Syracuse’s game against Georgetown on Saturday sold out, breaking the record for largest on-campus college basketball crowd with 35,012 tickets sold.

That surpasses the record-setting crowd of 34,616 peoplewho watched Syracuse beat Villanova on Feb. 27, 2010.

Saturday’s game is the final Big East regular season game between Syracuse and Georgetown in the Carrier Dome. It will be the 17th time an SU-Georgetown game in the Dome will have an attendance of more than 30,000.

Since Syracuse last set the on-campus record for attendance in 2010, Dome staff members have added more seats courtside and in the football press box area, allowing for a larger crowd, according to an SU Athletics news release. The Syracuse-Villanova game in 2010 and Saturday’s game are the only two basketball games SU Athletics has announced as sellouts prior to the game.

Not only is it the final Big East game in the Dome between the two rivals, but Syracuse and Georgetown are currently tied for second in the conference. Syracuse plays Providence and Georgetown plays DePaul on Wednesday before the teams meet this weekend.

Former Syracuse star Carmelo Anthony will be honored, and his jersey will be retired in a ceremony during Saturday’s game.

Otto’s Army President Ben Glidden said he first heard the news on Twitter while in class.

Glidden, a junior broadcast and digital journalism major, said the record-breaking Villanova game happened before he was a student at SU. He said a poster from the game hung in his room, and he always wished he had been there.

“But now I get to be a part of something that’s going to be even bigger than that, which is awesome,” he said.

Patrick Duffy, a sophomore finance major, was the first to arrive outside Gate E at the Dome to camp out for a close seat at the game. He set up his tent at about 10:30 p.m. Monday.

Duffy, who camped out for the game last year as well, said he has a twin brother who goes to Georgetown.

The game is a big rivalry within his family, he said, and the potential for a sellout didn’t influence his decision to camp out early.

“I still would’ve camped out regardless, but it makes it even more exciting,” Duffy said.

Chris Robinson, a freshman sport management major, found out about the record-breaking announcement via Twitter when he saw the SU Athletics tweet that said, “35,012.”

The possibility of being in the front row for the Georgetown game — or at least in the first few rows — is what everyone camping out wants, he said.

His group of 16 friends combined with others to form a 28-person group after some tent issues, he said. Robinson joked this was the first time he’s camped out for something since he was “9 years old in the woods.”

He said he’s excited to be part of history, but that it’s up to students to make the game an experience.

Said Robinson: “Hopefully, it’s a raucous crowd. I want a loud 35,000. I don’t want a quiet 35,000 — you know? It’s only special if we make it special.”

Published on February 20, 2013 at 1:35 am

Contact Mark: mcooperj@syr.edu | @mark_cooperjr