Syracuse showed an impenetrable zone defense, that stopped Michigan St. from being able to shoot almost anything inside the paint. SU persisted and dominated solely inside the paint (Cuse was 18.2% (2-11) for three-pointers, and 44.4% field goal percentage). The team also distributed the ball far better than it has in the past, and managed to get the ball inside through MSU’s tight man-to-man defense.  Noteworthy efforts by Rick Jackson who had an outstanding game with 17 points and 16 rebounds and Scoop Jardine with 19 points, 3 assists, 2 steals, Kris Joseph with 14 points, 4 steals, 4 rebounds, and Brandon Triche with 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 9 points.

Rick Jackson, Syracuse University vs. Michigan State

However, in terms of the Big East, we have some exceptional teams this year, UConn (6) finally being among them, not to mention Pitt (3), Nova (12), Gtown (10), and Notre Dame (23), Louisville and West Virginia are also receiving strong votes in both polls. So Syracuse is going to have an exciting season if they continue to keep it up and are certainly proving to Coach Boeheim that they are capable of being a respectable team.

While cuse will be meeting gtown again on the 18th (Feb.) in D.C., they do not have a terribly difficult schedule for a while. They don’t play nova until February 27th… But whether he feels it or not, the cuse are certainly looking like a very special team of Boeheim’s!

As thousands of school children from around the area of Purchase, NY, have attended day performances and support their classmates, many of them have come out with changed views, and a magical experience. Even the teachers were saying how wonderful it is to have such a great performance.

The Nutcracker, performed by the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase has been selling quite a few tickets,  but it’s not too late. I highly recommending going, and bringing children. It is without a doubt one of the greatest college productions of The Nutcracker you are going to ever see.

As well as, Pennsylvania Ballet Principles, Julie Diana and Zachary Hench are going to be performing the Grand Pas de Deux, as the roles of Queen of the Sugar Plums and Cavalier, as quests artists. The upper-class-men of  the conservatory had been playing the roles for the children’s shows, which were extremely impressive. However, PA Ballet principles will without a doubt be sensational!

If you are looking for something fun, entertaining and purely charming, I recommend going to see The Nutcracker!

For Ticket Information: Visit the website, or call the Performing Arts Center’s Box Office (hours 10AM-6PM m-f) at (914).251.6200.

There are performances on the following dates:

Friday, December 4, 2009 7:15PM, Saturday, December 5, 2009 2PM & 7PM, Sunday, December 6, 2009 1PM & 5PM

They have won six consecutive games, after the slightly embarrassing loss to LeMoyne. BUT, the orange have been back with a 85-60 victory against Columbia University on Friday after beating Cornell which was nabbed Coach Boeheim his 805th win!

All the players are starting to come into their zone, and playing like a true team. While they are still turning over more than we would like to see, they are starting to get more consistent as a team and can rely on some players all the time, like transfer junior Wes Johnson, who has turned out to be one of the team’s all-around greatest and most dependable players. As well as the fact that he can make his free-throws. Andy Rautins, who has always shown great aptitude for three-pointers, and is renowned for his unselfish assists; is 3rd, nationally for average steals (4), and 27th in 3-point field goal percentage (.512). Lastly Arinze Onuaku, our all time favorite, is 5th in field goal percentage (.709).

The undefeated 7th ranked team is putting up some fantastic numbers, such as No. 1 in most assists per game (23) and 5th in blocked shots per game (7.9) among quite a few others.

Fortunately, I must say, I had predicted last year (check the archives) that SU could be winning the NCAA Tournament. I will stick by my statement, even though it was for different reasons. But Syracuse is certainly looking impressive! So get geared up for some sensational college hoops this season!

i know there was a lot of hype built up last year – as we were thinking that johnny flynn might stay as long as paul harris did. well it turns out we lost paul harris and eric devendorf on top of flynn which was somewhat tragic. the ‘cuse even lost their second home exhibition game against the division II threat, the le moyne dolphins.

but there is some hope, with the major win against suny albany, 75-43 (on top of their first win against CSULA (97-54)). where the orange started to look like they were pulling together some sort of zone, as opposed to the defense that hardly looked man-to-man against le moyne.

the transfer from iowa st., junior, wesley johnson has been putting up some good numbers for the ‘cuse, and actually hits his free throws. johnson seems to be gaining confidence every game and is starting to look like a clutch player for the orange this season.

among the returning players, andy rautins, arinze onuaku, kris joseph and rick jackson are getting some playing time. jackson is playing a lot and probably taking harris’ position of being the key rebounder? rautins went down in the albany game with a twisted ankle, he should be alright. joseph is still playing with faulty passing, like last year; but can score. arinze has yet to improve his free throw percentage, although all the fans are rooting for him. all the returning players seem to be lacking some confidence, which hopefully will return soon. feisty red-shirted sophomore, scoop jardine has also returned and is getting some playing time. but is also contributing to the massive amount of turnovers the ‘cuse is suffering.

for the new players, we have a few that are already looking good. of the freshman there is, mookie jones, the 6-6′ forward from peekskill new york, brandon triche from jamesville-dewitt, who used to play with andy rautins in high school, as well as his uncle (disputable) used to play with leo rautins for the ‘cuse.

we will have to keep watching and hope the cuse start to get their act together!

i appreciate those who have glanced at lizzie lane live in the past! and i will be coming back shortly!

no sign of eric devendorf. he would have benefited from staying another year – at the very least from a maturity stand point. but, cuse fans are sad to see them go. especially flynn.
we’ll have to see how it goes for flynn as he was the timberwolves second draft pick after number 5, ricky rubio of spain, who played in the 2008 olympics which we all know won the silver medal to the u.s.
it will certainly be interesting!

But it ultimately was the following week when the injuries starting happening and the programs started to fill up with the little white slips showing the understudy(ies) name(s). Sarah Mearns was one to take a fall last week and is most likely going to be out for a little while. The up-and-coming Kaitlyn Gilliland was out on Friday for her debut in the Wheeldon ballet After the Rain. She had previously undergone knee surgery. However, I did see Savannah Lowery do a lovely job in place of her.

Among the others, we will have to wait and see how everything works out. Honestly, they looked somewhat out of shape, except for the always mentionable Wendy Whelan, who never seems to show age, and is acrobatically flawless, she also danced with a charming Craig Hall who I had not seen much of, but really enjoyed the two of them together in the pas de deux, Spiegel Im Spiegel (Arvo Pärt).

Maria Kowroski is always worth mentioning, especially on Friday she did a fantastic job in the Firebird role, she certainly worth seeing this season in that role, although she has a couple other good castings coming up. Kowroski never ceases to amaze me with her lines and extension. She is always a very convincing bird. (As I saw her in the Winter season as Odette in Swan Lake). Partnered by chivalrous Ask La Cour.

But the real recommendation from my opinions is to go to — well, I can’t actually decide very well — the spring season is just generally looking very good. But I would definitely hit the ballet up this weekend it is going to be good. The Saturday Matinee looks incredible: with 5 exceptional pieces: Scotch Symphony (Balanchine), Monumentum pro Gesualdo (Balanchine), Movements for Piano and Orchestra (Balanchine), Tarantella (Balanchine), and lastly Alexi Ratmansky’s piece (current resident choreographer at Ballet Theatre) Concerto DSCH. It will be very good, I highly recommend it!

we thought johnny flynn was staying after his announcements – we were wrong about that one = has an agent. no more best point guard in the country. but good luck with that one flynn. no one is rooting for you. you should have stayed and not shattered my dreams of syracuse being the ncaa champions!

another surprise was eric devendorf, the red-shirted senior (or would be a senior) has now gotten himself an agent as well. and this is quite a surprise. we were all questioning johnny flynn, but not eric devendorf. i feel like we are going to end up with a bunch of carmello anthony attituded players on nba teams. although what happened to donte greene? is he starting?

and while i am in the sarcastic mood and frustrated beyond belief at these players. (although it is understandable i suppose) i am thinking to myself paul harris? where is your agent? wouldn’t harris be one of the first people to do something kind of stupid like his classmates? or andy rautins? you feeling lucky?

well i wish flynn and devendorf the best at the draft. although quite honestly, this was one of the best senior classes that graduated from men’s college basketball. i don’t think many of the teams are going to be that mature this upcoming season. but i still am excited that something wonderful might happen to syracuse someday. (we do have a new point guard coming in from JD (rautins’s high school)). so hopefully this is our year cuse fans.

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