TUCSON, Ariz. -- Lauri Markkanen dropped a bounce pass to Dusan Ristic, setting up his fellow big man for an easy basket to open the game. The 7-footer from Finland scored his first points on a dunk , then stepped out and swished a 3-pointer.In a season of fabulous freshmen, Markkanen is already making a name for himself.Markkanen hit five 3-pointers while scoring 19 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out five assists, helping No. 16 Arizona bounce back from its first loss of the season with an 85-63 rout of Texas Southern on Wednesday night.If hes hitting the outside shot like that, theres not much you can do about it, Texas Southern coach Mike Davis said.Arizona (6-1) had no letdown after losing to Butler last week, jumping on the Tigers (4-3) from the opening tip. The Wildcats built a 13-point lead in the opening 5 minutes and were up 19 by halftime, cruising to the 37th straight non-conference win at McKale Center.Kobi Simmons had 15 points and Kadeem Allen finished with 14 points and seven assists for Arizona.The only bad news for the Wildcats was that starting point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright did not return after spraining his right ankle in the first half. Arizona coach Sean Miller said Cartwright could be out a considerable amount of time, a big blow to a team already struggling with injuries.Someone could get hurt tomorrow, again, Miller said. Thats just the way it is.Zach Lofton led Texas Southern with 19 points and Jalan McCloud added 14.The Wildcats and Tigers met once, a 93-72 win by Arizona in the second round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament.Arizona raced to a 15-2 lead in that game and did the exact same thing to the Tigers in the rematch.We just got overwhelmed early, Davis said. It was the best team and biggest crowd weve seen this season and we played pretty tight, and they played really well.Scoring in transition , on 3-pointers and passes inside by their big men, the Wildcats made 20 of 35 shots in the first half and led 45-26. Markkanen was on the mark, hitting all three of his 3-point attempts to score 11 points by halftime.Arizona rolled from there, never letting the lead dip under 16 points.BIG PICTURETexas Southern stood little chance of hanging with the long, athletic Wildcats, but the experience could help them once the SWAC season starts.Arizona responded nicely to its loss to Butler last week, shooting 62 percent and hitting 8 of 14 from 3-point range to roll over an opponent it was supposed to beat.CARTWRIGHTS INJURYCartwright was injured with 12:27 left in the first half after getting tangled on a screen. He was called for a foul and limped off to the bench.Arizona twice turned to walk-on Tyler Trillo with Jackson-Cartwright out.A prolonged injury could be bad news for the already-short-handed Wildcats. Guard Allonzo Trier has yet to play this season due to unspecified reasons and forward Ray Smith ended his career after suffering a third torn ACL during an exhibition game.TIGER OF A SCHEDULETexas Southern has one of the most difficult schedules for a non-power program in the country, a move designed to improve its RPI coming out of the SWAC.The Tigers open the season with 16 straight road games and in addition to Arizona, will face No. 14 Louisville, No. 9 Baylor, Cincinnati, LSU and TCU before starting conference play on Jan. 2.We just want to get better every game, Davis said. Now they see the level that you have to be at, how hard you have to work.ALLEY-OOP TRADEAllen and Simmons took turns feeding each other with alley-oop pases in Arizonas highlight-reel-filled first half.Simmons found Allen first, then it was Allens turn to hit his teammate , both bringing the McKale Center crowd to their feet.UP NEXTTexas Southern plays at Southern Illinois on Saturday.Arizona plays at No. 9 Gonzaga on Saturday.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25. Custom Kings Jersey China . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. Wholesale Custom Kings Shirts . But when it comes to determining if Raymond will find a place on the Leafs roster when training camp concludes in a week, well, that decision will ultimately fall to the head coach. http://www.customnhlkingsjersey.com/custom-rob-blake-jersey-large-73w.html . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. Authentic Custom Kings Jersey . The Masters champion and winner of last weeks Australian PGA has a three-round total of 14-under 199 at Royal Melbourne. "Im in a really good position for tomorrow," Scott said. Custom Kings T-shirts . Self was acquired from the Buffalo Bandits in a trade for Alex Hill midway through last season, and made his debut in Rochester on March 16, 2013. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- After falling behind early, Syracuse was trying to rally in the third quarter against No. 13 Louisville and the Carrier Dome crowd was alive as the Cardinals faced a third-and-18.Lamar Jackson then did what he does best.The Cardinals elusive sophomore quarterback ripped off a 33-yard run to again stun the Orange on a night of big plays. Louisville didnt extend its lead, but in the end it didnt matter.Jackson ran for four touchdowns and threw for another, and the Cardinals routed Syracuse 62-28 on Friday night in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams.He had a great game, Louisville coach Bobby Petrino said. What I was most pleased with was how well he prepared for the game. He worked extremely hard all week. He did a great job executing. He threw the ball around and ran real well. He did a great job of everything we asked him to do.Jackson, the national offensive player of the week for his performance in the opener against Charlotte, a 70-14 victory, picked up right where he left off. He hit a wide-open James Quick for a 72-yard score on the games first play from scrimmage to put the Orange defense on its heels, and it stayed there during a first-quarter blitz by Jackson and company.The elusive Jackson followed with a dazzling 72-yard touchdown run and also hit Jaylen Smith for 61 yards and Jamari Staples for 55 in the opening spree.Im not sure anybody could catch him, Syracuse coach Dino Babers said. You get mad because they couldnt catch the guy. Hes the fastest guy on the football field. He got into space. I saw him outrun contain with three guys who were exactly where they were supposed to be. He should have got tackled for a 2-yard loss and he runs all the way to the other sideline and steps out of bounds.Jackson, who was rarely pressured by a Syracuse defense that was content to lay back, also scored on runs of seven, 72 and 13 yards to give Louisville a 28-7 lead after one quarter. He had 108 yards rushing and 207 yards passing as the Cardinals (2-0) outgained the Orange 352-98 in the period, then tacked on a 9-yard scoring run in the second for a 35-7 lead. That was one for the highlight reels, with Jackson displaying hurdler-like ability with a leap over a Syracuse defender at the goal line.I had to take flight, score and get into the end zone, Jackson said. I think I did something like that in high school. I feel like I can score (on any play). I feel I can get my team in the end zone on any play.Jackson finished with 199 yards ruushing on 21 carries and was 20 for 39 for 411 yards with one interception as the Cardinals set a school record and came within 13 yards of the ACC record with 845 yards offensively.dddddddddddd It was the most ever allowed by Syracuse, eclipsing the mark of 654 by West Virginia in 1993.Eric Dungey was 25 for 51 yards for 255 yards passing and scored on a 1-yard run late in the third quarter for the Orange.Syracuse (1-1) tried to claw its way back into it with a pair of scores late in the second, both by wideout Amba Etta-Tawo in the final three minutes of the period.In the opener against Charlotte, Jackson accounted for eight touchdowns and 405 yards in the first half, then sat the second. No breather on this hot night inside the Carrier Dome.The Cardinals moved up six spots in the AP poll after their lopsided victory over Charlotte. Jackson accounted for a stunning 405 yards and eight touchdowns, six passing in the first half of that game. Another jump is on the way next week.THE TAKEAWAYLOUISVILLE: The Cardinals proved the opening week was no fluke. Theyre for real, and as long as Jackson stays healthy the Atlantic Division of the ACC promises to be more interesting. Jacksons only concern on offense might be his receivers, who had six drops in the first half and more in the second.STAT LINE: Louisville averaged 10.4 yards per play.HE SAID IT: I did good, I guess, but I still have some improvement. I threw a lot of bad balls. Lot of bad reads, but I think I did all right. -- Louisville quarterback Jackson.SYRACUSE: The defense wasnt tested in the opener against FCS Colgate. It was by the Cardinals, early and often. The Orange has a lot of work ahead on both sides of the ball, but showed some grit by not caving under the early barrage. The up-tempo offense of Babers gained 426 yards and ran 93 plays and the Orange have found a go-to guy in Etta-Tawo, who has 19 catches for 314 yards in two games. The Orange also could use some semblance of a run game after gaining just 104 yards on 39 carries, it second straight subpar performance.UP NEXTLOUISVILLE: The Cardinals get their first true test of the young season when they host No. 3 Florida State on Sept. 17.SYRACUSE: The Orange host South Florida on Sept. 17, their third straight home game.---AP College Football Website: www.collegefootball.org---Follow Kekis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Greek1947 ' ' '
