November 2008 | Page 12 of 21 | Zagsblog
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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Saturday / November 23.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Despite a slew of cramps, poor foul shooting and a pesky opponent, Rutgers narrowly escaped with a 63-61 victory in its season opener against Marist at the Rutgers Athletic Center.

A win is a win, but this one came against a team projected to finish last in the 10-team MAAC.

Rutgers was picked 12th in the brutal 16-team Big East.

“We’re not going to blame it on cramps, we’re not going to blame it on anything other than that it was a heck of a hard fought game,” Rutgers head coach Fred Hill said. “And I’m really proud of the guys, especially young guys on the floor, that made plays down the stretch.”

Michael Snaer, a 6-foot-4 senior shooting guard from Rancho Verde High in Moreno Valley, Calif., announced his school on Friday. And it wasn’t Kansas.

Snaer announced on ESPNU that he will play for Florida State.

“I really like (FSU coach) Leonard Hamilton,” Snaer said on air. “He’s a really good coach, and I like the way he interacts with all his players,” Snaer told ESPNU. “They have a really good trust system going on, and he’s a really good coach. I like the atmosphere up there, and I like being around all the players and all the coaches.”

This means Kansas is still hunting for a wing player among a group that includes Xavier Henry, Dominic Cheek and Lance Stephenson, all of whom have said they will wait until the spring to commit.

Omari Lawrence signed his Letter of Intent to St. John’s on Thursday, giving the Red Storm two guards signed in this class.

Dwight Hardy of Indian Hills Community College was the other.

“I signed [Thursday],” Lawrence wrote in a text message.

The 6-4 Lawrence committed in August, choosing the Johnnies over UConn, Marquette, South Florida and Providence, among others.

Also, Lawrence, who separated his shoulder over the summer, was cleared by doctors to play this year at South Kent.

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