A&M falls to Syracuse in Bahamas

NASSAU, Bahamas – Senior guard Michael Gbinije came up big for Syracuse when it mattered most, finishing with 20 points – including four 3-pointers – to help Syracuse edge No. 25 Texas A&M 74-67 in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game. Four other players also scored in double figures, including Sam Cassell, Jr., who may have had his coming-out party after missing most of last season due to injury by knocking down a trio of 3-pointers and netting 11 points.

ST. JOHN’S 100, CHAMINADE 93 (at Lahaina, Hawaii) – Freshman Federico Mussini scored a season-high 24 points and junior forward Christian Jones had career highs of 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Red Storm in the seventh-place game of the Maui Invitational.

Michigan, which led 44-22 at halftime, got 19 points from Moritz Wagner. However, this matchup at Paradise Island in the Bahamas was unique in many different ways.

“It doesn’t frustrate me one bit”, he said. We have to do a better job starting the game, particularly against good teams. Zak Irvin will surely get better as the year goes on, but is still catching up after so much time off.

“I was pleased with the way we bounced back in the second half”, said Charlotte head coach Mark Price after the game. However, soon after, MI would revert back to the same team we saw last time out. MI managed to finally cut the lead to single digits with 3:14 to play in the second half, but the late comeback effort was too little too late. Cooney played the entire game against the Aggies, with Gbinije logging 37 minutes. “Mike and Trevor were really in control of the game”.

But after the score was tied at 61, the Orange outscored the Aggies 13-6 over the final 5:38. By the time the buzzer sounded, we had somehow climbed out of the ten point hole we had been in to tie the game at 34. The Huskies shot 15-of-26 (57.7 percent) from the floor in the first half.

Jamal Murray went for 21 points and three assists without a turnover at No. 1 Kentucky rolled over South Florida. The Orange used consistent and timely scoring from here on out to pull off the impressive victory.

“When we shoot like that, we don’t need a lot of people”, Boeheim said.

The Orangemen’s famous zone defense forced UConn out of its offensive rhythm, late in the first half, and early in the second, and they built a 10-point lead with less than seven minutes to play.

The Orange finished 11-of-25 from behind the three point line. “I think that’s the one rule change I think is really a bad change”.

UConn coach Kevin Ollie said discipline was important for his team against the feisty Wolverines.

It was hardly the greatest game the two have ever played in their 92 meetings.

Syracuse were not allowed to compete in a post-season tournament in 2014-15 following an investigation into a cheating scandal.

Uchebo led the way for Charlotte with his first double-double of the season.

Syracuse now moves on to face Texas A&M tomorrow in the Championship game.