. When do you think you’ll decide, announce, whether or not you’re coming back next year?

COACH BOEHEIM: Why would you ask that question? I expect it from you. I know you. Why ask that question? Are you going to ask John Beilein that question.

Q. We ask 19-year-old questions and they handle it better than you are.

COACH BOEHEIM: You ask 19-year-old kid if he’s going to retire? Really?

Q. If they’re going to be back next year?

COACH BOEHEIM: If you’re going to say something smart, at least be smart.

Q. I said be back next year, I didn’t say retire. If you’re going to be smart, at least get it right.

COACH BOEHEIM: I am right.

Q. Are you going to be back next year or not?

COACH BOEHEIM: I’m not going to answer that question unless you ask every coach that question. Are you going to ask John if he’s going to retire or not coming back next year? I’ve never indicated at any time that I’m not coming back next year – ever.

***

Later, the exchange picked up again, with Boeheim giving some of his most detailed pro-ACC, anti-Big East comments yet. He basically said he would be traveling less by going to the ACC than he would if he had to make trips to Texas, Illinois or Wisconsin in the American Athletic Conference or new Big East.

Q. Honestly, my theory with you is you don’t want to coach in the ACC because of your Big East loyalty.

COACH BOEHEIM: I’m sorry, I apologize. It wasn’t you. Anybody that asked that question, I would have been mad.

But, no, I’ve heard this. Roy Williams has got a bet on it, somebody else has got a bet on it. I love the Big East, but if the Big East was the same as it was, or even remotely the same, I would quit because I wouldn’t be happy.

The Big East is not there at all. In fact, there’s more Big East teams in the ACC than there are Big East teams in whatever the conference is, American whatever.

So I should be happy because there’s more teams that I know in the ACC. I’ve always thought that the two best leagues in the country were the ACC and the Big East over the last 34 years. I’ve always thought that. I mean, somebody can prove me wrong in a number of ways, but it’s just my opinion. I always thought they were the two best leagues.

For us to be able to stay on the East Coast, and predominantly all our games are an hour and a half, almost all, and in the Big East, without this crazy expansion, we had to go to Florida, we had to go to Marquette, Notre Dame anyway. So we had long trips. We’ll have the same long trips that we had. When you’re chartering now, it’s mostly an hour, most of these trips.

I mean, the ACC has absolutely zero input into whether I would not coach next year. The only reason that I would not coach next year is because I didn’t feel I could do a good job or wanted to do it, and I have no feeling at all now that that will be the case. Usually right now I would have that feeling. If I don’t have it now, I’m not going to have it in September.

And I don’t want anybody to be thinking, like I don’t want to ever say, I’ll think about it and tell you later. I’ll never do that. I’ll never do that. I think that’s not the way to do it for the program, and I wouldn’t do that.

But I’ve enjoyed this team as much as any team I’ve ever coached. They’ve achieved more than I ever thought they could. And I always think they can achieve a lot.

You know, I like where we are. Everything in me intends to be back coaching next year. And I always say this at the end, that’s probably why people ask me the question: there’s always a chance that somebody might think, you know, you get back into coaching, you get in the thing, you just don’t feel it. If that happens, you know, I don’t want to ever let it be said that I misled anybody.

As far as I know, I’m 100% coaching next year. You know, that’s really kind of where I’m at right now.

***

Back in the Syracuse locker room following the exchange, Boeheim reiterated to a smaller group of reporters yet again that he will coach next season. He said he planned to spend the summer playing some golf and watching his twin boys play AAU basketball.

“Yeah, but they’ll all be seventh-graders,” he said. “When they’re in tenth grade, I can recruit, too.”

Saturday could have been a huge day not only for Syracuse but for its incoming point guard Tyler Ennis, too.

Ennis and St. Benedict’s Prep lost a heartbreaker to Montverde (FL) Academy, 67-65, in the ESPN National High School Invitational championship game despite a huge late 3-pointer from Ennis that put St. Benedict’s up 65-64.

With Carter-Williams likely headed to the NBA Draft lottery, Ennis will take over at the point next season.

“I think he’s going to be pretty good, he’s pretty good,” Boeheim said. “He’s a good player. I think we have a good group coming in. I think we’ll be fine.

“I think we got a really good player sitting out [Michael Gbinije], I think we’ve got some good players coming in, and I think we’ve got some really good players here.

“But next year is next year.”

And Boeheim plans to be back to coach it.

So let’s stop asking him about it.

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