Carmelo Anthony -- 'It's Only Right' ... Syracuse Ranked #1 Party School

Carmelo Anthony tells TMZ Sports ... he's a PROUD ORANGEMAN today -- after his alma mater was ranked the #1 party school in the country.

Syracuse beat out schools like UCSB, West Virginia, Illinois and last year's winner, Iowa -- this according to the Princeton Review, which conducted a nationwide survey of 130k students.

"It's only right," Melo told us on his way to M7ProWeek at the Terminal 23 gym in NYC.

FYI -- Melo played at SU during the 2002-03 season ... and admitted 'Cuse wasn't the party powerhouse during his his year at school.

He's right ... back in 2003, Syracuse didn't even crack the Top 10. That year, the #1 honor went to the University of Colorado-Boulder.