San Jose, CA

For a second straight year, a cloud of controversy hangs over the Syracuse University basketball team as it begins play in the NCAA Tournament.

It was reported that the NCAA was conducting a wide-ranging investigation into the basketball program.

"Same story they had last year at this time,'' said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim.

Last year, a Syracuse team that was seeded No. 1 in the East Region and had aspirations of a Final Four run had to deal with the unexpected loss of a key player in the days leading up to the tournament.

Fab Melo, Syracuse's starting center and the Big East's Defensive Player of the Year, was ruled ineligible just two days prior to the Orange's opening round game against UNC Asheville.

Syracuse easily defeated Big Sky Conference champion Montana in the NCAA Tournament here in San Jose on Thursday, and Boeheim said the NCAA story would not pose a distraction.

The Montana Grizzlies went 25-6 this season and tore through the Big Sky Conference with a 19-1 record before losing to Syracuse 81-34. This was their third NCAA Tournament appearance in the last four.

"I just think they're a really good, well-balanced basketball team,'' Boeheim said. "I think they move the ball really well offensively. They shoot it from the perimeter extremely well. I think that offensively they're a really good basketball team.''

Syracuse had lost four of its last five regular season games, but won three straight games in the Big East Tournament before losing to Louisville in the championship game.

Syracuse's run to the title game included wins over Pittsburgh and Georgetown. The Orange had gone 0-3 against those clubs in the regular season.

Brandon Triche scored 20 points, C.J. Fair added 13 and the fourth-seeded Orange shut down No. 13 seed Montana with their zone defense in a 81-34 victory in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Thursday night

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Syracuse Basketball in another NCAA Probe