Top 25 Ranking Both New & Familiar to Villanova
By JOSH VERLIN Jay Wright is used to Villanova
By JOSH VERLIN Jay Wright is used to Villanova
By ALEX KLINE
Special to ZAGSBLOG
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — On a night when Indiana coach Tom Crean said he was “disgusted” and “disappointed,” freshman Noah Vonleh was about the only bright spot for the Hoosiers.
The 6-foot-10 Vonleh went for 17 points and 6 rebounds as Indiana lost to No. 4 Syracuse, 69-52, in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at the Carrier Dome.
“The second half we just got away from what we were doing in the first half,” said Vonleh, who scored 13 points at the line.
Syracuse went on a 12-0 second-half run after Vonleh tied it at 33.
By ALEX KLINE
Special to ZAGSBLOG
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Coming off their first true tests of the season en route to winning the Maui Invitational, the No. 4 Syracuse Orange had another one ahead of them in the team whose season they spoiled last season with a 61-50 win in the Sweet 16.
On the shoulders of freshman point guard Tyler Ennis and redshirt sophomore shooting guard Trevor Cooney, the Orange knocked off Indiana, 69-52, in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge to keep them undefeated on the year.
Syracuse (8-0) has now beaten Indiana five times in a row.
While the team performance was impressive in general, the play of Ennis and Cooney, who have not received attention around college basketball nationally like others, was the deciding factor. The two complement each other’s game on the court and made a major statement with 15 NBA scouts watching on.
“Those kids have really played well,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said following the victory. “One is a first-year player and the other guy didn’t play a lot last year. I don’t think you could ask them to play on a higher level than what they played. It’s really amazing the level they have played. They have really picked up the whole team. I don’t think you can say enough about the way they played this year.”
By JACK LeGWIN & ADAM ZAGORIA
Rashad Vaughn has added Kentucky back on his list after Wildcats assistant Orlando Antigua checked in on him Tuesday night at Findlay Prep.
“Yeah,” the 6-foot-5 Vaughn told SNY.tv by text.
Vaughn had previously cut his list to seven schools — Arizona, Baylor, Kansas, Iowa State, Minnesota, North Carolina and UNLV.
Having missed out on Stanley Johnson (Arizona), Kelly Oubre (Kansas) and James Blackmon Jr. (Indiana), Kentucky is searching for another wing to join a class that includes point guard Tyler Ulis, big man Karl Towns Jr., and Devin Booker, a natural shooting guard.
Having checked out 2015 guard Isaiah Briscoe earlier this week, Kentucky watched 2015 center Stephen Zimmerman Tuesday night at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman.
The news that Orlando Antigua would watch the 7-foot Zimmerman was first reported by Ben Roberts, and confirmed by Zimmerman’s stepmom.
“Yes, for our first game,” Lori Zimmerman said. “They text or call at least once a week, usually more.”
2015 forward Chase Jeter also plays for Gorman, but he told SNY.tv that Kentucky is not currently recruiting him.
Having finished school at the Australian Institute of Sport, Dante Exum “is setting up meetings with several prominent agents over the next month in Australia to discuss representation for the 2014 NBA Draft,” sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
The reports says the 6-foot-6 Exum is expected to come to the U.S. in February to begin training for the Draft.
“I want to make a decision by February,” Exum told the Sydney Morning Herald on Monday. “It shouldn’t be too hard [a decision] to make.”
Exum has previously indicated he may take some visits to American colleges in the coming months, with Indiana, North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan and Oregon making his list of finalists.
By JOHN F. SILVER STORRS, Conn. — Shabazz
