New Orleans ? Texas and Kansas University both might belong to the Big 12 Conference, but the Jayhawks, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim emphasized Sunday, are not the Longhorns.

“They do a lot of different things than Texas does,” Boeheim said on the eve of tonight’s NCAA championship game. “Kansas plays unlike really most any team in terms of things they do.”

Syracuse reached tonight’s title tilt because it disposed of Texas, 95-84, Saturday night. UT guard T.J. Ford had 13 assists, but scored only 12 points.

“Texas, to me, is Ford making plays,” Boeheim said, “and Kansas is a lot of guys trying to make plays.”

Boeheim, now in his 27th year at Syracuse, has been around long enough to know what makes his team tick and what makes opponents click and, he noted, Kansas has been the same team for the 15 years Roy Williams has been on Mount Oread.

“College coaches in general have gotten so conservative,” Boeheim said, “I think it’s bad for the game because it’s like halfcourt, walk it up the court, play defense, don’t make mistakes.”

Not Kansas, though. Not under Williams.

“Kansas has always been good at transition basketball,” Boeheim said. “You know, that’s their trademark.”

While most coaches chant that the way to slow the Jayhawks’ transition game is to get back on defense, Boeheim believes it’s more about your own offense being efficient.

“We were efficient on offense yesterday,” the 58-year-old coach said, “and that kept Texas out of their transition game. If we’re going on offense, then that will slow their transition game.”

If the Syracuse offensive engine is going, freshman Carmelo Anthony will be the accelerator. Anthony scored 33 points and snatched 14 caroms against Texas. Many believe tonight will be his last college game, that he’ll be a lottery pick in June’s NBA draft.

As Texas coach Rick Barnes said: “Every point they score, you can almost attribute to Carmelo. When he’s in the game he makes you help (on defense). He makes you rotate.”

UT junior guard Royal Ivey said guarding Anthony was “probably the hardest defensive job I had since I’ve been in college. He’s 6-8, he’s explosive, strong, shoot over you, drive you, spin move, everything.”

Another freshman, guard Gerry McNamara, is the Orangemen’s third-leading scorer.

“At this point, we’re not freshmen and we haven’t played like it,” McNamara said. “So I don’t think it makes a difference by now because if we play like freshmen tomorrow night, we’re in a lot of trouble.”