Das Feller-Forum » play we gave up. Other than that, I

NEW YORK -- C.J. Fair didnt have many chances to be the main option for Syracuse last season. Now he has plenty. The 6-foot-8 forward has gone from the Oranges fourth option to No. 1, and he showed why Sunday in a 68-63 victory over St. Johns at Madison Square Garden. "We went to C.J., and he made a couple of tough plays. Shots that had to be made," coach Jim Boeheim said. "Hes been a key player. He wasnt our first option last year but hes always made big shots, big plays for us. We had other guys but he was developing. Hes going to get the ball and these opportunities, and hes prepared for that." Fair hit three big shots from the same spot -- about 15 feet from the basket on the right baseline. The smooth left-handed shooter tied the game from there at 58 with 6:51 to go, then he made two more in the final 3 minutes as the second-ranked Orange (10-0) were able to open a lead as big as seven points. "Im very comfortable on the baseline. I guess thats what you say is my sweet spot," he said. Since 1979, this had always been a Big East Conference game. Syracuse is now a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and St. Johns remained in the Big East. The majority of the crowd of 16,357 was rooting for Syracuse, something they used to get to do during the Big East tournament. Now, it will be a rare visit to Madison Square Garden for the Orange. "It was a great game at the Garden," Boeheim said. Fair and freshman guard Tyler Ennis both scored 21 points to lead the Orange. Ennis had 15 points in the first half as Syracuse took a 39-27 lead. The Red Storm (6-3) chipped away and were able to tie it at 53 on three free throws by Rysheed Jordan with 9:16 to go. There were then four lead changes and three ties as Syracuse became the second highly ranked team to escape this weekend. No. 1 Arizona beat Michigan 72-70 on Saturday. Ennis was "really unbelievable" in the first half, Boeheim said. "In the second half they did a much better job on him," he said. "As a freshman point guard, he is playing better than any I ever had, and Ive had a few pretty good freshman guards. If he played like a freshman, wed be 7-3. Hes been the difference in our team." DAngelo Harrison led St. Johns with 21 points on 6-of-19 shooting, including 1 of 5 from 3-point range. Jordan had a career-high 13 points for the Red Storm and JaKarr Sampson added 12. Jerami Grant scored 14 points for the Orange. This was Syracuses first true road game this season. It was the Oranges ninth straight win in the series that Syracuse leads 51-37. The Red Storm missed their first 10 attempts from 3-point range and were 1 of 15 overall. They were coming off a 104-58 victory over Fordham in which they shot 60 per cent on 3s. "The last four minutes of a game is where Syracuse separates itself," St. Johns coach Steve Lavin said. "I was very disappointed with the first half, happy with the first 16 minutes of the second half, and I really didnt like the finish. We didnt execute and didnt play with any purpose at all." Lavin referred to turnovers, forced shots and some missed free throws. The Red Storm missed four straight foul shots after taking a 60-58 lead. They were 20 for 26 from the line overall. "It hurts to lose but it hurts to lose to Syracuse in particular," Harrison said. "Certain things that you can take away from the last four minutes of the game, thats what we will watch the most." Astros Jerseys 2019 . -- Canadian ski cross star Marielle Thompson accomplished two goals in one race Saturday. Roger Clemens Astros Jersey .com) - The NBA will be on display overseas Thursday with the New York Knicks taking on the Milwaukee Bucks at O2 Arena in London. https://www.cheapastros.com/1213o-jose-altuve-jersey-astros.html . Browns advice worked. Irving scored 20 points, including seven in the fourth quarter, and Cleveland defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 88-82 Saturday night. Irving made his first shot of the night on a layup a little over three minutes into the game. Bryan Abreu Jersey . -- During Kansas shootaround on Wednesday before the Jayhawks faced Oklahoma, coach Bill Self told Wayne Selden Jr. Jim Umbricht Astros Jersey . -- Derek Jeter says the New York Yankees have no choice but to move forward now that Alex Rodriguez has accepted his suspension for the 2014 season.GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Skip the rest of the preseason. The Green Bay Packers offence seems ready for some real games. With a stable of running backs now complementing quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Packers could be as potent as ever this year. Rodgers threw for two touchdowns, Eddie Lacy rumbled for a 1-yard score on the Packers opening drive and prized free agent acquisition Julius Peppers recorded his first sack of the preseason in the Packers 31-21 victory Friday night over the Oakland Raiders. "I think were ready. I think its been a good preseason. Scored some points, moved the ball," Rodgers said. "We have 13 days until the game." That would refer to the season opener Sept. 4 in Seattle against the Super Bowl champion Seahawks. The Raiders host Seattle next week to wrap up the preseason with a few defensive injuries. The game was stopped for several minutes in the second quarter after Raiders linebacker Sio Moore was taken off the field, and coach Dennis Allen said "the initial word is really mostly a neck strain." Moore lifted a thumb to acknowledge a crowd that gave him a standing ovation while he was taken off on a stretcher. He had tests at a hospital before returning to Lambeau Field. "I dont know what kind of timeline that means, but obviously the most encouraging thing is that Sios fine," Allen said. Oakland also lost two other defensive starters to head injuries in cornerback Tarell Brown and linebacker Nick Roach. A first-team defence that allowed three touchdown drives in four possessions in the first two preseason games had its ups and down against Rodgers, who finished 9 of 20 for 139 yards playing into the second quarter. The 2011 NFL MVPs completion rate would have been higher if not for a handful of drops. He connected on touchdowns to tight end Andrew Quarless and receiver Jordy Nelson. Lacy just played in the first series, but the 2013 Offensive Rookie of the Year had the Raiders on their heels. He finished with six rushes for 36 yards and the touchdown. DuJuan Harris, third on the running back depth chart, added 56 yards on 12 carries, and added 42 yards on two catches.dddddddddddd Last years backup running back, James Starks, had nine yards on seven carries. A Raiders defence that allowed an average of 89.5 yards over the first weeks allowed 78 in the first half. "Its a long season, so with three backs we should be able to stay fresh and be able to go fast the whole season," Lacy said. Houston quarterback Matt Schaub played into the third, finishing 13 of 27 for 110 yards for Oakland. Backup Matt McGloin threw for two fourth-quarter touchdowns to Brice Butler, from 19 and 28 yards. McGloin finished 10 of 17 for 162 yards. The game inched along by the middle of the third quarter with the Packers up by three scores and backups littering both lineups. The Raiders only touchdown came on their second series of the first half after a handful of missed tackles helped Maurice Jones-Drew dart 40 yards for a score to tie it at 7. The Packers first-team defence held Oakland scoreless from there. "Yeah, really our No. 1 defence, we had that big play we gave up. Other than that, I thought we dominated the line of scrimmage," coach Mike McCarthy said. Besides the sack, Peppers also stood up Raiders running back Darren McFadden in traffic for a short gain around left end. It was just the kind of big-play production McCarthy was hoping to get from Peppers when the Packers signed the former Chicago Bear as a free agent. Green Bay did lose defensive lineman B.J. Raji to an arm injury. He remained on the sideline for much of the game with a black sleeve on his arm, and McCarthy said Raji "felt confident" about the injury. The Raiders again struggled to produce under Schaub, who was signed as a free agent from the Houston Texans. Oakland had four straight three-and-outs at one point in the first half, then turned the ball over at the Packers 26 late in the second quarter after Schaub fumbled on a sack by Nick Perry. "We better be close to being ready for the regular season here shortly," Schaub said. "Got off to a good start ... and then you know, we sort of stubbed our toe a few times there, especially in the second quarter." ' ' '