2012 » had won, it would have been the first time in the Open Era, at an

Last spring, after Syracuse lost the top three scorers (Michael Gbinije, Trevor Cooney and Malachi Richardson) from its surprise Final Four team, it appeared the Orange would have a difficult time even making the NCAA Tournament this season.Then the Orange added fifth-year graduate transfers Andrew White (Nebraska) and John Gillon (Colorado State) and top-100 recruit Taurean Thompson to a roster that features returning stars Tyler Lydon and Tyler Roberson and freshman sensation Tyus Battle, and suddenly CBS Sports is calling Syracuse a dark horse national title contender.But as the 19th-ranked Orange prepare to face Colgate in the season opener for both teams Friday (7 p.m. ET) at the Carrier Dome, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim is trying to tap the brakes on the expectations.The only place where people are picking us to be a Final Four team is in Syracuse. Thats fandom, said Boeheim, who is starting his 41st year at the Orange helm. Thats a good thing; we like that. But I dont think the rest of the country is picking us anywhere. I hope the people who are thinking those crazy things around here are right. But we wont know for a while, thats for sure.Colgate is the Oranges most familiar foe, as the New York State teams will meet for the 169th time. However, the series is far from a rivalry, as Atlantic Coast Conference member Syracuse has won 50 consecutive meetings and hasnt lost to the Raiders since 1962.For Colgate, which finished 13-17 overall and 9-9 in the Patriot League last season, the opener is part of a demanding non-conference schedule that includes a visit to Notre Dame and a three-game swing to the state of South Carolina.Our schedule gives us a chance to travel to some great places and compete against teams who know what it takes to accomplish what all programs strive for -- competing in the postseason, third-year Colgate coach Matt Langel said.Picked to finish sixth out of 10 teams in the Patriot League preseason poll, Colgate returns four starters: junior forwards Jordan Swopshire (10.6 points per game) and Tom Rivard (10.6 ppg), sophomore forward/center Malcolm Regisford (5.7 ppg and a team-best 5.9 rebounds per game); and junior guard Sean OBrien (8.6 ppg). Colgate lost graduated guard Austin Tillotson, the teams leading scorer (15.1 ppg) who is now playing professionally in Europe.For Syracuse, with starting point guard Frank Howard, Battle, White and Gillon in the backcourt, and starting center DaJuan Coleman, 7-foot-2 center Paschal Chukwu, Lydon, Roberson and Thompson in the frontcourt, Boeheim can go big or small, fast or half-court, and he wont have to worry too much if someone other than perhaps Lydon picks up a few early fouls.Boeheim also has the kind of the depth that will enable him to press more and perhaps even play some man-to-man, although the 2/3 zone will remain Syracuses primary defense.We can do everything, especially defensively since we are really long, said Battle, who scored a combined 33 points in the Oranges exhibition wins over Indiana University of Pennsylvania and LeMoyne College. We really get after it on offense since we have a lot of options. We have shooters. We have big men down low. Everyone on this team has the potential to get playing time.Replica Air Max .com) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to halt their longest losing streak of the season when they host the struggling New York Islanders in tonights clash at the Bell Centre. Air Max From China . It might not have mattered. While the Dodgers are preparing for the playoffs, the Padres showed their future has promise behind two rookies. https://www.airmaxchina.us/ . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the best 10-game start in team history. Cheap Air Max . Schenn scored the game-winning goal and added two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday. Fake Air Max . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments.NEW YORK -- This one will stick with Daniel Evans for a long time.The Briton twice led world No. 3 Stan Wawrinka by a set and had a match point in the fourth-set tiebreaker but went on to lose the biggest match of his life 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 7-6(8), 6-2.Just a bit of a heartbreaker really, Evans later told a press conference. I dont really know what to say. It was a tough one to take. Probably hurt a bit for a while. Disappointing how it played out.Evans left Louis Armstrong Stadium to a standing ovation after a warm exchange with the Swiss at the net. But his mind was still dwelling on those missed opportunities.As well as his failing to convert a match point, the 26-year-old was left to dwell on botching what seemed to be a simple smash at 7-7 in that tiebreaker.Listen, Im thinking about that smash to put it away, he said candidly. Ive never been in that situation before, especially against someone as good as him. Its just not easy, is it? I mean, being that close, I was thinking about winning the match. Whoever says you dont think about winning the match at that point is full of it.I just hit it to the wrong side. Actually hit it down the middle. The small things in those matches make big differences. Why I hit it down the middle -- I never hit the smash ever down the middle. Its beyond me, so... Such is life.After four hours, three minutes, the two-time Grand Slam champion finally prevailed, with Evans body and mind giving up on him.I was physically pretty tired, said Evans. Subconsciously, mentally as well I was hurt a bit.dddddddddddd Just one of those things. In the fifth set, hes obviously a class opponent. I sort of knew that was the chance in the fourth set. Its just a difficult one really to take.History was on the line -- if Evans had won, it would have been the first time in the Open Era, at any Grand Slam, that three British men reached the last 16, following Andy Murray and Kyle Edmunds wins.The 26-year-old was visibly devastated at missing out, and suggested he is a doubt to feature in Britains Davis Cup semifinal due to a foot injury.Disgrace! Evans had shouted at the chair umpire, after calling for the trainer in the fifth set only to have his problem diagnosed as cramp. Its my body, not his body.The physio said I had cramp, which I didnt have, he added. My foot is sore. I actually asked for the trainer in the middle of the game, and he just wouldnt treat me. He said he was just going to treat me for the normal timeout. I didnt want to be treated by him because he was wrong.But Evans shouldnt be too disheartened. He truly arrived at this tournament -- no longer can it be considered that he has squandered his talents.He will reach a new career-high ranking near the top 50, but that will be no consolation to him right now.To come off again losing that, after being in that position, is just something I need to get out of my head pretty quick, get away for a bit, he said. I think its a good idea. ' ' '