Vorstellung » No. 18 Syracuse.Syracuse will likely stay in the poll th

SPARTA, Ky. -- Kentucky Speedway President Mark Simendinger hopes the tracks new pavement smooths the transition to another race with a new NASCAR downforce package.Resurfacing the 1.5 mile tri-oval was nearly done when the sanctioning body announced new rules in May to reduce downforce and side force and create more side-by-side racing. It follows last years changes here that helped produce one of the seasons most competitive races, won by Kyle Busch on his way to his first Sprint Cup championship.That was pretty impressive considering drivers had to sort things out during the race after rain washed out practice. The weather for last months two-day test was more cooperative, and the challenge in Saturday nights 400-mile headliner is finding the right formula on a reconfigured track with fewer bumps in the road.You wont leave with a headache, and thats the best part about it, points leader and 2014 Cup champion Kevin Harvick quipped during last months test.Banking in turns 1 and 2 was increased from 14 degrees to 17 degrees with track width on that end reduced by 18 feet. Turns 3 and 4 remain at 14 degrees, which Simendinger hopes will create a unique look during the tripleheader weekend that includes a 225-mile Camping World Truck Series race and Friday nights Xfinity Series 300-miler.Simendinger also notes that Kentuckys famous bumps arent totally gone, just smoother with new asphalt and drainage improvements. Figure in NASCAR rule changes to the rear spoiler, rear deck fin and front splitter, and the track president wouldnt be shocked by anything on Saturday night.Its going to be interesting, Simendinger said. Weve really been on this track, putting rubber down as much as we can to widen out the race groove. If we dont do that, theyre going to be more inclined just to follow a single groove until they can get it widened out. If were able to get it to where theyll be racing side by side, then we go to the Xfinity race and all those laps will be very, very helpful so that by the time we get to the Sprint Cup race, (drivers) should have a high degree of confidence.Few drivers enter more confident than Busch and Brad Keselowski. Each has won twice in five starts here and combined to lead 362 laps while winning the past two races.Keselowski is buoyed by last weekends victory at Daytona that has him 14 points behind Harvick in second place. Busch is 73 points back in sixth after running second at Daytona and is tied with Keselowski with a series-best three wins.Keselowski lamented Kentuckys reduction of the teeth-rattling bumps in the frontstretch but welcomed the differences between ends. The start of Thursdays first Cup practice suggested there will be growing pains, as the right rear of his No. 2 Ford got sideways and kissed the outside wall entering Turn 3 but escaped major damage.Whenever there are those discrepancies, I think thats when you see mistakes and when you see strengths and weaknesses that vary from car to car and driver to driver, the 2012 champion said before practice. I think thats a really good thing for our sport, so Im interested to see how thats going to play out this weekend.Busch was planning another three-race weekend at Kentucky that figures to provide plenty of time to get used to the changes. The tracks most successful driver speaks volumes about his adaptability on the old surface, and hes eager to see if he can be as good with the improvements.Hopefully I hope I can figure it out again and be a little bit better than some of these other guys, Busch said last month. Overall, it still has some character to it with some bumps down the front straightway. ... They did a decent job. Simon Mignolet Liverpool Jersey . Ferrer, trying to win his fourth title on Mexican soil, will next play South Africas Kevin Anderson, who eliminated American Sam Querrey,7-6 (2), 6-4. Also Wednesday, Gilles Simon (6) of France beat Donald Young of the United States 6-4, 6-3, Ukraines Alexandr Dolgopolov downed Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4 and Croatias Ivo Karlovic defeated Dudi Sela of Israel 7-6 (4), 6-2. 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NEW YORK -- Sindarius Thornwell scored 16 points and South Carolina never trailed in its 64-50 victory over No. 18 Syracuse on Saturday in the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational at Barclays Center.Thornwell shot 3 of 6 from the field and made 9 of 10 free throws. He also had six rebounds, five assists, three steals and was named the MVP of the Invitational.Mike Kotsar also had 16 points for South Carolina (6-0), which shot 45 percent (23 of 51). PJ Dozier added 15 and 10 rebounds for the Gamecocks, who gave up 12 of the first 18 rebounds but finished with a 37-30 margin on the glass.Tyler Lydon led the Orange (4-1) with a season-high 18 points. Andrew White III and Frank Howard added 10 points apiece.It was the second time in three seasons South Carolina knocked off a Top 25 team in Brooklyn. On Jan. 2, 2014, the Gamecocks had a 64-60 victory over No. 9 Iowa State.The Gamecocks had enough offense and has continued getting wins with its lockdown defense. After holding No. 25 Michigan to 19.2 percent shooting Wednesday, South Carolina limited the Orange to 31.8 percent, had 12 steals and forced 17 turnovers.Though South Carolina had some fans in the crowd, the game was played in front of a mostly pro-Syracuse crowd. Those fans tried to replicate the noise at the Carrier Dome by constantly being on their feet and counting down 5,4,3,2,1 to distract South Carolina into thinking the shot clock was winding down.The noise only worked on a limited basis for Syracuse.Lydon hit a 3-pointer with 17:05 remaining to get Syracuse within 40-32. While running back on defense, he clapped his hands emphatically imploring the orange-clad fans to make even more noise. Following a defensive stop, Lydon had another basket forcing South Carolina to call time out.Two free throws by White cut the deficit to 47-43 with 11:39 remaining but the Orange had Howard miss four free throws and Lydon miss an open 3-pointer. The drought ended when White hit a 3-pointer to make it 51-46 withh about 6 1/2 minutes left and the noise level from the Syracuse fans increased again.ddddddddddddFollowing Whites 3-pointer, the Gamecocks gradually restored the double-digit lead they held late in the first half. South Carolina took a 57-47 lead on a basket by Kotsar with about 3 minutes left and finished off the win at the free throw line, much to the delight of its fans who chanted Gamecocks, Gamecocks.BIG PICTURE:South Carolina: South Carolinas defense continued to hold teams to low shooting percentages and it could make the Gamecocks difficult to play against for other SEC teams. The Gamecocks have held teams under 40 percent in each of their six games.Syracuse: Lydon can take over at times and did not disappoint for at least the two NBA scouts in attendance to watch him.POLL IMPLICATIONS:The Gamecocks were not one of 16 teams to receive any Top 25 votes last week. That should change after South Carolina remained unbeaten with wins over No. 25 Michigan and No. 18 Syracuse.Syracuse will likely stay in the poll though it is unlikely the Orange will remain at No. 18. Out of the teams behind them in the poll, Baylor and Iowa State remained undefeated with tournament wins and likely will move ahead of the Orange in the next poll.HONORING PEARL WASHINGTON: Before the national anthem, there was a moment of silence of former Syracuse guard Dwayne Pearl Washington, who died of brain cancer on April 20. Syracuse is the midst of a 31-day campaign to honor Washingtons memory. The campaign culminates Dec. 17 when Syracuse hosts former Big East rival Georgetown. Before his three seasons at Syracuse from 1983 to 1986, Washington attended Boys and Girls High School, which is located about 2 1/2 miles east of Barclays Center.UP NEXT:South Carolina hosts Vermont on Dec. 1.Syracuse is at No. 16 Wisconsin on Tuesday in ACC/Big Ten Challenge. ' ' '