News Channel 9: SU Sports http://www.9wsyr.com/content/sports/su_sports/default.aspx The latest sports headlines making news from Syracuse University. en-us Copyright 2009 Newport Television LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:00:01 GMT Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:42:23 GMT Syracuse Sports News http://www.9wsyr.com/sites/wsyr/images/9wsyrlogo.jpg NewsChannel 9 WSYR http://www.9wsyr.com/content/sports/su_sports/default.aspx 214 66 15 Syracuse runs away from No. 6 North Carolina http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Syracuse-runs-away-from-No-6-North-Carolina/CJBuCp7R3UWxn-gKdavfvw.cspx?rss=1526 http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Syracuse-runs-away-from-No-6-North-Carolina/CJBuCp7R3UWxn-gKdavfvw.cspx?rss=1526 NEW YORK (AP) - Brandon Triche and Arinze Onuaku combined for 13 points in Syracuse's 22-1 run to open the second half and the Orange went on to a 87-71 victory over No. 6 North Carolina on Friday night in the championship game of the 2K Sports Classic.

The Orange (4-0) were the only unranked team in the semifinals of the tournament that benefits Coaches vs. Cancer but they left Madison Square Garden with blowout wins over No. 13 California and the Tar Heels (4-1).

North Carolina had a 39-37 halftime lead but that was gone in a hurry as Triche and Onuaku had field goals in the first 40 seconds. By the time the run ended 8 minutes into the second half Syracuse had a 59-40 lead.

Tournament MVP Wesley Johnson had 25 points for the Orange, who beat California 95-73 in the semifinals. Onuaku finished with 15 points and Triche had 11.

Johnson, a 6-foot-7 junior transfer from Iowa State, was 10 of 17 from the field, including making half of eight 3-point attempts, and had eight rebounds.

Ed Davis had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Marcus Ginyard added 15 points for the Tar Heels, who lost almost all of a 19-point second-half lead before beating No. 15 Ohio State 77-73 to reach the title game.

North Carolina missed its first 13 shots of the second half and turned the ball over six times as the Orange just didn't miss. Syracuse started the half by making 10 of its first 14 shots and the baskets were coming down low from Onuaku and from the perimeter including a 3 by Johnson that made it 57-40.

The Tar Heels closed to 68-60 on a 3 by David Wear with 7:04 left, but Onuaku had the first and last baskets of a 6-0 run that ended any thoughts of a comeback for the ages.

The first half had the crowd, which was split almost evenly between Carolina Blue and Syracuse Orange, on a ride of runs that kept Madison Square Garden in a constant roar more accustomed to late in the season than late November.

Syracuse scored the first eight points of the game and was up 11-2 when Andy Rautins hit a 3.

It didn't take long for North Carolina to get right back in it as the Tar Heels scored 11 straight points, including two 3s by Will Graves.

There were four lead changes and four ties the rest of the half, which ended with the Tar Heels leading 39-37. It wasn't a perfect half as both teams had 10 turnovers.

Ohio State beat California 76-70 in the third-place game.
Click Here for more game notes.

Members of NewsChannel 9's sports department were at the game and sent these Tweets while the Orange were on the hardwood:
  1. Another HUGE win for the Orange. 2 blowouts over ranked teams -- including the defending nat'l champs. SU zone defense looks scary good.
  2. Rautins w/ a steal, then -- while seated on the ground -- hit Joseph for a huge dunk. 81-62 'Cuse. 3:17 to play.
  3. Rautins w/ a big 3, then Kris Joseph takes a charge. 77-62 Orange.
  4. Travis Wear 3-pointer makes it a single-digit SU lead ... but Orange responds w/ back-2-back buckets. 72-60. 6:14 to go.
  5. http://twitpic.com/qaziv - Coach Boeheim & Roy Williams before the game.
  6. UNC cuts lead to 10. 65-55. 7:55 to play.
  7. http://twitpic.com/qayu5 - SU leads by 16. 65-49. 9:30 to go.
  8. UNC just hit it's first bucket in a while. Kris Joseph w/ a jumper of his own. Orange now leads by 20, 62-42, w/ 11:30 to play.
  9. Wes Johnson hits his 5th 3-pointer of game. Garden is going nuts. Makes you wonder how home games would be if SU played in a smaller arena.
  10. Rick just picked up his 3rd foul. Wes has 3 fouls too.
  11. Triche just took one to the lane, thru a UNC defender. FT good. 3 pt. play. SU leads 52-40 w/ 13:33 to go.
  12. Andy w/ a no-look fastbreak pass to AO for a huge dunk. UNC calls timeout. SU up 47-40. 15:56 to play. "Let's go Orange" chants reverberate.
  13. SU comes out strong. They lead 43-39 w/ 18:42 to play. UNC air-balled their first 2 shots.
  14. 39-37 UNC @ the break. General impression of 1st half: sloppy play by both sides. Let's see which coach uses halftime the best.
  15. Garden crowd coming to life w/ chants of "Let's Go Orange" and "De-Fence."
  16. SU really seems to be stuggling on the boards. Heels have a lot of 2nd chance opportunities.
  17. SU just called for 10th team foul. 2:07 to play. 37-35 UNC.
  18. Triche called for offensive foul for pushing-off. UNC takes lead. 35-33. 2:30 to go.
  19. Scoop just pulled a nasty drive and lay-in ... but it's waved off for shot clock violation. UNC is trying to amp up permimeter pressure.
  20. Ed Davis cuts lead to 3, 33-30. 5:05 to play. Still a lot of turnovers and poor defense by both teams.
  21. Sloppy, back-&-forth game. This one comes down to coaching. Who gets their team to calm down & execute? Who uses timeouts/halftime best?
  22. SU just committed it's 7th team foul of half, w/ 9:05 still to play. This is UNC's chance to come back. SU up 31-23. 
  23. Both teams are playing very sloppy on both ends of the floor (10 combined T0's). SU leads 29-22 w/ just under 10:00 in the 1st half. 
  24. UNC went on 11-2 run to take lead at 13-10. SU finally scored, them commited their 5th foul of half on other end. 15-12 Heels. 14:00 to play 
  25. Andy just drilled a 3 to put SU up 11-2. Must feel OK.
  26. Andy Rautins just tried taking a charge on a fastbreak, and is slow to get up. Noticeable limp, but he's staying in the game.
  27. The Garden is PACKED, and it's nearly all SU fans. 'Cuse is on an 8-0 run to start, and the crowd is going nuts.
  28. SU-UNC. Coaches vs. Cancer finals. Roy Williams-Jim Boeheim. That's almost 1400 career wins, and 3 nat'l titles between them.
  29. Cuse score first. 3pts from Johnson
  30. the game is underway. UNC takes the first shot and misses a three


]]> WSYR_SU_Sports Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:47:49 GMT Syracuse runs away from No. 6 North Carolina http://www.9wsyr.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=273562@wixt.dayport.com Jardine leads 'Cuse to 95-73 win over No. 13 Cal http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Jardine-leads-Cuse-to-95-73-win-over-No-13-Cal/c55aLQoSc0ex5QuuB7MwQw.cspx?rss=1526 http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Jardine-leads-Cuse-to-95-73-win-over-No-13-Cal/c55aLQoSc0ex5QuuB7MwQw.cspx?rss=1526 NEW YORK (AP) - Scoop Jardine scored a career-high 22 points, Wes Johnson had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Syracuse raced past No. 13 California 95-73 on Thursday night in the semifinals of the 2K Sports Classic.

Arinza Onuaku added 12 points for the Orange, who made Madison Square Garden feel like home in the tournament benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer. Syracuse will play No. 6 North Carolina or No. 15 Ohio State for the championship on Friday night.

Syracuse confounded the Bears (2-1) from the tip with coach Jim Boeheim's trademark zone defense, building a double-digit lead by halftime.

Cal star Jerome Randle finished with 25 points, while Jamal Boykin had 14 and Patrick Christopher 12.

Click here for other game notes.
Members of NewsChannel 9's sports department were at the game and sent these Tweets while the Orange were on the hardwood:
  1. Big win for SU. Great defense, great offense. Still some sloppy play here and there, and FTs were an issue. Final: 95-73 SU.
  2. AO just brought the 'Cuse crowd to life w/ an emphatic fastbreak dunk. SU leads 75-54. 7:55 to play.
  3. 66-50 Orange. 11:26 to play. 'Cuse has 6 team fouls.
  4. Rautins and Wes very active on defensive end. SU is blowing this thing open. 64-41 'Cuse. 15:00 to play.
  5. Scoop has 18 pts and looks like he's in the zone. 59-41 SU. 15:53 to play. 'Cuse continues to do a good job applying the pressure on 'D.'
  6. AO nearly brought down the hoop, he dunked so hard. 54-39 Orange on top. 17:20 to go.
  7. 44-33 SU @ the half. SU shoots over 50% from field, but just 50% from FT line. Cal in foul trouble most of half. Nice defensive job by SU.
  8. 3:55 to go in 1st. SU up 37-21. Cal has 10 team fouls, 3 from big man Markhuri Sanders-Frison. Rick and AO are pounding backup C Max Zhang. 
  9. This is getting real ugly for Cal. Orange up 30-16 w/ 7:52 left in 1st. SU's putting a lot of pressure on the Bears. Forcing a lot of TO's.
  10. 10 min. to play in 1st, and Cal already has 8 team fouls. 24-14 Orange, and that's w/ a lot of misses from charity stripe. 
  11. Wes Johnson just skyrocketed up and missed a wide-open dunk; the kind that ends up on the Not Top 10. 21-14 SU w/ 12 min. to go.
  12. 4 min in: 9-7 SU. Scoop just crossed his defender and hit Rick for an easy bucket. Huge chorus of "oohh's" from the very pro-SU crowd.
  13. SU just regained the lead with a 3pt shot from Rautins
  14. 20 min 'til tip. Key to game for SU: don't let Cal get hot from deep. Randle, Christopher & Robertson can stroke from 3. Good defense = win.
    15. Check out the pic below. Bob Knight and Coach Boeheim catching up on Garden floor before the game. There's over 1700 wins between them. 
  15. http://twitpic.com/q5k2t - 1987 Revisited
  16. What up 'Cuse fans? Ch. 9 is officially on the Isle of Manhattan. SU-Cal tips in a few hours. Check us out for updates thruout the tourney.

]]> WSYR_SU_Sports Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:01:23 GMT Jardine leads 'Cuse to 95-73 win over No. 13 Cal http://www.9wsyr.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=273546@wixt.dayport.com Marrone announces Derrell Smith out with injury http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Marrone-announces-Derrell-Smith-out-with-injury/SmLJRSzBmUaHyThr89gBhw.cspx?rss=1526 http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Marrone-announces-Derrell-Smith-out-with-injury/SmLJRSzBmUaHyThr89gBhw.cspx?rss=1526 Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – Syracuse University’s head football coach Doug Marrone announced the loss of another player from his team – this time due to injury. Senior linebacker Derrell Smith will miss the final two games of the season due to a tear in his lateral meniscus.

Smith reported some soreness in his left knee after playing versus Akron. The tear was revealed by an MRI scan. Marrone said that Smith will undergo surgery in the near future and rehabilitation will sideline him for the rest of the season.

Smith is SU’s leading tackler, and averages 8.2 tackles, .65 sacks, and 1 tackle for loss per game. He ranks sixth among BIG EAST defenders. Smith also has four forced fumbles, which ties him for fourth on the Syracuse single-season record list.

Syracuse will play #25-ranked Rutgers this Saturday, November 21, in the Carrier Dome. Prior to the game, the team will hold a salute to Smith, and the rest of the senior class.
]]> WSYR_SU_Sports Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:18:13 GMT Orange lose two more players http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Orange-lose-two-more-players/rnWU20Yum0OyEMkC-YxByw.cspx?rss=1526 http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Orange-lose-two-more-players/rnWU20Yum0OyEMkC-YxByw.cspx?rss=1526 SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - Syracuse coach Doug Marrone could only grin while delivering the latest bad news for the Orange.

Marrone said Monday the Orange, who have had their roster thinned by injuries and suspensions, would be without two more players for Saturday's home finale against No. 25 Rutgers (7-2, 2-2 Big East).

Freshman kick returner Mike Jones and reserve tight end/snapper Dalton Phillips will miss the final two games of the season.

"The injuries don't stop for us," Marrone said. "We have a lot of players that we've lost. We keep talking about it, but you need to move on. No one's going to feel sorry."

Marrone said Phillips was hospitalized from an injury suffered in Saturday's 10-9 loss at Louisville. Phillips was hurt in a violent collision while blocking during a Syracuse kick return in the third quarter and appeared to be unconscious on the field. He changed and watched the remainder of the game from the sideline and traveled with the team back to Syracuse.

Marrone said he would reveal the extent and details of the injuries to both players later Monday. They are the eighth and ninth players lost to season-ending injuries, and six have been hurt in the past two games.

Syracuse, winless in five Big East games to drop its conference record to 3-30 since 2005, has lost three in a row - including a 10-9 setback against Louisville on Saturday - and five of six since posting consecutive wins over Northwestern and Maine.

Marrone also has lost 20 scholarship players since he was hired last December and standout receiver Mike Williams quit the team two weeks ago. Marrone also suspended tailback Antwon Bailey, defensive end Torrey Ball and offensive guard Andrew Tiller for one game for violating team rules.

Still, Marrone has made gains in getting the program turned back in the right direction. Despite the losses, the players have not shown any signs of giving up as they did under previous coach Greg Robinson.

"There's a lot of plays we could have made. We didn't make those plays," Marrone said. "We have to keep building this team. We have a lot of players that we've lost. We keep talking about it, but you need to move on. No one's going to feel sorry."

Marrone again said former Duke point guard Greg Paulus, a graduate student here for only one year, would remain the starting quarterback with Ryan Nassib the backup. Paulus has completed 65.8 percent of his passes - 156 of 237 for 1,586 yards and 10 TDs with 14 interceptions - and remains on pace to finish the season with a school record. Bill Scharr holds the top spot at 63.3 percent (107 of 169 in 1989).

Nassib has played in seven games and has seen his playing time increase since the start of the season. But he's just 25 of 53 (47.2 percent) for 289 yards and two scores and one interception, both TDs coming in the second half of a 34-13 loss to West Virginia. Marrone hasn't given up hope of a couple more victories.

"We're still going out there to win games, not to give people experience for next year," said Marrone, an offensive lineman at Syracuse in the mid-1980s. "It's not next year until the last game is over. The way people are getting experience now on this team is through injury. We always played to win. I think that's what you do at Syracuse."

Syracuse owns a commanding 28-10 margin since its series with the Scarlet Knights began with a 14-14 tie in 1914. But Rutgers has won five of the past six under Schiano, who has molded them into a consistent contender for the conference title and strengthened the school's recruiting prowess in an area where Syracuse once was very successful.

The loss of tailback Ray Rice, who initially committed to Syracuse before becoming a star at Rutgers, still smarts.

"It's a game that we have to win," Marrone said. "It's no different than the other games we've played during the year. I don't look at it as a hostile situation. I worry about our football team. I don't worry about what the other team does recruiting or goes through." ]]> WSYR_SU_Sports Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:04:45 GMT Rautins scores 22, Syracuse routs Robert Morris http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Rautins-scores-22-Syracuse-routs-Robert-Morris/0fi7FKJqCUePT1RDnqi13Q.cspx?rss=1526 http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Rautins-scores-22-Syracuse-routs-Robert-Morris/0fi7FKJqCUePT1RDnqi13Q.cspx?rss=1526 SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - Andy Rautins made seven 3-pointers and scored 22 points, leading Syracuse past Robert Morris 100-60 on Wednesday night in the 2K Sports Classic.

Syracuse (2-0), which opened its season with a 75-43 victory over Albany on Monday night, will play California in a week at Madison Square Garden in the next round of the tournament that benefits Coaches vs. Cancer.

Rautins, who missed all six shots he attempted and then rolled his left ankle in the season opener, found his range early against the Colonials (0-1). He hit a 3 from the left corner and another from the right wing to help Syracuse take a 10-6 lead in the first 5 minutes. He made three more 3s in the first 3:09 of the second half to give Syracuse a 71-36 advantage.

Rautins finished 7 of 10 on 3-pointers, just shy of the school record of nine 3s he shares with Gerry McNamara.

Wes Johnson finished with 15 points, Arinze Onuaku had 14, freshman point guard Brandon Triche had 12 and Rick Jackson added 10 for the Orange.

Velton Jones had 15 points to lead Robert Morris, and freshman guard Karon Abraham added 13. ]]> WSYR_SU_Sports Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:25:46 GMT Rautins scores 22, Syracuse routs Robert Morris http://www.9wsyr.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=273272@wixt.dayport.com&navCatId=1075 SU field hockey starts NCAA Tournament play Saturday http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/SU-field-hockey-starts-NCAA-Tournament-play/h8KuE2KD9kOo978z4VOKQA.cspx?rss=1526 http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/SU-field-hockey-starts-NCAA-Tournament-play/h8KuE2KD9kOo978z4VOKQA.cspx?rss=1526 Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – The eighth-ranked Syracuse University field hockey team will play in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time when they play number nine Boston College on Saturday in Princeton.

This is the first time the Orange has played in back-to-back NCAA tournaments. Last year, SU advanced to the Final Four. They defeated Massachusetts and Princeton before losing to Wake Forest in overtime in the semifinal game.

Tickets for the game will be sold at the field at approximately 10:30 a.m. Game time is 2:00 p.m.

This year’s team includes BIG EAST First Team member Lindsey Conrad, who ranks fourth on SU’s all-time goals scored list, and freshman goalkeeper Leann Stiver who has a .727 saves percentage.
]]> WSYR_SU_Sports Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:46:55 GMT Syracuse University men’s soccer coach will not return http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Syracuse-University-men-s-soccer-coach-will-not/BcZxIgADI0OyI--PGZLmWA.cspx?rss=1526 http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Syracuse-University-men-s-soccer-coach-will-not/BcZxIgADI0OyI--PGZLmWA.cspx?rss=1526 Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – Syracuse University announced Tuesday that men’s soccer coach Dean Foti will not be returning next season.

Director of Athletics Dr. Daryl Gross announced that he made the decision to change the leadership in the men’s soccer program, but praised Coach Foti’s commitment to the university and the program. "Coach Foti has been dedicated to teaching and guiding the student-athletes who have played for him and his commitment to their development both in the classroom and in the community has been outstanding. We wish him and his family the very best moving forward,” Gross said.

Foti began as coach of the Orange in 1999. In that time he achieved a record of 141-171-33 and was once named New York Region Coach of the Year. Foti played as a starter on the Orange’s defense between 1979 and 1982, when they won the BIG EAST Tournament championship.

Gross says a national search for the next coach will begin immediately.
]]> WSYR_SU_Sports Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:45:32 GMT Jim Boeheim gets 800th win vs. Albany http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Jim-Boeheim-gets-800th-win-vs-Albany/V5JeDD6nC0egVU3sd9hqHw.cspx?rss=1526 http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Jim-Boeheim-gets-800th-win-vs-Albany/V5JeDD6nC0egVU3sd9hqHw.cspx?rss=1526 SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - Jim Boeheim became the eighth Division I coach to reach 800 wins with milestone coming over Albany, 75-43 on Monday night in the 2K Sports Classic.

The 65-year-old Boeheim got his first victory, 75-48 over Harvard on Nov. 26, 1976.

Bob Knight leads the career list with 902 victories. Only Mike Krzyzewski (833), Jim Calhoun (804) and Boeheim are active among the eight who have reached 800.

Arinze Onuaku scored 14 points, Scoop Jardine and Wes Johnson each had 12 for Syracuse (1-0) in the tournament that benefits Coaches vs. Cancer.

After the final buzzer, Boeheim received a framed uniform with No. 800 stitched on it.

Boeheim established an NCAA Division I record in 2008-09 with his 31st season with at least 20 wins. He has 800 in 1,088 games, including a record 356 wins in the Big East.

Will Harris led Albany (0-1) with 14 points.
]]> WSYR_SU_Sports Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:48:33 GMT Jim Boeheim gets 800th win vs. Albany http://www.9wsyr.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=273210@wixt.dayport.com Le Moyne gets attention from basketball win over SU http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Le-Moyne-gets-attention-from-basketball-win-over/KNAJlfytoE-LaWJg1ixkSA.cspx?rss=1526 http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/Le-Moyne-gets-attention-from-basketball-win-over/KNAJlfytoE-LaWJg1ixkSA.cspx?rss=1526 Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - Le Moyne College is still abuzz about Tuesday night’s win over the Syracuse University Men's Basketball team. It's been described by students and sports analysts alike as a David versus Goliath scenario, and one that's boosted morale at the small school.

The game ended after Le Moyne’s Christopher Johnson hit his sixth 3-pointer of the game. That put Le Moyne up by 2 with only seconds remaining, and not enough time for SU to score.

As an exhibition game, it won’t count in either team’s standings, but the significance is still clear to students and staff at both colleges. SU Senior Dan Rosenbaum was at the game, and still can't believe the final outcome. “We have 35 hundred students, they have 15 thousand. It’s an awesome accomplishment,” he said.

Le Moyne College has a rich athletic tradition, but it’s also a Catholic Jesuit school, which brings up the question: was a higher power at work?

Le Moyne president Dr. Fred Pestello, who was at the game, says probably not. “We'd like to think the higher power is involved in more significant ways than the outcome of sporting events. But we do have faith, and that helps us in everything we do.”

And while Dr. Pestello says it was a great moment in Le Moyne College history, it does take a back seat, to last year’s 50-million dollar gift to the school. Together he hopes the two moments will go a long way in putting Le Moyne, on the map.

In addition to a large number of calls to the Le Moyne college athletic department from well-wishers and alumni, Tuesday’s win also increased page hits on the college's website by nearly 500%.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - Christopher Johnson and Laurence Ekperigin hooted and hollered as they skipped off Jim Boeheim Court, huge smiles creasing their faces and seemingly as stunned as the Syracuse Orange at what had just transpired.

Johnson scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer with 8.3 seconds remaining, and Division II Le Moyne stunned Syracuse 82-79 in an exhibition game Tuesday night.

"We've got an experienced group," Le Moyne head coach Steve Evans said. "Did we ever think that a day like this would happen? Probably not. But we put together a game plan. We didn't want to play Syracuse's way. We wanted to play our way. It was just one of those days for Le Moyne basketball. The kids will remember this forever."

Wes Johnson, who led Syracuse with 34 points, hit a 3 from the left corner to put Syracuse ahead 79-78 with 22 seconds left. Then Christopher Johnson responded with his sixth 3-pointer of the game, which came from the left side after Syracuse's Kris Joseph backed off defensively.

"We were sort of out of whack a little bit," Christopher Johnson said. "Everyone was rushing. But as soon as I caught the ball, I saw an opening and I just let it fly. Luckily, it went in."

After Wes Johnson missed a 3, Can Ozkaner added a free throw with 1.3 seconds left for Le Moyne and Syracuse had its first preseason exhibition loss since a setback against the Harlem Globetrotters six years ago.

"Le Moyne really outplayed us from the beginning of the game to the end," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. "They (the Orange) are very, very young mentally. They really have got to grow up. We couldn't stop them on the dribble. That's something we've been looking at in practice."

Ekperigin had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Damani Corbin had 11 points and five assists, and Kevin Roth added 10 points for Le Moyne, which outscored Syracuse 42-30 in the paint. Andy Rautins had 13 points and Rick Jackson finished with 10 points and eight rebounds for the Orange, who led 47-37 early in the second half. But the Dolphins, who play across town, never let down.

Three 3s by Christopher Johnson helped narrow the gap and a three-point play by Ekperigin gave Le Moyne a 56-55 lead with 8:41 remaining. The Dolphins, who repeatedly took advantage of Syracuse's man-to-man defense with drives and back-door cuts, went up 76-71 after Ekperigin converted a lob from Corbin with 57.9 seconds left and held on.

"It's very disappointing," said Wes Johnson, in his first season after transferring from Iowa State. "Hopefully, we can learn from this and move in the right direction."

"It's just embarrassing the way we played," said Rautins, born and raised in Syracuse. "It's embarrassing to ourselves and our fans. It wasn't luck that they won. They came out and beat us fair and square."

Evans said he wasn't really looking forward to reading and watching the news on Wednesday. "I feel bad that the story tomorrow will be, 'What's wrong with Syracuse basketball?' I don't think there's anything wrong," he said. "They've got tremendous players. It's an exhibition game. They're young. They're going to be terrific."
]]> WSYR_SU_Sports Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:03:00 GMT Le Moyne gets attention from basketball win over SU http://www.9wsyr.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=273100@wixt.dayport.com SU football coach announces WR Williams leaving team http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/SU-football-coach-announces-WR-Williams-leaving/jnCIdjRYmkGvlSrdHEsmBg.cspx?rss=1526 http://www.9wsyr.com:80/content/sports/su_sports/story/SU-football-coach-announces-WR-Williams-leaving/jnCIdjRYmkGvlSrdHEsmBg.cspx?rss=1526 Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone announced at his Monday morning press conference that star wide receiver Mike Williams has left the team for unknown reasons.

Williams had been suspended for the game against Akron for violating team rules; he was sidelined all of last season after being accused of cheating on a test.

In the press conference, Marrone said Williams came to his office in the morning to say he was leaving the team immediately.

Marrone said he did not know if Williams had also left school and the university was unable to confirm that.

Coming into Saturday’s game at the Carrier Dome, Williams was ranked as one of the top receivers in the Big East.

]]> WSYR_SU_Sports Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:23:16 GMT SU football coach announces WR Williams leaving team http://www.9wsyr.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=273039@wixt.dayport.com