On a brisk, sunny March Friday, Georgetown University student organizations filled the campus' Red Square, ready to hand out flyers, sell cupcakes and otherwise entice their fellow students to take up their cause.

But there was one common goal students had in mind: beating arch-rival Syracuse tonight in the first semi-final matchup in the Big East basketball tournament (7 p.m. on ESPN).

"We are going to crush them," said Kevin Collins, who was decked out in green gear for St. Patrick's Day.

Collins said the energy around tonight's matchup with the Orangemen is "crazy."

He predicts the Hoyas are up at the final buzzer by at least 15 points.

Read: Big East Basketball Tournament 2013: Television Times, Predictions and Where to Watch

Taylor Downs and Kelsey Vickey were selling cupcakes and Irish-themed gear at a table in Red Square. Both of them said they had friends attending the game in Syracuse.

"I am so jealous," said Downs, who will likely watch the game on a TV in the common room of her dorm.

Vickey said she was at the first game between the two teams this season and called it "stressful." This time around she'll probably be watching the game from the comfort of her apartment.

"We are all definitely excited," Collins said.

Chris George, the manager at The Tombs and a Georgetown alumn, said he plans to have the big screen tuned to the game with the volume on.

He said there was a "great crowd" at the bar for Thursday's Cincinnati game and he is never suprised when fans "break into the fight song" during games.

Downs called this game, the third this season between the Hoyas and Orangemen, "nerve wracking." Can Georgetown really pull off three wins against Syracuse in a season?

"We've handled Syracuse twice, I think we can do it again," George said.