PITTSBURGH -- Syracuse players and fans have been receiving a hostile reception in Pittsburgh.
The Orange are the top seed in the competitive East Region in the NCAA Tournament and the majority of the fans here in the Consol Energy Center would like to see Syracuse eliminated. The NCAA tournament is all about upsets, sleepers and Cinderella story lines - and if you weren't a Syracuse fan when the tournament started, the Orange are the villain.
SU forward Kris Joseph admitted that the crowds have been hostile but he said playing at N.C. State and Notre Dame earlier this season prepared them for the boos and jeers from the stands.
Everyone loves an underdog and in this tournament SU fans have had to adjust to the hate directed at their team.
"We're usually the underdog so it was a big change yesterday when the whole arena was rooting against us," said SU fan Nancy Amidon. "It bothered me but I totally understand it."
Her friend Sue Bryerton acknowledged the double standard but said she would be rooting for the other top seeds to be upset.
"It's fun to see the upset - as long as it's not your team," said Bryerton.
