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THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012
MEN'S BASKETBALL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Craft and Taylor go head to head offensively
PAT STRATHMAN
pstrathman@kansan.com
STATS
REGULAR SEASON 8.8 PPG
4. 7 APG
34% 3'S
51% FG
71% FT'S
CAREER HIGH 15 ASSISTS AGAINST GEORGE MASON IN 2011
6 TO'S AGAINST INDIANA
NCAA TOURNAMENT
10. 2 PPG
4 RPG
5. 7 APG
47% FG
Aaron Craft vs Tyshawn Taylor
2-83'S
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
The sophomore guard can be a threat offensively, but Aaron Craft is known for his defense. Craft became Ohio State's third Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year. He holds the all-time record for season steals with 95, topping Mike Conley Jr.'s mark of 87 back in 2007.
When needed, Craft can become a lethal offensive player. Against Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament, he notched his first career double-double with 17 points and 10 assists. Craft will need to disrupt Taylor early and often, but will also have to score crucial points if the Buckeyes offense lags.
Tyshawn Taylor's play was a question mark in non-conference play. Now the question is answered.
The senior guard continues to improve offensively. The Bob Cousy Award finalist has scored 20 or more points in five of his last nine games. After a six-point performance against North Carolina State, Taylor responded with 22 points against North Carolina.
Now the bad news is that Taylor is still looking for his first three pointer in the NCAA Tournament. Taylor will have to make some threes and control the ball this Saturday.
Edited by Amanda Gage
STATS REGULAR SEASON 16.7 PPG
4. 7 APG
38. 5% 3'S
48. 2% FG
68. 2% FT'S
CAREER HIGH 13 ASSISTS AGAINST OHIO STATE THIS YEAR
11 TO'S AGAINST DUKE NCAA TOURNAMENT
12 PPG
5 RPG
3. 8 APG
42% FG
0-17 3'S
NBA
Carmelo Anthony leads Knicks to success against Magic
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK (AP) — Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks climbed above .500 for the first time since mid-January in overwhelming fashion, scoring 21 straight points in the third quarter and routing the Orlando Magic 108-86 on Wednesday night.
Anthony and Iman Shumpert each scored 25 points for the Knicks (26-25), who won for the eighth time in nine games despite playing without the injured Amare Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin. New York outscored Orlando 65-30 in the middle two quarters and has a winning record for the first time since it was 6-5 before a loss to
Oklahoma City on Jan. 14.
The Knicks moved 2 1/2 games ahead of Milwaukee for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and pulled within 2 1/2 of Philadelphia and Boston for first place in the Atlantic Division. New York could get Stoudenmire back before the end of the season, announcing Wednesday that he could
be back in two to four weeks after non-surgical treatment for a bulging disk in his back.
Anthony knows he must step up until then without Stoudemire and Lin (sore left knee), and he had his second straight strong performance since they were hurt. Anthony scored 28 points Monday, and would have easily surpassed
that had he not been limited to 26 minutes.
Playing despite a strained right groin, Anthony shot 9 of 15, his jumper that has been off all season falling in a third-quarter flurry that blew open the game.
Janee Nelson scored 17 points and JI Redick had 15 for the Magic, who had their three-game winning
streak snapped, Ryan Anderson, who made seven 3-pointers and scored a career-high 30 points in the Magic's 102-93 victory here Jan. 16, took just four shots and scored three points.
The Knicks built a big lead by outscoring Orlando 32-12 in the second quarter, then made it a blowout in the third.
Ellis, a four-time Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year, led Wichita Heights to four consecutive 6A State Championships. He is the 32nd Jayhawk to be named a McDonald's All-American and ninth under coach Bill Self. Earlier this season, Ellis passed former Kansas center Greg Dreiling as the all-time leading scorer in Wichita City League history.
Perry Ellis, a Wichita forward who signed with Kansas on Nov. 9, 2011, participated in the 35th annual McDonald's All-American High School Basketball game on March 28 at 8:30 p.m. in Chicago's United Center. ESPN will televised the game.
Basketball signee plays in All-American game
Ellis, 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds, will begin playing for the Jayhawks next season and is expected to be an immediate and regular contributor in Self's rotation.
Y
-Max Rothman