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Tyus Battle to play junior season at Syracuse

Syracuse wing Tyus Battle withdrew from the NBA draft and will return to school for his junior season.

Battle averaged 19.2 points per game last season but was considered by most NBA executives as a second-round pick. He had worked out for the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday along with a number of other NBA prospects.

The deadline for college underclassmen to withdraw from the NBA draft was Wednesday at midnight ET.

Battle's return is huge for coach Jim Boeheim and the Orange, who finished 23-14 last season and were 8-10 in ACC play but advanced to the Sweet 16 after knocking off Michigan State.

Syracuse will return its top three scorers from last season: Battle, talented freshman Oshae Brissett and guard Franklin Howard. Big men Paschal Chukwu and Marek Dolezaj will also be back, and the Orange will bring in wing Jalen Carey (ESPN, No. 36) and Boeheim's son Buddy, who is one of the top shooters in the incoming freshman class. East Carolina transfer Elijah Hughes sat out last season, and the 6-foot-6 wing is eligible this year.