San Diego State forward Matt Mitchell modeled his game after Carmelo Anthony.

Photo by Justin Fine/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesMatt Mitchell said all he could do was smile. When he saw San Diego State’s First Round NCAA Tournament matchup, the Aztecs’ leading scorer and Mountain West Player of the Year rubbed his hands together.

That’s because when Mitchell was a growing up he wanted to play for Syracuse. As a kid, he said, he thought he was Carmelo Anthony. He even donned an orange headband from the time he was seven years old.

“Actually growing up Syracuse was my favorite school. As a young kid — if you talked to my parents or anybody that knew me as a kid — I wanted to be Carmelo Anthony. Growing up I kind of modeled my game after him that’s kind of where I get…