Record Crowd Expected on Saturday for Syracuse vs. Georgetown

Year after year, Syracuse continues to push the record for the most attended college basketball game of the season. The school has sold 35,012 tickets for Saturday’s rivalry game with Georgetown at the Carrier Dome. This will surpass the record set in 2010 vs. Villanova, when 34,616 tickets were sold.

The game is big for many reasons, not in the least that it will be the last game between the two at the Dome for a while. Both coaches have said that they want the rivalry to continue in future years. John Thompson III even said during the Big East teleconference that “obviously, the rivalry is special. It’s one of the most special ones in college basketball. The fact that they are changing conferences is going to be different. But I still anticipate us playing although it hasn’t been hammered out for next year or for the immediate (future). But I don’t think that it’s something that’s going to necessarily go away.”

Syracuse has a home and home with St. John’s scheduled beginning next season, so they aren’t adverse to continuing these series. Villanova has explored the possibility of the two schools playing again soon as well as Jay Wright spoke highly of the games between the two universities.

Saturday’s game with the Hoyas will also be special as the school retires Carmelo Anthony‘s jersey to the rafters. The number is even more impressive considering the game is on at 4 p.m. on CBS that day which could or would keep some fans away who prefer not to brave the cold to head to the game. A big week for the Orange begins tomorrow, though, with the suddenly hot Providence.