As valuable as senior experience has proven to be, last night it served the Jayhawks very little. Sure, Nick Collison notched 19 points and 21 rebounds while looking near-unstoppable on the put-back, but his 3-of-10 performance from the charity stripe read of mental lapses and a lack of focus.

With Shane Battier and Juan Dixon proving the power of senior leadership and poise under pressure in the last two seasons, a pair of freshmen led they way for Jim Boehiem and claims to his first NCAA title. Carmello Anthony and Gerry McNamara put the game on their shoulders. Anthony totaled close to a triple double while nursing a bad back, notching 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, all team highs. It was a quiet effort for the dandy, whose efforts almost went unnoticed after an electric first-half performance by McNamara, who scored 18 first-half points on six three-pointers to give Syracuse a 53-42 lead at the half.

The freshmen led the way for the Orangemen, but that’s not to say that seniors didn’t lead Kansas, as Collison’s performance put the Jayhawks back in the game, closing the lead down the stretch. Collinson’s inside presence late in the game proved pivotal, and his alley-oop dunk with two minutes left pulled Kansas within five, 75-80.

But the seniors didn’t bring their best for Kansas. Perhaps they spent their great game on Marquette or in games prior, as Collison’s performance from the line and Kirk Hinrich’s 6-of-20 shooting expo spelled doom for the Jayhawks.

With Anthony and McNamara doing their part on the offensive end, stellar sophomore Hakim Warrick showed the poise of a player, floating majestically through the air to block a Michael Lee three-pointer with mere seconds remaining, nearly dousing any hopes for the Jayhawk faithful.

Hinrich found the ball back in his hands for one last attempt, but his shot hit nothing but the sweaty air of the Superdome. Hopes for another pair of senior champions, much like Dixon and Lonny Baxter, were ended as the Syracuse players slid across the floor into a radiant orange dog pile of celebration.

As much pressure as Collison and Hinrich had on them in last night’s game, Anthony and Boehiem were favored to fail. But you saw it in their eyes, the calm focus of Boehiem and the almost lackadaisical cool of Anthony. His smile was less a grimace to fight his injury, more excitement and happiness for playing in a national championship game.

But maybe Anthony was just smiling about the millions that will be coming his way in a matter of months.

Boehiem has had no conversations with his prodigal son about what lies ahead for them next season. There might not be a next season for the couple. But even if Anthony decides to go pro, Syracuse has the caliber to repeat.

Warrick has shown he can do just as much as Anthony. The slim, lanky sophomore doesn’t have the jumper that his teammate has, but he’s probably better in the post. Kueth Duany will return for a senior season, and the rest of the pack will be there, as the team was all but void of seniors in 2003.

You can call it a sign of the times for college basketball, where a solid talent base will take you just as far, if not farther, than a team of seasoned student athletes. Those days are quickly coming to a close. Prep stars around the country should look at Anthony’s single season in college as a blueprint to increase their draft stock while adding some credibility to their hoops resume.

I don’t think anyone has made the game look more effortless than Anthony, with that aforementioned smile and quietly effective production. It’s like Michael Vick running around the pocket, making the other professional athletes miss tackles like little boys. He just makes it look so darn easy. His ball fakes are as effective as any player in the college ranks, and his stop-and-pop jumper is downright beautiful.

It’s been a pleasure watching Anthony move his way into the history books. The whole team has made it fun. They’re not quite Michigan’s Fab Five, but it’s a solid mix of underclassmen that made their mark in the history books.

Leave it to Boehiem to dismiss convention and create a championship team out of teenagers. This will go down as the 27-year veteran head coach’s finest season, which ended in a gripping title game pitting experience against youth. For college basketball, the battle between experience and youth will dwindle, and talent will prevail.