...Jardine #11, and Wes Johnson #4 of the Syracuse Orange celebrate during the championship game of the 2K...

It's hard not to be impressed by the Orange

...Cuse team that was missing from last season's Sweet 16 version. I took plenty of flak for what I wrote about Syracuse on Friday morning. It wasn't that I thought the Orange...

Blog Entry | Conversation | November 21, 2009

Nov 19, 2009; New York, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange forward Wesley Johnson (4) grabs rebound during the...

Syracuse opens second half with 22-1 run to topple North Carolina

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 North Carolina (No. 4 ESPN/USA Today, No. 6 AP) in the championship game of the 2K Sports Classic.

...YORK - NOVEMBER 20: Wes Johnson #4 of the Syracuse Orange celebrates after defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels...

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 20: The Syracuse Orange celebrate after defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels...

...is fouled by Rick Jackson #00 of the Syracuse Orange during the championship game of the 2K Sports...

Not to rain on Syracuse's parade, but …

...of overreactions, I give you Syracuse University. From a preseason loss...I heard praise for the Orange ranging from, "We should win...Syracuse's dominating win. 3. Cuse's zone is just OK...

Blog Entry | Conversation | November 20, 2009

Johnson shines in Big Apple spotlight

For a year, we heard how good he was. Transfer Wesley Johnson wasn't able to play, but he was putting on a show at Syracuse practice. Playing against UNC in the Big Apple is not exactly practice. Yet he's still putting on a show.

Let's remember: It's still just November

Some teams look unbeatable. Some look awful. Some conferences look great. Some not so much. But are we really ready to make definitive statements after just one full week of games? Let's hold off on that.

Syracuse tops Cal to reach 2K Sports Classic final

Scoop Jardine scored a career-high 22 points, Wes Johnson had 17 points and 11 rebounds and Syracuse raced past California 95-73 in the semifinals of the 2K Sports Classic.

Nov 19, 2009; New York, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange forward Brandon Triche (25) brings the ball up...

Nov 19, 2009; New York, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange guard Scoop Jardine (11) brings the ball up...

...Jerome Randle (3) works the ball in against Syracuse Orange guard Andy Rautins (1) at the 2K Sports...

Ebanks epitomizes players with volatile stock

...be a top pick. High Point: Top 10 Low Point: Late first round. Wesley Johnson, G/F, Syracuse Johnson got off to a terrific start at Iowa State three years ago and scouts were buzzing...

Blog Entry | Conversation | November 19, 2009