Sports

Clinton a locker-room presence for Cards

President Bill Clinton has turned the post-presidency life into an art form.

Clinton had the Garden buzzing Thursday night when he attended Louisville’s win over Villanova. Despite having a security detail, Clinton was more than willing to greet fans and pose for photos.

Then he visited the Louisville locker room where the fun really started.

“We exchanged phone numbers,’’ quipped Louisville point guard Peyton Siva, who also flashed donkey ears to the camera.

Forward Chane Behanan then decided it was time for some cell-phone photography. Once he started clicking and sending, his teammates joined in.

“I mean, I think the president got swag, he got swag to him,’’ Behanan said to reporters. “I don’t want to say what type of swag he got, but he got swag. I don’t know if it’s appropriate — I mean, it’s appropriate, but I don’t want to say. I don’t want to start nothing up.’’

* Syracuse’s James Southerland of Bayside made four 3-pointers Friday night, giving him 15 for the tournament to tie the record set by former Orange guard Gerry McNamara, now an assistant coach. Southerland can set a new mark tonight in the championship game.

“First of all, I just apologize to G”‘-Mac, ‘Sorry, man,’ ’’ Southerland said. “I didn’t mean to do that. At the same time, going to focus on what we need to do and execute plays and play better defense.’’

* Radio personality Brandon Tierney, one of the really good guys in the business and a New Yorker to the bone, weighed in with his all-time Big East team.

His starting five is hard to argue: Ray Allen (Connecticut), Pearl Washington (Syracuse), Patrick Ewing (Georgetown), Chris Mullin (St. John’s), Derrick Coleman (Syracuse).

His bench: Allen Iverson (Georgetown), Walter Berry (St. John’s), Alonzo Mourning (Georgetown), Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse), Charles Smith (Pittsburgh), Kerry Kittles (Villanova), Richard Hamilton (UConn).

His coach is UConn’s Jim Calhoun. Big John Thompson has the next chair. And that team would lose to who?

* Notre Dame is playing in its last Big East Tournament, but the Irish will return to the Garden next season. Notre Dame will face Ohio State on Dec. 21 in the Gotham Classic.

It’s a nice matchup, but here’s the rub: The Irish and Buckeyes play three home games and win or lose, they advance to the Garden. It’s called ticket sales.