via media.syracuse.com

View full size photo »

For a clear, concise explanation of what happened today when the Syracuse Orange took on the St. Francis Terriers, let's turn to SU guard Scoop Jardine:

cuse win over the st. fraincs i think that there name...anyway they had slow start didnt play well but rebound themselves won by +20 and cont..to move on......scoop jardine played 19 min score only three points with 9 asst. and 2 steals.....9 asst. n 19 min hmmmm think about it...need i say jason kid...hmmm think about it....go scoop

You need not say Jason Kid.  It's understood. Or is it Jason, kid.

For a less direct explanation of Syracuse's 75-51 win over the Terriers... (boxscore)

Arinze Onuaku scored 14 points and Wes Johnson added 12 with nine rebounds and four blocks, as seventh-ranked Syracuse defeated St. Francis-NY, 75-51, at the Carrier Dome.

Rick Jackson totaled 11 points, six boards and three assists for the Orange, who are off to their first 10-0 start since 1999-2000, when the program won its first 19 games. Mookie Jones contributed 10 points for the victors.

"We played well together," said Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. "We had 24 assists again tonight -- everyone has been very unselfish, looking for each other. We work hard and we are getting better, we just have to keep improving."

According to Jim Boeheim, Syracuse is "getting better."  Fear things, rest of the nation.

Mookie Jones got 21 minute of action and scored ten points, perhaps that will date him for a little while as he continues to wrestle with the playing time blues.

"I wish I knew my role,’’ Jones said. "I’m always ready. I really don’t know my role. I hope we find it by the time the Big East gets here. I just want to contribute. It’s kind of hard. You sit down one game and then you come in the next game.’’

"It’s depressing down there just sitting,’’ Jones said. "It’s a long game. You learn a lot from sitting down. You cheer the team on and all that. But when you know you’re a good player and you work hard every day, you give 100 percent everyday, it’s hard to sit down.’’

With the schedule about to get much tougher and Boeheim's rotation about to get even smaller in the coming weeks, expect Mookie's displeasure to rise.  Ah, youth...so unable to see the forest for the trees.