High-powered foursome for Jimmy V Classic
Kalin Lucas' Michigan State team will face tough competition at the Jimmy V Classic with No. 4 Kansas, No. 13 Memphis and No. 8 Syracuse also involved. Credit: AP
It's still early in the college basketball season, but the four teams gathered Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden for the Jimmy V Classic doubleheader benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer represents the most high-powered collection of talent seen anywhere this side of the NCAA Tournament. No. 4 Kansas (7-0) faces No. 13 Memphis (7-0) in the 7 p.m. game followed by No. 7 Michigan State (6-2) against No. 8 Syracuse (8-0) in the nightcap.
"It is a pretty high quality doubleheader field," Kansas coach Bill Self said Monday. "Probably the best that we've had so far."
All four teams are working out the kinks and blending in new players. Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim is playing four freshmen in his top eight, including centers Fab Melo and Baye Moussa Keita, guard Dion Waiters and forward C.J. Fair. Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine were two of the top subs in the country last year, but now they must assume larger starting roles.
Jardine is averaging 11.0 points and 7.0 assists, but his shooting percentage has dropped from 48.9 to 32.1 overall and from 38.9 three-point shooting to 28.2. "He's played better than he did last year," Boeheim said of Jardine. "He just hasn't shot the ball well, and he's been getting good shots . . . I think we can shoot it better, and I think that will be a big key for us the rest of the year."
Michigan State has two losses, at No. 1 Duke and against No. 6 Connecticut at the Maui Invitational, and coach Tom Izzo admitted the 28 minutes a game star Kalin Lucas is averaging after coming off Achilles surgery last March probably is too much this early. He's working freshmen Keith Appling and Adreian Payne into a rotation behind veteran leaders Durrell Summers, Draymond Green and Korie Lucious, who took over Lucas' point guard role after the injury last year and helped lead the Spartans to the Final Four.
"The NCAA Tournament gave Korie a lot of confidence that he can do it on big stages in big games," Izzo said. "He's better with the ball, and he's always been a great assist man. He's starting to shoot it again. It would be better for us if we can play those two together and he can take some of the weight off Kalin's shoulders at times."
Although Kansas has a veteran team, several players are stepping into larger roles, including leading scorer Marcus Morris (18.6 ppg) and point guard Tyshawn Taylor (10.4 ppg, 6.7 apg). Highly touted freshman guard Josh Selby won't debut until Dec. 18 while finishing a nine-game suspension for accepting improper benefits.
Self's squad will be facing a young Memphis team that has five freshmen in its top seven in minutes played led by guards Joe Jackson (12.1 ppg) and Wil Barton (11.9). "I think our team has some deficiencies and I think Memphis will give us a better gauge of where we're at," Self said. "More importantly, it's always good to be a part of something that's bigger than the program, and participating in the Jimmy V Classic is just that."
