James Southerland cleared to return for Syracuse

James Southerland, Syracuse's third-leading scorer, missed six games because of an academic issue.

/AP

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) -- Senior forward James Southerland of the No. 9 Syracuse Orange has been restored to the team's roster and is eligible to play again, the school announced Sunday.

Southerland, third on the team in scoring at 13.6 points and still the team leader with 33 3-pointers, was declared out indefinitely prior to the Villanova game Jan. 12 because of an eligibility matter involving academics. He missed six games, and the Orange went 4-2 in his absence.

Southerland continued to practice with the team and attended home games, sitting on the bench in street clothes. He was in uniform and in the Orange's shootaround Sunday afternoon in the Carrier Dome prior to their game against St. John's.