Kansas State survives, gets Syracuse next

PITTSBURGH -- Much was made before the NCAA East Regional about what losing center Fab Melo would mean to top-seeded Syracuse.

The Orange survived their game against North Carolina Asheville Thursday without the 7-foot defensive force, but the team Syracuse will play next demonstrated earlier in the day just how valuable such a player can be.

No. 8 seed Kansas State eliminated No. 9 Southern Mississippi, 70-64, largely because of the presence of Jordan Henriquez, a 6-11, 250-pound junior out of Port Chester, N.Y., who continually disrupted the Golden Eagles (25-9) near the basket.

Henriquez finished with 15 points with nine rebounds and six blocked shots.

Rodney McGruder led the Wildcats (22-10) with 30 points, shooting 11-for-16.

"When you're used to going to the rim, he really changes the game,'' said Southern Miss coach Larry Eustachy, who was making his first NCAA appearance since 2001 with Iowa State.

"When you get by somebody, you've got to get by him. He had six blocked shots, and those are all layups. That's 12 points.''

Said K-State coach Frank Martin, "I thought we kept them in front of us most times. When they did beat us off the dribble, it wasn't a blowby, which allowed Jordan to protect the rim.''

Anticipating a likely matchup against Syracuse, Martin said the Orange surely would overcome the absence of Melo, even against Kansas State.

"Fab becomes an unbelievable presence in a game,'' Martin said. "But they know what they have to do without him. It's not like this is their first rodeo without Fab . . . Coach [Jim] Boeheim has won a million and 27 games, or whatever he's won. I think he knows what he's doing.''