Big East Notebook

Big East Conference Notebook

by Jesse Ullmann

Showtime

The luminary lights of New York City shine on basketball’s bright young stars. New Yorkers get a chance at an early sneak peak at many of the big-time future hoopers in college and beyond. Lamar Odom, Kenny Anderson, Lenny Cooke, now Lance Stephenson. Once upon a time it was Daryll Hill.

Hill, a four-year captain at Bayside’s Cardozo high school, was to be the next big thing, and when he committed to St. John’s the program seemed to be in very good shape. Things would soon take a turn for the worse, though, and Hill has gone through some trying times. However, through coaching changes, the Pittsburgh scandal and Abe Keita fiasco, injuries and other obstacles, “Showtime” has distanced himself from all of it and has remained one of the humanitarians while others have been disciplined, even expelled and lives were scarred. Through arguably the most trying time in St. John’s history, Hill was one of the better guys.

The Winner Within (Berkley Trade) by Pat Riley is listed as Hill’s favorite book. If he could have dinner with three people he’d like it to be with Mark Jackson, Jesus, and David Stern.

It was so sad to find out Hill will miss the rest of his senior year after withstanding all he could on the court with knee problems. Hill battled one of the toughest groups of league point guards in the history of the Big East and should eventually be remembered as one of the Johnnies’ all-timers.

Even without Hill, the Storm (6-8, 15-12) is on the verge of the 2007 Big East Tournament. “You have to go through some good stuff and bad stuff,” said head coach Norm Roberts following the Storm’s 60-55 victory over the Scarlet Knights. “There’s a lot of goals we’re trying to get to. This is one of them.”

The home wins over Rutgers (3-10, 10-16) and South Florida (3-10, 12-15) have allowed St. John’s to be on the cusp, which is very important for Norm Roberts, now in his third season.

Lucky Number Seven

Seven seems to be the absolute number to get into Madison Square Garden. Six wins will probably do it, but with three three-win schools left and three contests for each, you never know if someone will run the table. Rutgers, USF and Seton Hall (3-10, 12-14) each have three conference wins. The Hall, with a glimmer of hope heading into the final stretch, mailed it in by losing eight of their last nine. Cincinnati (1-11, 10-16) will join the others to be left out.

On another note for the Pirates, 6’7″ senior Mani Messi has left the team for undisclosed reasons, joining Grant Billmeier (injury) and Joey Cameron (transferred) among frontcourt personnel losses.

Golden Cheese

With a big win Monday night over Villanova (6-7, 18-9), Marquette snapped a three-game losing skid and after winning 8 straight, skepticism began to creep into the minds. But the Golden Eagles (9-5, 22-7) have gotten back on track with the convincing victory over the Wildcats. If the tournament began tomorrow, the Eagles would be the No. 4 seed with a bye playing the winner of Notre Dame/Connecticut on Thursday afternoon.

Both the Huskies (5-7, 16-10) and West Virginia (8-6, 20-7) had big non-conference opportunities for the league last weekend, facing the ACC’s Georgia Tech and the Pac-10′s UCLA Bruins. The Mountaineers took out No. 2 UCLA, 70-65. Connecticut had no open window versus the Yellow Jackets in an ugly game, falling 65-52. Unless a 2006 Syracuse-type run takes place in the tourney, Connecticut will miss the NCAA tournament for just the second time in nine seasons.

What a Caracter

After a seesaw 2006-07 season for 6’8″ freshman Derrick Caracter, the New Jersey native is starting to get it. He has averaged 12 points per game and a team-best 57.7 percent from the floor. In addition, he has dropped a ton of weight and is now on his way to being in tip-top shape. Caracter has only played in 10 games for the Cardinals this season, but is an integral part of why the ‘Ville is having much recent success.

Another reason for the success is junior Juan Palacios, who is 40 points shy of becoming the 58th player in Louisville history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. The Cardinalswould move ahead of the University of North Carolina all-time for the most players in school history to reach that milestone.

Caracter, Palacios and the emergence of a healthy David Padgett have all proved to be essential in combining to lead Louisville (9-4, 19-8). With star freshman guard Edgar Sosa and sophomore Andre McGee, Rick Pitino has once again done a brilliant job dealing with obstacles and so forth.

Big East Notebook

Big East Conference Notebook

by Jesse Ullmann and Pat DiSalvo

1. Pittsburgh Panthers (8-1 Big East, 20-3 Overall)
Up Next: Wednesday at West Virginia at 7:30 p.m., Saturday vs. Providence at 6 p.m. (ESPN)

Pittsburgh has rebounded with three straight wins after a late January loss to Marquette. The Panthers enjoyed a big 65-59 victory against a hot Villanova team, giving Pitt 20 wins for the sixth straight season – a school record. The win also boosted the team to an 8-1 start in the Big East for the first time in history. Aaron Gray posted another double-double and sophomore Levance Fields poured in 20 points in the victory.

The Panthers have not been pretty at times but are playing solid defense – ranked fourth in the conference at 61.2 points allowed per game. Pitt is still the frontrunner in the Big East as it has been since the beginning of conference play. But the Panthers have two tough games in the upcoming week.

2. Marquette Golden Eagles (7-2 Big East, 20-4 Overall)
Up Next: Wednesday vs. Rutgers at 9 p.m., Saturday at Georgetown at noon (ESPN)

After two straight losses in early January, the Golden Eagles have righted the ship and are on a tear in the Big East. Marquette has rattled off seven straight wins, including three wins against ranked teams. The squad avenged an early season loss against Providence with a win vs. the Friars Saturday. Jerel McNeal had a monster game with 18 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. McNeal and junior Dan Fitzgerald – who hit four three-pointers – helped pick up the slack for Dominic James. The Golden Eagles leading scorer notched only six points on 2-of-11 shooting.

Marquette only trails Pitt in the conference standings by one game. Things looked bleak after an 0-2 conference start, but Marquette now seems to be the class of the Big East, and is skyrocketing in the national rankings, too.

3. Georgetown Hoyas (6-2 Big East, 16-5 Overall)
Up Next: Wednesday at Louisville at 7 p.m. (ESPN), Saturday vs. Marquette at Noon (ESPN).

Things finally seem to be coming together for the Georgetown Hoyas. The preseason Big East frontrunner has run off five straight wins, albeit against some of the weaker conference squads. Jeff Green has started to heat up as the winning streak has continued, notching 19, 17 and 24 points in three consecutive games. Junior point guard Jonathan Wallace has continued to help the Hoyas as he had done through their rough stretches, scoring in double figures for four straight games.

Georgetown will need to keep up with their solid defense, which is currently the best in the Big East allowing 55.8 points per game, to get through their next stretch of games. The Hoyas have a brutal stretch run in-conference, with Pittsburgh, Marquette, West Virginia, Villanova, Syracuse and Connecticut still on the schedule.

4. West Virginia Mountaineers (7-3 Big East, 18-4 Overall)
Up Next: Wednesday vs. Pittsburgh at 7:30 p.m., Saturday vs. UCLA at 1 p.m. (CBS).

It’s easy to look at West Virginia and credit their great season so far to an easy schedule. Although you can’t blame West Virginia for winning games they should, the team’s true mettle will show in a brutal and pivotal three game stretch. Thankfully for the young Mountaineers, the No. 6 (Pitt) and 2 (UCLA) ranked teams visit Morgantown.

Balance continues to be West Virginia’s forte. Frank Young leads the team with 14.5 points per game, and three other players average double figures. That includes freshman Da’Sean Butler, a Newark, N.J., product who scorched both Rutgers and Seton Hall this past week for 17 and 21 points respectively. The Mountaineers are also continuing the trend that has brought them success in the past few years, leading the Big East with 231 three-point baskets.

With three straight games against ranked teams, West Virginia’s fate between being a bubble team and a tourney lock could be decided soon.

5. Louisville Cardinals (6-3 Big East, 16-7 Overall)
Up Next: Wednesday vs. Georgetown at 7 p.m. (ESPN), Saturday vs. South Florida at 3 p.m.

Louisville came into Villanova Saturday as winners of six of their last seven games. Although the team has played much better of late, it suffered a setback as Nova won 57-53. All four of the usual Louisville double-figure scorers scored less than 10 points. David Padgett, Terrence Williams, Edgar Sosa and Juan Palacios combined for only 24 points. The Cardinals also were out-rebounded 42-27.

Focusing on the bright side, the Cardinals have already reached last year’s Big East win total with seven conference games remaining. The team still has to play the conference’s top three teams, but obvious progress has been made. The Cardinals might just sneak into the tournament if a few breaks go their way.

6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-4 Big East, 18-5 Overall)
Up Next: Thursday at DePaul at 7 p.m. (ESPN), 3/15 vs. Providence at 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Irish basketball is playing second fiddle in South Bend with football mania taking over right now. But the Irish, having spent nine weeks in the national poll, are in danger of falling out.

Despite averaging a league high 82.5 points per contest, Notre Dame is struggling, having now dropped games to South Florida and St. John’s after starting conference play as the hottest team in the league. The Irish lived up to their offensive billing with a scorching 103-point performance at the Carrier Dome in what turned out to be a 12-point victory, 103-91. They finished one point shy of a league record for points in a half with 61. All five Irish starters notched double figures vs. Syracuse, led by center Luke Harangody’s 21 points. Notre Dame hit 11 three-pointers — four apiece from Russell Carter and Colin Falls — and connected on 33-of-36 from the free throw line.

Things did not go Notre Dame’s way at the Sun Dome taking on South Florida. In a sign of weakness, the Irish dropped their fourth of five road games so far this season in Big East play, falling 69-63 to the Bulls despite 26 points from Falls.

7. Syracuse Orange (5-5 Big East, 16-8 Overall)
Up Next: Sunday vs. St. John’s at 2 p.m.

It’s just about time to panic in central New York. That’s right. Even with six games left, the Orange are on the outside looking in, and if things don’t change soon, they’ll need another miracle Big East tournament run to make the NCAA Tournament.

Syracuse has lost four of five games, including late collapses against St. John’s, Louisville and Connecticut. The team has talent but lacks the ability to finish games, and it struggles especially with decision-making. Sophomore Eric Devendorf has made a habit of late game turnovers and defensive lapses, and the team is playing sloppy with 70 turnovers in the past five games. The problems continued Monday as Connecticut rattled off a late 13-3 run, and the Orange had only five assists.

It’s time for the Orange to turn things around now. If the team doesn’t, it may soon be time to snag some tickets to a first-round NIT game at the Dome.

8. Providence Friars (4-4 Big East, 14-7 Overall)
Up Next: Saturday at Pittsburgh at 6 p.m. (ESPN), 2/15 at Notre Dame at 7 p.m. (ESPN)

With two games against St. John’s, a meeting with South Florida and a home contest entertaining Big East bottom-feeder Cincinnati, the Friars should ride comfortably into the Big East Tournament. Providence ran into trouble, however, this past week facing the new streaking league team in Marquette — it was Notre Dame. Herbert Hill, who leads the league in scoring in conference play, was one of only two Providence players to score in double figures. Hill finished with 14 points while guard Sharaud Curry posted a team-high 17. The Friars have dropped just two home games this season and will look to avenge a heartbreaking two-point loss last season to Cincinnati at the Dunk.

9. Villanova Wildcats (4-5 Big East, 15-7 Overall)
Up Next: Tuesday vs. St. Joseph’s at 7 p.m. (ESPN2), Saturday at Seton Hall at Noon

It’s getting down to the nitty-gritty for Villanova.

Nova snapped a two-game losing streak with a win Saturday vs. Louisville. Although scorching freshman Scottie Reynolds struggled from the field, he dished out 10 assists. Sophomore Shane Clark scored 12 points off the bench, and Mike Nardi and Curtis Sumpter scored 11 and 10 points respectively.

Against the upper echelon teams, such as Notre Dame and Pittsburgh, the Wildcats have struggled. Villanova lost to both teams, only by a combined nine points, but need signature wins to boost what are a relatively weak tournament résumé and a poor conference rank. The Wildcats will get a crack at such victories when they play Georgetown and Marquette in the upcoming weeks.

10. DePaul Blue Demons (4-6 Big East, 13-11 Overall)
Up Next: Thursday vs. Notre Dame at 7 p.m. (ESPN)

DePaul has started to fall off the map, losing four of five, and staring three tough games in the face. The Blue Demons, who lost at Syracuse 75-69 Saturday, still have to play Notre Dame twice and Marquette once. The team has a lot of talent. It defeated Connecticut last week and nearly mounted a mammoth comeback against Syracuse.

But the Blue Demons seemingly can’t get over the hump. Guard Draelon Burns has scored 26 points in two straight games, and Sammy Mejia and Wilson Chandler are two skilled players. The team struggles to consistently score, ranking 12th in overall Big East offense. DePaul also ranks dead last in shooting 63 percent from the free throw line. The Blue Demons just can’t put everything together offensively at the same time.

11. Connecticut Huskies (4-6, 15-8)
Up Next: Sunday at Georgia Tech at 1 p.m. (CBS), Wednesday vs. Seton Hall at 7:30 p.m.

In a rematch of the 2004 national championship game, Connecticut travels to take on Georgia Tech Sunday at the Georgia Dome – site of this year’s Final Four. That game will mean little because the Huskies need to focus on winning conference games just to make the trip to New York City next month. Ten days ago, Connecticut had fallen to 13th in the conference and was 2-6. The current situation isn’t much better, but the bulk of the tough schedule is complete.

Behind some clutch shooting from Marcus Johnson and A.J. Price Monday night, the Huskies were able to pull out a 67-60 victory vs. rival Syracuse. Not one Husky specifically stood out but it was a well-balanced attack and a good win in general for Connecticut.

With Adrian Hill, Ollie Bailey and Hamady N’Diaye on the bench having fouled out for Rutgers, the Huskies looked flummoxed this past Saturday. Against a Scarlet Knight squad that is much weaker than in recent years, Connecticut afforded the Knights multiple opportunities to take this game away. The Huskies prevailed, though, winning by 11 in overtime, 61-50.

12. Saint John’s Red Storm (4-6 Big East, 13-10 Overall)
Up Next: Sunday at Syracuse at 2 p.m., 2/15 vs. Rutgers at 7:30 p.m.

Norm Roberts had put the cards on the table. He gave freshman Qa’rron Calhoun a starting spot Sunday in a road game at Cincinnati. Calhoun took full advantage, posting a career-high 18 points, and the Red Storm picked up their first league road win of the season, defeating the Bearcats 73-64. Big man Lamont Hamilton was a prefect 7-of-7 from the line and finished with 15 points and seven rebounds. He was one of three Johnnies to post double figures in scoring as the team shot an impressive 63.2 percent from the floor in the second half. Anthony Mason Jr. dislocated a finger in his non-shooting hand but is not expected to miss time.

A Feb. 25 meeting at the Garden with Duke could be looked upon one of two ways. From one position, it is absolutely disastrous. It’s the second-to-last game of the season for the Red Storm right before they entertain Providence to end the regular season. That game could determine a bid between the two schools for the final tournament spot.

On the other hand, Duke is down right now. If St. John’s picks up a win vs. Duke and then beats Providence to secure a berth in the tournament, the Red Storm could replicate what Syracuse was able to pull off last year.

13. Seton Hall Pirates (3-6 Big East, 12-10 Overall)
Up Next: Saturday vs. Villanova at 12 p.m., Wednesday at Connecticut at 7:30 p.m.

After their longest losing skid of the season, dropping three in a row, the Pirates rebounded with a win against a bad Princeton team. Looking to build momentum as they jumped back into conference play in hosting West Virginia Saturday night, Bobby Gonzalez and crew had major problems against the Mountaineers’ style of play and half-court motion. A 15-point first-half deficit was a hole too deep to dig out of for Seton Hall, and the result was an 81-70 loss in East Rutherford.

With just seven games left on tap for the Hall, you can be assured the last person who would ever have his team lay down is Gonzo. A bid for the Big East Tournament is still somewhat attainable, with remaining games at home against South Florida and a trip to Big East bottom-feeder Cincinnati. The Pirates still have to go to Storrs but will face a weak Connecticut team. In addition, Pittsburgh, Louisville and Villanova still loom. The reality is it will be difficult this year for Seton Hall to make the Big East Tournament.

14. South Florida Bulls (3-6 Big East, 12-11 Overall)
Up Next: Saturday at Louisville at 3 p.m., Wednesday vs. Syracuse at 7 p.m.

The Bulls seem to be doing this once a month now. Last time, it was Wake Forest who came up on the tail end of things vs. the Bulls. The latest casualty was Notre Dame, an even bigger win for South Florida seeing that Rob McCullum and crew, as opposed to last year’s tragic inaugural season, are now officially vying for a trip to New York City. The Big East is down a little this year, and the benefactor could end up being South Florida. Home games against DePaul, Providence and Syracuse help, and they have winnable away games at Seton Hall, St. John’s and the Blue Demons again.

In South Florida’s 69-63 win vs. the Irish, senior McHugh Mattis matched his career high in points with 23 and exceeded his previous career high in rebounds, notching 16. Mattis is one of the league’s better shot blockers this season, and he’ll look to continue along that path against Lamont Hamilton and the Red Storm in Queens.

15. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (2-8, 9-14)
Up Next: Saturday vs. Cincinnati at 4p.m., 2/15 at Saint John’s at 7:30 p.m.

Despite three of their key cogs fouling out before the start of overtime, Rutgers was able to keep it close with a weak Connecticut team, playing hard-nosed basketball down the stretch and getting two huge three-pointers by Anthony Farmer to force the extra session. In the overtime, however, the Scarlet Knights offense fizzled, and the Huskies, at home, were able to hold on for an 11-point win, 61-50. Jaron Griffin, a highly touted in-state freshman forward, was coming off a career-high 19-point performance in a loss to West Virginia and followed it up with 18 points vs. the Huskies. Thought to be an immediate addition for Rutgers, Griffin has been somewhat of a disappointment so far. He was expected to play a much bigger role and has struggled with confidence as a freshman.

Adrian Hill has a minor knee injury, which does not bode well because he leads the team in points (12.1 per game) and rebounds (7.3 per game) and posted 18 points and 19 rebounds in a 74-70 win against Seton Hall. Avenging the loss in the first meeting between the two Jersey schools, the win over the Pirates snapped a five-game losing skid. The Knights have now lost seven of eight.

16. Cincinnati Bearcats (1-7, 10-12)
Up Next: Saturday at Rutgers at 4 p.m., Wednesday at Villanova at 9 p.m. (ESPNU)

Now it’s a stretch, but one can’t help but wonder if the Cincinnati people are seething over Kansas State’s success this season under Bobby Huggins. Regardless, Mick Cronin and crew have now lost nine of their last 10 games and are in the midst of one of the worst droughts of any conference team all season. On Sunday, the Wildcats fell to St. John’s 73-64 despite 17 points from freshman guard Deonta Vaughn. Junior forward John Williamson played well on both ends and was partially responsible for forcing 21 Red Storm turnovers in a losing cause. The anemic shooting continued for Cincy, as the team posted a 33 percent clip from the floor. For a team that’s trying to talk Big East Tournament, the Bearcats have now lost tiebreakers to South Florida, St. John’s and also dropped the first of two meetings vs. Rutgers. In what could be a season-on-the-line contest, Cincinnati will look to avenge that loss to the Scarlet Knights Saturday afternoon.

Big East Notebook

Big East Conference Notebook

by Jesse Ullmann and Pat DiSalvo

1. Pittsburgh Panthers (5-1 Big East, 17-3 Overall)
Up Next: Wednesday at Cincinnati at 8 p.m., Saturday vs. St. John’s at 4 p.m.

Pittsburgh had two big wins in the past week, before falling to Marquette on Sunday 77-74. The Panthers had beaten Georgetown and UConn in two previous home games, but fell behind early against the Golden Eagles only to surge back and then lose in overtime. The loss dropped Pitt’s record against ranked teams to 0-3. While that blemish can be discouraging, there are plenty of bright signs for the Panthers. Center Aaron Gray seems to have busted out of a slump, scoring in double figures in the last four games. He netted 22 points and 19 rebounds against UConn. Ronald Ramon was also struggling – averaging only 8.8 points per game – but has 38 points in the last two games. While still appearing to be the class of the Big East, Pitt needs to show it can prevail over ranked teams to be seriously considered for a trip to Atlanta.

2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-2, 16-3)
Up Next: Saturday vs. Villanova at 4 p.m. (ESPN), Tuesday @ Syracuse at 7 p.m. (ESPNU)

The Irish continue to be one of the most consistent teams in the league. In their last matchup, they defeated South Florida by 24 points, 82-58. Somewhat similar to the emergence of Demetris Nichols of Syracuse, junior forward Rob Kurz has significantly improved his play. Behind Russell Carter, the Pennsylvania native is second on the team in scoring and Sunday in the win over USF he notched another double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Earlier in the week Notre Dame gave up 102 points in a loss to a surging Villanova squad. The 102 points was the most points scored by a Notre Dame opponent in eight years.

On Monday, the school suspended point guard Kyle McAlarney for the semester, ending his season with the team and putting his future up in the air.

3. Syracuse Orange (4-2, 15-5)
Up Next: Saturday at Louisville at 7 p.m. (ESPN)

After barely holding on for a win against lowly Cincinnati on Wednesday, the Orange sat at 4-1 in the Big East. But the UC game would be a sign of things to come. The Orange came out miserably flat against St. John’s at the Garden on Sunday. The Johnnies prevailed 64-60 as the Orange struggled to get anything going offensively. Sophomore Eric Devendorf netted a game-high 23, carrying the Orange late as the team tried to stay with the Red Storm. But a lackadaisical performance by the rest of the squad led to the loss. Demitris Nichols scored only 12 points, well below his season average of 19ppg. The Orange also shot 4-14 from the charity stripe. Throw that together with numerous missed lay-ups and sloppy ball handling, and the Orange, despite being in the upper reaches of the conference standings, have a lot of work to do.

4. Marquette Golden Eagles (4-2, 17-4)
Up Next: Wednesday vs. Seton Hall at 7 p.m., Sunday at USF at 1 p.m.

Marquette has rattled off four straight conference wins after starting 0-2 in the Big East. The Golden Eagles biggest win to date took place in overtime at No. 6 Pittsburgh this weekend, dealing the Panthers their first home loss of the season. The win raised Marquette’s record against ranked teams to 4-1. Dominic James has woken up after a few poor games, averaging just below 20 points per game in his last four. James was 10-10 free throw shooting in overtime against Pitt, which helped the Golden Eagles to a over second real marquee win this season (they previously defeated Duke). After a tough stretch of playing three ranked teams in four games, Marquette is in great position to be one of the top teams in the Big East, if not the champion by the time the season is over. The Golden Eagles have a few games against some of the Big East’s weaker teams in the next few contests, giving the team a much needed rest.

5. Louisville Cardinals (4-2, 14-6)
Up Next: Monday vs. UConn at 7 p.m. (ESPN), Saturday vs. Syracuse at 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Louisville finally received a boost from an underachieving upperclassman as junior Juan Palacios poured in 21 points to aid the Cardinals in an ugly win over DePaul 59-50 on Saturday. Palacios had not reached double digits in scoring in the past seven games, and had been averaging just nine points per game. Louisville could use consistent scoring from Palacios as the young team continues to struggle in finding an offensive identity. David Padgett is still struggling back from a knee injury and is not close to the player he was at this time last year. Derrick Caracter did not travel to DePaul and his status on the team is still up in the air. But the team finally got some good news as sophomore guard Andre McGee logged 16 minutes against the Blue Demons. McGee had played in only one of the previous seven games due to injury. This week will be a true measuring stick for the Cardinals as they face UConn and Syracuse, both at Freedom Hall.

6. Georgetown Hoyas (3-2, 13-5)
Up Next: Wednesday vs. DePaul at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN 2), Saturday vs. Cincinnati at Noon

Georgetown’s preseason hyped dynamic duo of Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green continue to struggle, or at least can’t produce together. Green scored in double figures in only one of the past four games, and Hibbert is averaging just 12 points and six rebounds per contest. Thankfully for the Hoyas, other players are stepping up to fill the void. In a win Friday against Seton Hall, junior guard Jonathan Wallace netted a career-high 21 points. Freshman forward DaJuan Summers also chipped in 17 points and 10 rebounds. The Hoyas do lead the conference in scoring defense, allowing merely 55.8 points per game. But offensively, the squad may want to look to get Hibbert and Green involved more. Hibbert shoots 71 percent from the field, yet is only averaging 12 points per contest.

7. Providence Friars (3-2, 13-5)
Up Next: Saturday @ Connecticut at 12 p.m., 2/3 @ Marquette at 2 p.m. (ESPNU)

Herbert Hill put on another solid show, as did Geoff McDermott in a convincing 78-63 victory over Rutgers. In past years these games were a problem for PC. They would win a big game and then there would be a letdown facing one of the lower-tier teams in the league such as Rutgers. Not this year. Tim Welsh seems to have a great mixture of veterans and inspired, fresh underclassmen. There have been subtle injuries here and there on the PC roster. After missing a game with a bum right ankle Ray Hall is available again. Hall is averaging 11 minutes per game this season, and was only able to play 5 minutes versus the Scarlet Knights as he tries to get healthy. Back spasms have caused Charlie Burch to miss time as he did not play Saturday. Meanwhile versus Rutgers Herbert Hill had 23 points, 13 rebounds while McDermott added 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists in a full 40.

8. West Virginia Mountaineers (4-3, 14-4)
Up Next: Wednesday vs. Marshall at 8 p.m., Sunday vs. DePaul at 2 p.m.

After a quick 3-0 start in conference play, the Mountaineers have dropped three of their last four. One game was a three point loss at Notre Dame, and on Saturday WVU blew a 17-point lead against Cincinnati. The team made only six of 28 three point attempts after halftime against the Bearcats. The 96 points scored by Cincy was by far the most the Mountaineers have given up all season. More young Mountaineers made their mark as sophomore guard Alex Ruoff led WVU with 21 points and freshman Da’Sean Butler added 14 points and 8 rebounds. West Virginia seems to have a talented group of youngsters, but is facing a daunting challenge in the next few weeks as Pitt and UCLA come to Morgantown. If the team plays solid defense, takes care of the ball (they currently lead the Big East in +7.7 turnover margin) and is on from three point range, WVU could still shock anyone in the league.

9. Seton Hall Pirates (3-3, 11-7)
Up Next: Wednesday @ Marquette at 8 p.m. (ESPN360), Saturday @ Rutgers at 2 p.m. (YES)

A tough blow to this season’s chances towards the goal of making the Big East tournament came when Grant Billmeier, a rare two-time Seton Hall captain, tore his left ACL against Providence. He is out for the season and, with the red shirt rule of 20 percent or less, Billmeier is done for his career. The senior veteran Pirate, despite low scoring and rebounding averages, is a presence inside especially nowadays when a big man is tough to come by. Billmeier was the first guy on the bench to applaud his teammates when they executed well. The Pirates will have to try and find a way to move forward from here.

The Pirates are 2-3 in their last five outings, the latest defeat coming at home to Georgetown by 74-58.

10. DePaul Blue Demons (3-3, 12-8)
Up Next: Wednesday at Georgetown at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN 2), Sunday at West Virginia at 2 p.m.

The Blue Demon roller coaster ride continued this weekend against Louisville. After winning three of its last four games, DePaul took what appeared to be a step backward in a loss to Louisville 59-50 on Saturday. The team has beaten teams such as Kansas and Villanova, but has also faltered to St. John’s and put up 39 points in a loss to Northwestern. The inconsistency continued against the Cardinals as DePaul struggled offensively, shooting 1-7 from the stripe and 26.7 percent from the field in the second half. Sophomore Wilson Chandler continued his superb play with 19 points and 10 boards, but fellow star Sammy Mejia was limited to just four points. The missed free throws killed the Demons at crucial points when the team could have taken the lead or tied Louisville. DePaul will likely fall under .500 in conference play in the next six games, as the team faces Georgetown, West Virginia and Syracuse on the road, and hosts UConn, Notre Dame and Marquette. But if Mejia and Chandler perform well in the same game, look for the Demons to shock one or two of the above.

11. Villanova Wildcats (2-3, 13-5)
Up Next: Tuesday at Providence at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at Notre Dame at 4 p.m. (ESPN)

If it weren’t for a deep bone bruise to Curtis Sumpter’s leg, Villanova may have had a perfect week. While the outstanding senior had to sit against Texas on Saturday, his Wildcats prevailed 76-69. Earlier in the week, Villanova topped Notre Dame 102-87. The two wins over ranked teams were big for the ‘Cats as they look to get back on track in the Big East. After losing their fabulous three guard combo to the NBA last season, there has been a void in the ‘Nova backcourt. Until now. Freshman Scottie Reynolds has decided to ditch being the polite freshman, and start shooting the rock. While he only shot 4-15 a few weekends ago at Syracuse, he lit up Notre Dame for 27, and Texas for 26. In Sumpter’s absence, sophomore Shane Clark added 11 points and 12 boards. But Reynold’s contributions are especially important. Outside of Nardi and Sumpter, the team was searching for an offensive threat, and now has found what may be the best out of the three if he stays hot. Shadowed by Reynolds’ outburst was a great defensive effort by the Wildcats, who held freshman sensation Kevin Durant to just 12 points (he had been averaging 34 per contest in the four previous games).

12. Connecticut Huskies (2-4, 13-6)
Up Next: Saturday vs. Providence at 12 p.m., Wednesday @ DePaul at 9 p.m.

Uncharted territory for a struggling Connecticut Huskies program, which after a 68-54 loss at Freedom Hall, have now lost three straight. Freshman guard Doug Wiggins started over a disappointing AJ Price versus Indiana and he looked good. Wiggins is averaging 19 minutes per game, Price just 26. Price (10.7ppg) did play well scoring 17 points in a 68-54 loss at Louisville. On the season he is averaging double figures in scoring but Wiggins (8.4) is right behind so it really would not make a significant difference if Jim Calhoun decides to flip-flop midseason. The only question is whether or not you kill Prices’ confidence in the long run and in the big picture. Wiggins is explosive and can shoot. He passes well, is a little out of control at times but can be the Huskies floor general if given the role.

The Huskies blew a late game lead against IU. Two Stanley Robinson free throws gave them a 62-60 advantage. But some excellent three point shooting and late game heroics the Hoosiers helped the Hoosiers to a 77-73 victory.

13. Saint John’s Red Storm (2-4, 11-8)
Up Next: Saturday @ Pittsburgh at 4 p.m. (MSG)

The Knicks and Rangers have provided plenty of entertaining games at the Garden so far this season. This past Sunday, however, it was St. John’s stealing the spotlight with an impressive victory over Syracuse, 64-60. A four-point play from JuCo transfer Avery Patterson gave the Red Storm a 61-58 lead with 1:28 to play. Patterson came back at the one-minute mark on the ensuing possession and drained another three pointer. Daryll Hill and Ricky Torres were inactive, Hill with recurring knee problems. While the two were absent, Larry Wright came off the bench notching 6 points, 4 rebounds. The six points by Wright off the bench matched the whole Syracuse bench combined. Starting forward Anthony Mason, Jr. scored a team high 16 points on four three pointers.

The win over the Orange was a needed boost for the St. John’s ego, especially since back-to-back contests against Georgetown and Pittsburgh are next with just two days off to follow and then a trip to Cincinnati.

The Red Storm received a mid-season verbal from Mike Cavataio, a St. Francis Prep kid who leads the NYCHSAA in scoring, averaging 25.3 points per game through nine games this season.

14. Cincinnati Bearcats (1-3, 10-8)
Up Next: Wednesday vs. Pittsburgh at 8 p.m., Saturday @ Georgetown at 12 p.m.

This is the toughest stretch the Bearcats face all season with West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Georgetown piled up on top of the Cincy schedule. The stretch started off well, however, as the Bearcats overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat the Mountaineers 96-83. The Bearcats are one of four Big East teams still in search of a conference road win. That chance will come in a Saturday matinee game versus the Georgetown Hoyas. Mick Cronin and crew cannot even think about that game yet as the first concern is Pittsburgh Wednesday night. Freshman guard Deonta Vaughn now leads the team in scoring averaging 13.6 points per game and is second to only Seton Hall’s Eugene Harvey amongst the league’s freshmen. A win over a struggling Pittsburgh team would do wonders for their confidence.

15. South Florida Bulls (1-5, 10-10)
Up Next: Wednesday vs. Rutgers at 7 p.m. (FSNY), Sunday vs. Marquette at 2 p.m.

USF was on the verge of pulling off what would have been considered the biggest upset of the early Big East season as they led Notre Dame 24-21 in the first half in South Bend. It wasn’t to be though as the Irish spurred a 21-2 run into a 82-58 win. The Bulls have lost four of their last five and, in a game which will pit the bottom feeders of the conference, they will host Rutgers Wednesday night at the Sun Dome. USF has never beaten the Scarlet Knights.

Center Kentrell Gransberry notched 23 points, 11 rebounds, both of which were game-highs, in the loss to the Irish. While four players average double figure scoring with Gransberry and either McHugh Mattis or Melvin Buckley usually taking on the offensive load, poor bench play has hindered USF. Against Notre Dame the Bulls bench was outscored 23-2.

16. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-5, 8-11)
Up Next: Saturday vs. Seton Hall at 2 p.m. (YES), Wednesday vs. West Virginia at 7 p.m. (SNY)

Adrian Hill was in foul trouble all night, which summed up another tough one for Rutgers as they fell 78-63 in a game in which the Scarlet Knights trailed by as much as 30-14 in the first half. The Knights have been at times stagnant offensively, desperately searching for someone to provide any offense. Against the Friars, Marquis Webb and Anthony Farmer were the only two to score in double figures. JR Inman, who currently leads the team in scoring, went 2-for12 from the floor and scored just five points. Once again if Rutgers has any intention of making the Big East Tournament, then South Florida and Seton Hall are virtual must-wins.

Big East Notebook

Big East Conference Notebook

by Jesse Ullmann and Pat DiSalvo

1. Pittsburgh Panthers (3-0 Big East, 15-2 Overall)
Up Next: Saturday vs. Georgetown at 9 P.M. (ESPN)

Pitt has rebounded from two tough non-conference losses to win four straight games, including a contest at Syracuse last Thursday. While star senior center Aaron Gray has struggled with four straight single-digit scoring efforts, the deep Panther bench has picked up the slack. In their latest win, the Panthers bench outscored South Florida’s 28-2 and had ten players register at least two points. Pitt enters Big East play as the hunted team picked by many to finish first in the conference. To stifle opponents seeking an upset, the Panthers have succeeded by playing their trademark tough defense (allowing only 55 points per game in their last four), as well as taking care of the ball offensively. Pitt leads the conference in assists per game with 19.8 and assist/turnover ratio at 1.7. Jamie Dixon’s squad will face some of its biggest challenges in the next few weeks, especially during a tough three game stretch against Georgetown, UConn and Marquette (all of which are home games).

2. Providence Friars (2-0, 12-3)
Up Next: Saturday @ Louisville at 12 P.M., Wednesday @ Seton Hall at 7:30 P.M. (ESPN360)

The Friar’s are now 4-1 in their last five games picking up wins this week over Seton Hall and Marquette. In two convincing wins, PC put up a combined 165 points and this, again, came without their leading scorer Sharaud Curry, who Tim welsh has finally announced will indeed return for the Louisville game (he will not be fresh, though, as Curry is not allowed to practice with the team until Friday, the day before the road contest). Dwain Williams has filled in for curry and against Marquette contributed 11 points and just two turnovers in 38 minutes. Starting wingman Weyinmi Efejuku gave a tremendous effort with 18 points and 10 rebounds versus Marquette. The Golden Eagles also saw rejuvenated Friar big man Herbert Hill, who proceeded to get 23 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks.

The court at the Dunk will from now on be know as Dave Gavitt Court, named after the newest Naismith Hall of Fame inductee and former Friar head coach.

3. West Virginia Mountaineers (3-1, 13-2)
Up Next: Saturday at Marquette at Noon (ESPN), Wednesday vs. South Florida at 7 P.M.

West Virginia, despite being predicted to finish well below last year’s third place rank in the Big East, is on a tear as conference play is underway. In having to replace four starters, head coach John Beilein has an energetic and young squad that appears willing to play with – and shock – anyone. That included a then-undefeated Connecticut Huskies on December 30th, as the Mountaineers beat UConn 81-71 in Morgantown. The WVU squad has raced out to a 3-0 start in the Big East with additional wins over St. John’s and Villanova. Their 13-1 mark is the best start for a Mountaineer team since the 1981-82 season. WVU is using stifling defense, holding its opponents to less than 50 points per game, as well as balanced scoring, with senior Frank Young leading five players that average more than nine points per game (14.6). Young is also aided by sophomore sensation Joe Alexander, who has scored in double digits in his last nine games. Alexander is one of many talented athletes on the Mountaineers who have not only been giving opponents fits on the offensive end, but on defense as well with their active 1-3-1 zone. For as much success as WVU has had, the true test awaits as six of their next eight games are on the road.

4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2-1, 14-2)
Up Next: Sunday vs. Seton Hall at 2 P.M., Wednesday @ Villanova at 7:30 P.M.

After a woeful shooting performance in a loss to Georgetown Mike Brey and the Irish rebounded with an impressive 61-58 victory over West Virginia. Russell Carter had 19 points and is now third in the conference in scoring with 17.6 points per game. Unlike most wingmen or combo guards, Carter is very unselfish, but he has the wherewithal to know when to take it on his own and create. You could make an argument that the Irish, a team picked to finish 11th in the pre-season Big East Coaches Poll, is the only league lock for the NCAA Tournament right now besides Pittsburgh. They are well on their way to an NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2002-03 season. Kyle Mcalarney has now missed four games serving an indefinite suspension imposed by head coach Mike Brey.

5. Syracuse Orange (2-1, 13-4)
Up Next: Saturday vs. Villanova at 1 P.M. (CBS)

The Orange got a much-needed victory at Marquette on Sunday night, improving its Big East record to .500. After an eight-point loss to Pitt at the Carrier Dome, SU was looking to avoid its first 0-2 start in the Big East since the 1998-99 season. Thanks to resurgent sophomore guard Eric Devendorf’s 20 points, the Orange got its first truly impressive win of the season, even though it was ugly as both teams combined for 43 turnovers. While the Orange is having trouble handling the ball, the return of Devendorf should help. The sophomore is still coming off the bench, but is playing at a much higher level than one month ago, when he was dealing with personal issues and sickness. He is averaging 17.5 points in his last four games off the bench. Devendorf is integral to the team, which is thin because of injuries and the transfer of freshman swingman Mike Jones. Jones left the team because of a lack of playing time and homesickness from South Carolina, according to coach Jim Boeheim. The Orange is also without two frontcourt players, Matt Gorman and Arinze Onuaku, because of injuries.

As a result, Boeheim has gone to a seven-player rotation. While the team is not deep, it is talented. Senior Demetris Nichols, despite struggling in the past two games, is second in the Big East in scoring at 19.1ppg. Senior center Darryl Watkins has also played outstanding of late, tallying 14 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks against Marquette. If the Orange can improve its half court offense, take care of the ball and get healthy, it may be able to overcome its slow start.

6. Seton Hall Pirates (2-1, 10-5)
Up Next: Sunday @ Notre Dame at 2 P.M., Wednesday vs. Providence at 7:30 P.M.

The annual battle between the Pirates and St. John’s tilted in favor of the Hall yet again. Bouncing back after a disappointing 91-69 loss at Providence, Bobby Gonzalez and his crew won convincingly on Thursday by a 79-63 margin at Continental Arena. Freshman guard Eugene Harvey (Brooklyn, NY/St. Benedicts Prep) looked brilliant with 16 points, 7 assists and a career-high 8 rebounds. The reigning Big East Rookie of the Week winner showed St. John’s just exactly what it is they’re missing as he dominated Eugene Lawrence and Daryll Hill. Harvey was one of four Pirates scoring in double figures. Brian Laing had a team-high 18 points and continues to emerge this season for the Pirates. If Harvey is Batman, then his classmate Larry Davis is Robin. Davis finished with 17 points, as did Jamar Nutter. The Hall now moves forward to take on the hottest team in the league right now, Notre Dame.

7. Georgetown Hoyas (1-1, 11-4)
Up Next: Saturday at Pitt at 9 P.M. (ESPN), Wednesday at Rutgers at 7:30 P.M.

Georgetown had rattled off seven straight wins, including a 66-48 romp of then-No. 22 Notre Dame this past Saturday, before Villanova beat the Hoyas 56-52 on Monday. The win against ND, in which the Hoyas led by as much as 29 points in the second half, snapped the Fighting Irish’s 12-game win streak. The team’s play during the victory over ND showcased a squad that looked as if it were the top 10 team observers believed the Hoyas to be in the preseason. Junior center Roy Hibbert poured in 18 points in a balanced offensive effort, with junior Jeff Green tallying 15, junior Jonathan Wallace netting 13 and sophomore Jessie Sapp with 10. But on Monday, the hyped Hibbert and Green were nowhere to be found, combining for nine points and seven rebounds. The Hoyas will go as Hibbert and Green go. John Thompson III will need those two to perform and needs continued help from Sapp and Wallace for the Hoyas to stay at the top of the conference.

8. Louisville Cardinals (1-1, 11-5)
Up Next: Saturday vs. Providence at noon

After dropping their only challenging games of the season thus far to Arizona, Kentucky and Dayton, the Cardinals are searching for a significant win. Last week Louisville fell to Notre Dame 78-62. The Cardinals are struggling without a consistent scoring threat. Overall, the team is shooting barely over 40 percent from the field. Against the Fighting Irish, the only Cardinal in double digits was sophomore Terrence Williams with 18 points. Freshman guards Edgar Sosa and Jerry Smith were held to five points each. Junior swingman Juan Palacios has underachieved so far, averaging only 9.8 points per game. Without junior David Padgett at 100 percent (he is averaging only 22 minutes per game), the Cardinals need more leadership and points from Palacios. Hyped freshman Derrick Caracter has not been a factor for Louisville, averaging 5.6 points per game. Caracter has just returned from a leave of absence, and the Cardinals will need improved play from him if they want to succeed in the conference.

9. Marquette Golden Eagles (1-2, 14-4)
Up Next: Saturday vs. West Virginia at 11 a.m. (ESPN), Monday @ Louisville at 6 P.M. (ESPN)

Despite a wealth of talent, Marquette finds itself sitting at 0-2 as Big East play is underway. In the past two games against Providence and Syracuse the Golden Eagles have struggled shooting the ball – they are 8 of 44 from three point range in that span. Sophomore point guard Dominic James has also struggled, scoring 12 and 6 points in the last two contests. The Golden Eagles boast one of the conferences’ peskiest defenses, forcing 20 Syracuse turnovers. Sophomore Jerel McNeal also averages 3.5 steals per game, tied for tops in the Big East. As evidenced by the past two games, it appears that the talented Golden Eagles will go as far as their outside shooting takes them. With a lack of inside play, and 42.5 of their averaged 72.2 points per game coming from their three starting guards, Marquette cannot afford to have James, McNeal and sophomore Wesley Matthews struggle. The current four-game stretch that started with Wednesday’s win at UConn will likely dictate the Golden Eagles’ season, as the team faces off against West Virginia, Louisville and Pitt to complete the stretch.

10. Connecticut Huskies (1-2, 12-3)
Up Next: Saturday @ St. John’s at 9 P.M., Tuesday @ Pittsburgh at 7 P.M. (ESPN2)

Youth has been served.

Now that the conference schedule is well underway and the mold and shape of the big picture Big East comes into view, for UConn, it’s transparency in the aggregate. From the get-go everyone knew the Huskies would be vulnerable this season and now, with a death trap right around the bend at MSG versus St. John’s, Connecticut’s being picked apart by the Big East, the latest beneficiary being Marquette in what Jim Calhoun basically called an excruciating 40 minutes of hoops for his Huskies. Marquette won going away 73-69. The score was a little deceiving because it was not that close of a game. The Huskies have now lost two in a row with a loss to LSU on ESPN’s College GameDay this past Saturday.

One thought here: Connecticut constantly gets criticized (sometimes deservedly) for scheduling non-league cupcakes. But the Huskies face LSU, Indiana and Georgia Tech (who just beat Duke by double digits) this season. For a measuring stick Michigan State also faces only three tough non-conference foes this season in Texas, Boston College and Maryland. The difference is Izzo schedules those games to be played in November and December whereas Connecticut plays every one of theirs after January. Why does Calhoun do that? What is the untold truth here? The truth has to be television.

With the NFL over and done with and March Madness on the horizon CBS wants late-season heroics and they’ll get it (or so they think) in Connecticut-Indiana and Connecticut-Georgia Tech matinee games.

11. DePaul Blue Demons (1-2, 10-7)
Up Next: Saturday @ Rutgers at 3 P.M., Tuesday vs. St. John’s at 7:30 P.M.

DePaul is coming off a big 73-65 victory at Villanova on Saturday, the sixth win in the Blue Demons’ last seven games. Senior Sammy Mejia, who scored 23 points against Villanova, and super sophomore Wilson Chandler lead the pesky Blue Demons with 16.1 and 15.8 points per game respectively. While the Blue Demons are not regarded among the best in the Big East, they are very talented and can be troublesome for an opponent on any given night. The Demons lost at Kentucky by only six points, beat then No. 5 Kansas in early December, conquered Wake Forest and California and won tough road games at Rhode Island and Villanova. Big East play will likely wear down on the Blue Demons, but with two stars like Mejia and Chandler, one can’t overlook DePaul. Unfortunately for Jerry Wainwright’s squad, there isn’t much depth after the top two – no other players average double digit-points or log more than 23 minutes.

12. Villanova Wildcats (1-2, 11-4)
Up Next: Saturday at Syracuse at Noon (CBS), Wednesday vs. Notre Dame at 7 P.M.

The Wildcats beat Georgetown 56-52 on Monday after facing their first two-game losing streak since January 2005. With one more loss, they will reach their loss total from last year. Although the team has the Big East’s leading scorer in Curtis Sumpter at 19.5 per game and the top free throw shooting team in the league, it has struggled to find an identity. The Wildcats have not had an extremely challenging schedule, but succeeded against Georgetown with another strong performance from Scottie Reynolds. In his last five games, the freshman is averaging 14.2 points and 4.2 assists, including a 25-point effort in a loss to DePaul, and a 16-point outburst against the Hoyas. ‘Nova will learn a lot about themselves in their next couple of games against Syracuse and Notre Dame. Sumpter and senior guard Mike Nardi lead the team but need the role players to step up in order to right the ship in the Big East.

13. St. John’s Red Storm (1-2, 10-6)
Up Next: Saturday vs. Connecticut at 9 P.M., Tuesday @ DePaul at 8:30 P.M.

Two games removed from a very impressive win over DePaul, the lack of confidence was exposed Thursday night. The Red Storm, competitive for a solid 25 minutes, let the game get away from them in the second half in losing on the road to Seton Hall 79-63. Also exposed was the Johnnies’ lack of size. It did not happen last night but in the future, if Lamont Hamilton ever gets in foul trouble, forget about it. One of the few bright spots turned out to be Anthony Mason, Jr., who finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds in a losing cause. Norm Roberts watched Eugene Harvey, a city kid lured to New Jersey by Bobby G., nearly drop in a triple-double with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.

If St. John’s is thinking at all of making the 12-team Big East Tournament and avoiding its second-straight non-invite, Seton Hall is a must-win.

14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-2, 8-8)
Up Next: Saturday vs. DePaul at 4 P.M., Wednesday vs. Georgetown at 7:30 P.M.

There are certain secrets that have been well-kept in the Big East. For instance, if you so choose you can gamble against the Syracuse 2-3 zone by shooting a ton and, if you’re cold, keep shooting and hope to get hot. The traditional approach, however (one taken by the likes of Brey, Tim Welsh and Calhoun), is to abandon that game plan and start attacking the basket. Fred Hill and Rutgers’ fatal error of not hitting shots against the Orange 2-3 zone proved costly in a 68-58 loss in Piscataway. The Knights hit just nine of their 32 first-half field goals and finished the game shooting just 5-of-24 from behind the arc, an anemic 20.8 percent. Rutgers also looked sluggish with zero fast-break points and at times, as has been the case so far throughout the season, seemed despondent. Trailing by three at halftime, the Knights were in this one and let the game get away from them. Syracuse, with the injury bug, played just seven men. An added bonus for Rutgers was freshman Courtney Nelson contributing 14 points in 30 minutes off the bench.

The starting center from last season, 6’9″ senior Byron Joynes, is expected to make an announcement by Sunday as to whether or not he will redshirt due to a lingering foot problem.

15. Cincinnati Bearcats (0-1, 9-6)
Up Next: Sunday @ South Florida at 2 P.M., Wednesday @ Syracuse at 7 P.M.

The struggling Bearcats are just one of a handful of Big East programs in a rut right now. The Cats have dropped three in a row, the latest loss coming at home versus Rutgers, 54-42. Marcus Sikes shot 7-of-9 with three three-pointers for 17 points in the loss. If Cincinnati has any thought of making the 12-member Big East Tournament, Sunday is a must-win. No need to panic yet, but Bearcat junior guard Jamuel Warren had some disturbing comments following the Rutgers game. Quoted in a local paper, Warren complained about his teammates and coaches losing focus.

When it rains, it pours: the NCAA has taken a scholarship away from the program because of their APR.

16. South Florida Bulls (0-3, 9-8)
Up Next: Sunday vs. Cincinnati at 2 P.M., Wednesday @ West Virginia at 7 P.M.

After what was hoped to be a turning-point victory over Wake Forest, the Bulls have found themselves in the same exact place they were this time last year. With their first league win still eluding them, the Bulls so far are 0-for-3, the latest loss an 81-55 beating by Louisville, a game in which the Cardinals nailed 13 three pointers. Despite the fact that the Cardinals were playing without two of their premier talents in Juan Palacios and Derrick Caracter, South Florida was not able to take advantage. Melvin Buckley had another impressive game for USF, connecting on five three-pointers in the losing cause. The Bulls are trying to avoid a repeat of an atrocious inaugural season in the Big East, but they are not helping their own cause. They have lost by 18, 21, and 26 to Connecticut, Pittsburgh and now Louisville.

Redshirt freshman Chris Howard played in his first game back after a year and a half of being away with knee problems. Howard logged 20 minutes against Louisville.

Big East Notebook

Big East Conference Notebook

by Jesse Ullmann and Pat DiSalvo

1. Connecticut Huskies (0-0 Big East, 11-0 Overall)
Up Next: Saturday @ West Virginia at 2 p.m. (ESPN 2), Saturday @ LSU at 9 p.m. (ESPN)

Despite a rather lax non-conference schedule so far (Indiana, LSU, Georgia Tech still loom), Jim Calhoun and his Huskies seem to be shaping into form. Jerome Dyson is the lone standout in the freshman class. In an 84-41 victory over Coppin State, six players scored in double digits with Dyson contributing 10 points, and 7’3″ freshman center Hasheem Thabeet added 11. In perhaps his best performance yet Curtis Kelly showed flashes coming off the bench, shooting a perfect 7-of-7 from the floor for 14 points and grabbing five rebounds in 14 minutes of action. Regarding Thabeet, once Connecticut starts playing games on national television the NBA scouts will eat him up and he will be a one-and-done.

2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (0-0, 11-1)
Up Next: Saturday vs. Stony Brook at 4 p.m. (MSG)

For the second time this season, senior standout Russell Carter was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll. In wins over Portland and Army, Carter averaged 20 points and leads the team with a season average of 17.6 per night. Carter has now led the Fighting Irish in scoring in five of its 11 contests. Though Carter and his starting mates Rob Kurz and Colin Falls have paved the way for Notre Dame to get into the Top 25 polls (19, 24), the Irish are averaging nearly 30 bench points per game. Leading the way is 6’8″, 250-pound freshman Luke Harangody’s 11.9 per game, including 18 points and 10 rebounds versus Rider. Without question, Notre Dame has been the nice surprise during the first half of the Big East season, predicating everything they do off of their perimeter shooting.

Staten Island native and Irish starting guard Kyle McAlarney, who hit seven three-pointers in a 101-51 victory over Rider, has been arrested for possession of drugs and suspended indefinitely.

3. West Virginia Mountaineers (0-0, 10-1)
Up Next: Saturday vs. Connecticut at 2 p.m. (ESPN2)

The jury is still out on whether the Mountaineers will be able to make a run with an extremely young and inexperienced team. The team will drop games in the Big East, but based upon good wins at Western Michigan and against NC State, it shouldn’t be the league’s doormat. Coach John Beilein is getting the most out of his players. Senior Frank Young is leading the youthful Mountaineers with 12.8 points per game, tied with surprising sophomore Joe Alexander. Young has scored in double digits in seven straight games. West Virginia hasn’t faced much of a test so far. The Mountaineers will find out how good they really are when they face Connecticut on December 30th.

4. Marquette Golden Eagles (0-0, 12-2)
Up Next: Savannah State (12/30), at Providence (1/4)

The talented Golden Eagles have been up and down in the beginning of the 2006-07 season. Early in the year Marquette beat Duke, only to fall to North Dakota State three games later. In early December, the Eagles suffered a tough loss to in-state foe Wisconsin, but have recovered with two solid victories. Although without injured 7-foot center Mike Kinsella, the Golden Eagles are playing well and could be one of, if not the best team in the Big East if they find more consistency and inside play. The three guards – Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews – are pulling their weight, but the lack of an inside presence could prevent this Marquette squad from being one of the nation’s best.

The Eagles are coming off a 20-point win over Morgan State and in the midst of playing eight straight games at home. The Golden Eagles open the conference schedule at Providence on Thursday. Since being cleared to play Lazar Hayward is one of three players off the bench averaging nearly 15 minutes per game. And even with James leading the Golden Eagles (and the entire league) in scoring (17.4), he is getting his teammates involved. James dished out a career-high nine assists in an 18-point win over Oakland. His sophomore classmate McNeal has a Big East-best 46 steals and he’s the second-best scoring threat at 14.4 points per game.

5. Pittsburgh Panthers (0-0, 11-2)
Up Next: Florida A&M (12/30), at Syracuse (1/4)

The Panthers have lost two straight games after rising to the No. 2 ranking in the country. First, Pittsburgh lost to Wisconsin on Dec. 16 in a discouraging game as the Badgers never let Pitt pull close. Then on Dec. 21, the Panthers were dropped in double OT by Oklahoma State. Pittsburgh may have been a little overrated at No. 2, evidenced by their two straight losses. They also haven’t been overly impressive in victories, eking out a win at Buffalo and struggling against lower-level squads. But losing to two highly-ranked teams should only help the Panthers when Big East play begins. With Aaron Gray averaging 17.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, and a strong Pittsburgh defense, the Panthers will right the ship for the Big East season.

6. Villanova Wildcats (0-0, 9-2)
Up Next: Temple (12/30), at West Virginia (1/3)

The Wildcats have suffered a few tough losses, including falling to Drexel on Dec. 9. Still the team has played well, highlighted by walloping Oklahoma on the Sooners’ home floor. Curtis Sumpter has come back from knee surgery to average a tremendous 19.9 points per game. He’s logging 30 minutes a game but needs to help out on the glass some more. Point guard Mike Nardi is also playing well, averaging nearly 15 points and 5 assists per game. Still, the role players after the two big men will need to step up for the Wildcats to be successful in the Big East.

After losing as much as the Wildcats did since last year, the team is starting off on the right foot. Although Villanova hasn’t faced any powers yet, the Wildcats have enough quality wins to prove they should be close to the bubble come March.

7. Syracuse Orange (0-0, 10-3)
Up Next: St. Bonaventure (12/30), Pittsburgh (1/4)

The Orange is having a bit of trouble jelling together as the Big East schedule approaches. The team has lost to two ranked opponents, Wichita State and Oklahoma State, both at Syracuse-friendly sites. Add a loss to Drexel on Dec. 19, and SU has lost three games before Big East play for the first time since the 1998-99 season. The team has missed sophomore guard Eric Devendorf, who played limited minutes in both losses with what was reported as a stomach virus. Devendorf was heard apologizing to his teammates at a recent practice, although Jim Boeheim refused to answer questions on the subject and threatened to close practice to the media. Without Devendorf the team has a great deal of trouble handling the ball and working through its half court offense.

There have been bright signs, though, as senior Demetris Nichols has been off the charts recently, tallying 26, 26, 28 and 31 points in his last four games. Freshman Paul Harris has put up decent numbers for the Orange, but for him to truly succeed on offense, the team needs to run and gun a bit more. Syracuse will need to find some consistency in the next few weeks to compete for a top spot in the Big East.

8. Cincinnati Bearcats (0-0, 9-3)
Up Next: Thursday @ Memphis at 9 p.m. (ESPN)

Head coach Mick Cronin is gradually seeing his team come together and he himself is beginning to understand all of the pieces of his puzzle. Reigning Big East Rookie of the Week Deonta Vaughn is improving; however he was limited to just six points in a 60-52 loss to Miami (Ohio). Vaughn has led his team in scoring five of their 12 contests thus far. Springfield, Mass. native Jamuel Warren continues to be a solid figure in the backcourt for the Bearcats, adding 15 points versus Miami (Ohio). Wing man Marcus Sikes had a double-double with 15 points and10 rebounds in the winning cause against the Red Hawks.

9. Georgetown Hoyas (0-0, 9-3)
Up Next: At Michigan (12/30), Notre Dame (1/6)

In an early season surprise, the Georgetown Hoyas have nearly fallen off the map. The team suffered losses at home to both Old Dominion and Oregon, with the other loss coming at the hands of Duke. Stars Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green have both underachieved to this point. If they can get it going and the backcourt continues to improve the Hoyas will be on the right track. They haven’t had many tests early, so the losses might fuel the Hoyas going into Big East play. But if Green and Hibbert continue to struggle, so too will Georgetown.

10. Providence Friars (0-0, 9-3)
Up Next: Friday @ Florida State at 9:30 p.m., Thursday vs. Marquette at 7:30 p.m.

The Friars took a hit this week in losing Sharaud Curry to a suspension that will last for at least one game. Despite this news, the Friars have strung together three straight wins and have won eight of their last nine. Losing the team’s leader in scoring in Curry (17.3) means other bench players will now have to step up and fill the void. Freshman guard Dwain Williams out of Murrieta, California is penciled in to start in Curry’s place. Watching the expectations of Weyinmi Efejuku come to fruition this season has been exciting, as he has flourished in Tim Welsh’s system and he’ll need to continue in his development. As of now Efejuku is the Friars best three-point shooter dialing in at a 48% clip and now without Curry is the team’s leading scorer (16.4).

11. Seton Hall Pirates (0-0, 8-3)
Up Next: Friday vs. Liberty (BYU Holiday Classic) at 7 p.m.

Two free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining in regulation were the decisive factor in a tough 76-74 loss to Oral Roberts at the BYU Classic in Provo Thursday night. Three technical fouls did not help their cause. Last week, freshmen Larry Davis and Eugene Harvey helped the Pirates split a pair of games. In the Aeropostale Classic at MSG, Virginia Tech defeated the Pirates 80-61, but the Hall rebounded with a 94-85 victory over Penn. After garnering two consecutive Big East Rookie of the Week accolades, Harvey appears to be a key cog in the future for Seton Hall basketball. Harvey currently leads the team in scoring (15.7) and assists (57) and should absolutely turn into a better point man than predecessor Donald Copeland. Brian Laing and Jamar Nutter scored 18 points apiece in a well-rounded offensive output by the Pirates in the win over the Quakers, the third 90-point outing of the season for SHU.

For one reason or another a good portion of time recently has been spent by the local NY/NJ newspapers questioning Continental Airlines Arena and why the Hall continue to play games there. You can be assured of one thing, though: a packed house when Big East conference play opens up for the Hall hosting cross-state rival Rutgers.

12. Louisville Cardinals (0-0, 9-4)
Up Next: North Carolina-Asheville (12/30)

The Cardinals have gotten off to a very slow start, losing to Dayton and UMass. The team is struggling to find a real offensive identity. Juan Palacios leads the team in scoring at 12 points per game, while David Padgett is seeing limited minutes as he is still recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. The eight points, five rebounds per game are not David Padgett numbers and Louisville needs him healthy to be considered a threat in the Big East. Right now it’s not looking too positive for the Cardinals. In a loss to Kentucky, Louisville shot 27 percent. The offense, along with a porous defense, needs to improve before conference play.

Rick Pitino sent Derrick Caracter home indefinitely, according to various reports, but he has reportedly returned to campus. How soon he returns to playing is unknown.

13. St. John’s Red Storm (0-0, 9-4)
Up Next: Saturday vs. BU at 7 p.m. (MSG), Wednesday vs. DePaul at 7:30 p.m. (MSG)

St. John’s try for a third straight MSG Holiday Festival fell short in a loss to Hofstra. To get to the final, the Storm nearly handed Boston University the game after missing critical free throws that would have sealed the victory. Instead, Lamont Hamilton missed the two free throws in regulation, sending the game into overtime. There, Hamilton redeemed himself by hitting one of two at the line which turned out to be the game winner in a way too close 45-44 win over the Terriers.

After losing Derwin Kitchen, the Storm is now without Aaron Spears, who has been suspended indefinitely by Norm Roberts for a violation of team rules. Wing man Ricky Torres’ supposedly illustrious college career has dwindled into an 8.5 minutes per game clip.

14. South Florida Bulls (0-0, 8-4)
Up Next: Friday vs. Wake Forest at 7 p.m. (ESPN2), Tuesday @ Connecticut at 7 p.m.

South Florida only had a four-day layoff for holiday breaks sandwiched by games versus Missouri State and UAB, both losses. USF has now dropped four in a row heading into tonight’s contest versus Wake Forest. As is the case with many other schools with skeptical fans, there is reason to cheer as now eligible to play are Kentrell Gransberry and Jesus Verdejo, two highly touted transfers. In their debut the tandem combined for 44 points and 11 rebounds in a win over Norfolk State. Gransberry has recorded double figures in rebounds four out of the five games he’s played in including 17 versus UNLV.

The Bulls were able to lure Wake Forest to Tampa to play in what will be a good opportunity for a Big East school in USF versus an ACC foe in the Demon Deacons. The game will be played at the St. Pete Times Forum, host of the 2007 ACC Tournament for the first time ever.

15. DePaul Blue Demons (0-0, 7-5)
Up Next: @ St. John’s (1/3)

The Blue Demons came out of nowhere to shock then No. 5 Kansas in early December. Although the squad struggled before that game, it is starting to piece things together. Led by Sammy Mejia and sophomore Wilson Chandler, the Blue Demons have won five of six since the Kansas game, with the only loss coming at the hands of UAB 58-57. DePaul will not be at the top of the Big East, but the team has enough talent to beat a lot of upper-echelon teams like Kansas when the Big East schedule rolls along. Look for the Demons to make some noise.

16. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (0-0, 6-6)
Up Next: Wednesday @ Seton Hall at 7:30 p.m.

Though the Scarlet Knights are in last place in the Big East Fred Hill’s crew strung together five straight wins before falling at North Carolina 87-48. The Knights were without J.R. Inman and Anthony Farmer, who were serving a one-game suspension for an academic violation. Rutgers shot just 1-13 from downtown versus the Tar Heels and notched just 19 first half points.

Within the five-game win streak the Knights pulled out victories over Nebraska, handing the Cornhuskers their first loss of the season. A 23-point win over Temple and then a road win at state rival Princeton gives Hill and his players a much-needed confidence lift.

Big East Preview

Big East Conference 2006-07 Preview

by Jesse Ullmann and Pat DiSalvo

In its second year as a 16-member monster conference, the Big East will be successful yet again this season. But it will look quite different. Although players graduate or move on to the NBA every year, many Big East icons are gone. West Virginia lost four of its starters after finishing third in the conference last year. Stars Gerry McNamara, Carl Krauser, Steve Novak, Marcus Williams, Josh Boone, Quincy Douby, Taquan Dean and the Villanova three – Randy Foye, Allen Ray and Kyle Lowry – are all gone.

But despite all those losses, the conference still boasts several strong teams. The Georgetown Hoyas and Pittsburgh Panthers are likely top 10 programs. Connecticut, despite its youth, will be dangerous, as usual. Syracuse and Marquette should be solid. Seven conference teams could again make the NCAA tournament.

Injuries and the return from them will dictate the future of a few conference teams. If Curtis Sumpter is healthy, Villanova could surprise some people. As of now, Louisville’s David Padgett doesn’t look close to 100 percent as he continues to rehab his knee. Coach Rick Pitino recently said Padgett likely won’t fully recover until February.

Look for Georgetown and Pittsburgh to dominate the conference and become two of the country’s elite teams. Both are legitimate Final Four contenders. Syracuse is also a sleeper – if the Orange’s seniors can fulfill their potential – to make a run deep into March. And you can never count out Connecticut. It’ll be another exciting and physical year in the Big East.

Preseason Awards

1st Team All-Big East
Dominic James, Marquette
Eric Devendorf, Syracuse
Jeff Green, Georgetown
Curtis Sumpter, Villanova
Aaron Gray, Pittsburgh

Conference MVP: Jeff Green, Georgetown
Defensive Player of the Year: Aaron Gray, Pittsburgh
Freshman of the Year: Paul Harris, Syracuse
Newcomer of the Year: Patrick Ewing Jr., Georgetown

Team Capsules

1. Pittsburgh Panthers (25-8, 10-6, Sixth)
Projected Starting Five:
Sophomore guard Levance Fields
Junior guard Ron Ramon
Sophomore forward Sam Young
Senior forward Levon Kendall
Senior center Aaron Gray

Schedule Highlights:
Dec. 16 at Wisconsin
Dec. 21 at Oklahoma State
Jan. 13 vs. Georgetown
Feb. 17 vs. Washington
March 3 at Marquette

Yeah, the gritty point guard Carl Krauser is gone, but Pittsburgh has plenty of talent to win without him. Sophomore Levance Fields, a superb point guard, will take Krauser’s spot and provide the Panthers with a scoring threat. Pitt also returns a beast in the middle in Aaron Gray, who averaged a double-double last year. Senior Levon Kendall will also chip in a bunch of points. As usual, Pitt will be tough, especially at home. Be wary of junior guard Ron Ramon, who led the league in three-point shooting percentage last season. Some might question the Panthers’ toughness without Krauser, but after a challenging non-conference schedule, the team will grow into one of the nation’s elite teams.

2. Georgetown Hoyas (23-10, 10-6, Fifth)
Projected Starting Five:
Junior guard Jonathan Wallace
Sophomore guard Jessie Sapp
Junior forward Jeff Green
Junior forward Patrick Ewing Jr.
Junior center Roy Hibbert

Schedule Highlights:
Dec. 2 at Duke
Dec. 30 at Michigan
Jan. 13 at Pittsburgh
Feb. 10 vs. Marquette
Feb. 24 vs. Pittsburgh
Feb. 26 at Syracuse

Fresh off a Sweet 16 appearance and a near upset of eventual champion Florida, Georgetown is one of the best teams in the country, let alone the Big East. The team graduated two double-digit scorers in Ashanti Cook and Brandon Bowman. But they do return the top two scorers: the all-around talented Jeff Green and big-man Roy Hibbert. The addition of Patrick Ewing Jr., son of Hoya legend Patrick Ewing, will give the Hoyas a dynamic frontcourt duo. Ewing Jr. transferred to Georgetown from Indiana. Depth might be a problem as the team lost three starters from last year, but count on coach John Thompson III and the tough Hoya defense to lead this team to a successful season and another late run in March.

3. Syracuse Orange (23-12, 7-9, Ninth)
Projected Starting Five:
Junior guard Josh Wright
Sophomore guard Eric Devendorf
Senior forward Demetris Nichols
Senior forward Terrence Roberts
Senior center Darryl Watkins

Schedule Highlights:
Dec. 2 vs. Wichita State
Dec. 5 vs. Oklahoma State
Jan. 4 vs. Pittsburgh
Feb. 5 at Connecticut
Feb. 26 vs. Georgetown

With Syracuse icon Gerry McNamara having graduated from the Hill, the Orange will be without its clutch leader. But Syracuse returns four of five starters, including the talented Eric Devendorf, an impressive scorer. Syracuse also has a heralded recruiting class, nabbing one of the best recruits in the country in guard Paul Harris. Harris likely won’t start until midway through the year, when he’ll take over for Wright. Although the team may struggle without McNamara to lean on, it has enough talent to overcome the loss. Success will also hinge on the play of their inconsistent frontcourt, seniors Terrence Roberts and Darryl Watkins. With sophomore center Arinze Onuaku undergoing knee surgery that could keep him out for several months, if not the year, Roberts and Watkins will need to carry even more of a load. If the team’s four seniors play to their abilities and if Harris matures quickly, this team could make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

4. Marquette Golden Eagles (20-11, 10-6, Fourth)
Projected Starting Five:
Sophomore guard Dominic James
Sophomore guard Jerel McNeal
Sophomore guard Wesley Matthews
Junior forward Dan Fitzgerald
Junior center Mike Kinsella

Schedule Highlights:
Dec. 9 vs. Wisconsin
Jan. 10 at Connecticut
Jan. 15 at Louisville
Jan. 21 at Pittsburgh
Feb. 14 at DePaul

Following the trend of another team losing a senior star, Marquette will be without Steve Novak this year. That’s 17.5 points per game. Fortunately for coach Tom Crean and the Golden Eagles, the team returns one of the most talented sophomores in the country – Dominic James. The 5-10 point guard, who wowed teams with his quickness and athleticism, can do just about everything, and he will lead the Golden Eagles. Joining James in the backcourt is Jerel McNeal, who averaged more than 11 points per game last season. Sophomore Wesley Matthews is also a budding star. The big men need to step up to help take the load off of James, McNeal and Matthews. Despite its weak frontcourt, Marquette will be a force simply because of its guards. Look for the Golden Eagles to remain in the Big East’s upper echelon.

5. Connecticut Huskies (30-4, 14-2, First)
Projected Starting Five:
Sophomore guard Craig Austrie
Sophomore guard AJ Price
Sophomore wing Marcus Johnson
Sophomore forward Jeff Adrien
Freshman center Hasheem Thabeet

Schedule Highlights:
Jan. 6 at LSU
Feb. 21 at Rutgers
March 3 at Georgetown

To get into the psyche of the Connecticut fan this season, you must first understand that the folks in Storrs are coming off one of their more disappointing seasons in recent Husky history. The 30-4 record speaks for itself, but expectations were high, and compared with Husky Nation standards, the team did not accomplish a lot. This season marks a breath of fresh air as it is out with the old – Marcus Williams, Rudy Gay, Hilton Armstrong and Josh Boone – and in with the new – A.J. Price, Doug Wiggins, Hasheem Thabeet and Curtis Kelly. Coach Jim Calhoun does not have lofty expectations for this group yet, but as the season unfolds, he should expect to see some sort of maturation process from his 13 combined freshmen and sophomores. Expect to see at least five or six different starting lineups. Kelly and Wiggins add depth from the bench and could eventually be everyday starters.

6. Louisville Cardinals (21-13, 6-10, 11th)
Projected Starting Five:
Sophomore guard Andre McGee
Senior guard Brandon Jenkins
Junior forward Juan Palacios
Sophomore forward Terrence Williams
Junior center Terrance Farley

Schedule Highlights:
Dec. 5 at Arizona
Dec. 16 vs. Kentucky
Jan. 22 vs. Connecticut
Jan. 27 vs. Syracuse
Feb. 12 at Pittsburgh

Coach Rick Pitino leads a talented but inconsistent bunch back for 2006-07. Last year, Louisville missed the NCAA tournament. Although the Cardinals lost their best player in Taquan Dean, they return four of the top five scorers from last season. Look for guard Brandon Jenkins – who appears to have fully healed a broken leg suffered in August – and versatile forward Juan Palacios to pick up the slack. If David Padgett could just stay healthy, the Cardinals would be a top 25 fixture. But that’s asking for a lot. Highly touted freshman Derrick Caracter or junior center Terrance Farley will likely take Padgett’s place until he is ready. If Padgett does miss most of the season, another appearance in the NIT could be in the cards for Louisville.

7. Villanova Wildcats (28-5, 14-2, Second)
Projected Starting Five:
Senior guard Mike Nardi
Freshman guard Scottie Reynolds
Sophomore forward Shane Clark
Senior forward Curtis Sumpter
Senior center Will Sheridan

Schedule Highlights:
Dec. 6 at Oklahoma
Jan. 8 at Georgetown
Jan. 20 vs. Texas
Feb. 6 vs. St. Joseph’s
Feb. 28 at Connecticut

The three heralded guards that carried the Wildcats to the Elite Eight last season are gone. Randy Foye, Allan Ray and Kyle Lowry all moved on to the NBA, leaving a gaping hole in the backcourt. Thankfully, senior Mike Nardi remains at point guard, and forward Curtis Sumpter will return healthy after overcoming an ACL injury. The Wildcats did not explore their bench much last season, and relying on those who warmed it last year will be hard for Villanova. The team has a relatively young group that may struggle at times, but if Sumpter stays healthy, he could help carry the Wildcats into March. This squad will not be close to the Villanova group that tore through the Big East last year. Instead, Villanova will be more of a bubble team.

8. DePaul Blue Demons (12-15, 5-11, 14th)
Projected Starting Five:
Junior guard Cliff Clinkscales
Sophomore guard Jabari Currie
Senior guard Sammy Mejia
Junior forward Karron Clarke
Sophomore forward Wilson Chandler

Schedule Highlights:
Nov. 20 at Kentucky
Dec. 13 vs. Wake Forest
Jan. 10 vs. Pittsburgh
Jan. 31 vs. Connecticut
Feb. 3 at Syracuse

DePaul had flashes of brilliance last year, highlighted by a 39-point thrashing of Syracuse at the end of the season. The Blue Demons return their top six scorers – along with all five of last season’s starters. That’s enough to bump DePaul up in the Big East, in which it finished 5-11 last year. Led by guard Sammy Mejia, coach Jerry Wainwright has a talented squad. The question is whether they can build off the end of last year and continue winning in the tough Big East. This team may pull off a few big wins but because of a brutal schedule and inconsistency, they might fall just short of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.

9. St. John’s Red Storm (12-15, 5-11, 15th)
Projected Starting Five:
Junior guard Eugene Lawrence
Senior guard Daryll Hill
Sophomore forward Anthony Mason
Senior forward Aaron Spears
Senior center Lamont Hamilton

Schedule Highlights:
Dec. 29 vs. Hofstra or St. Joseph’s in the Aeropostale Festival
Feb. 1 vs. Georgetown
Feb. 25 vs. Duke

Coach Norm Roberts and the Red Storm head into the 2006-07 season with cautious optimism. Third-year center Lamont Hamilton had a productive off-season and is expected to be a leader with Daryll Hill who, coming off an injury-plagued 2005-06 season will try to be the dynamic player he once was. The recruiting wars are a hurricane, and Roberts is right in the eye of the storm. First-year head coaches such as Bobby Gonzalez at Seton Hall, Fred Hill at Rutgers and Barry Rohrssen at Manhattan do not help the Red Storm’s recruiting situation in New York City right now. And it’s not just those three schools. Nathaniel Lester recently chose Hofstra over St. John’s. Rob Thomas of South Kent must initially sit out because he has not been cleared academically. The Red Storm’s scoring defense, a stingy 64.6 points per game, was impressive last season.

10. Providence Friars (12-15, 5-11, 13th)
Projected Starting Five:
Sophomore guard Sharaud Curry
Sophomore guard Weyinmi Efejuku
Sophomore wing Geoff McDermott
Senior forward Herbert Hill
Junior center Randall Hanke

Schedule Highlights:
Nov. 22 vs. Boston College
Dec. 6 at Florida
Jan. 4 vs. Marquette

Coach Tim Welsh’s job status this season will be more noteworthy than in recent years’ past. In this space, we have suspected that particular coaches – mostly from New Jersey – were in imminent danger of being fired, but never Tim Welsh. That changes right now. Welsh cannot afford to have a letdown season. The Friars have been picked to finish 10th in the Preseason Coaches Poll. Anything less and Welsh could be in major trouble. The format for the Big East Tournament will be the same as last year’s, so that means the worst four teams in the league do not get an invitation. Providence missed last season. Two years in a row would be a disaster. Fortunately for the Friars, 6-11, 260-pound Ray Hall anchors a rookie group that will feature an impressive backcourt tandem in Brian McKenzie and Jamal Barney. McKenzie could make a run at a starting spot.

11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (16-14, 6-10, 12th)
Projected Starting Five:
Sophomore guard Kyle McAlarney
Senior guard Colin Falls
Senior guard Russel Carter
Junior forward Rob Kurz
Sophomore center Luke Zeller

Schedule Highlights:
Dec. 3 vs. Maryland
Jan. 30 at Syracuse
Feb. 24 vs. Marquette

Notre Dame’s conference tournament life hinged on a season-ending meeting against DePaul. They needed to win for a trip to the Big Apple. With Colin Falls, Chris Quinn and Torin Francis, they were able to persevere. This season, two of those staples are gone, and there are lots of questions. Coach Mike Brey’s squad was the feel-good story of the conference last season. An overtime loss followed by another or dropping a game by single digits against a beatable team was tough to watch. The Irish were good last season and caught some tough breaks. Freshman guard Jonathan Peoples will see minutes off the bench. Two big men, 6-8, 255-pound Luke Harangody and 6-7 Joe Harden are also freshmen.

12. West Virginia Mountaineers (22-11, 11-5, Third)
Projected Starting Five:
Freshman guard Devan Bawinkel
Junior guard Darris Nichols
Senior forward Frank Young
Sophomore forward Joe Alexander
Senior center Rob Summers

Schedule Highlights:
Dec. 30 vs. Connecticut
Jan. 13 at Marquette
Feb. 10 vs. UCLA
Feb. 27 at Pittsburgh

Good-bye Mike Gansey, adios Kevin Pittsnogle, adieu Johannes Herber. And I’ve run out of common languages. Along with that trio, John Beilein also lost his sharp-shooting son, Patrick Beilein. That’s more than 53 points per game from last year. Predicting their starting five was like rattling off tonight’s lotto numbers will be. The Mountaineers will struggle in the Big East after having one of the more exciting and successful teams in recent memory the past few years. Thankfully, they return part-time starter Frank Young. But Young was a role player last year. It’ll be a bit of a long year for those in Morgantown. There will likely be no miracle run in March this time around.

13. Cincinnati Bearcats (21-13, 8-8, Eighth)
Projected Starting Five:
Junior guard Jamual Warren
Junior guard Marvin Gentry
Junior forward John Williamson
Senior forward Cedric McGowan
Junior forward Marcus Sikes

Schedule Highlights:
Dec. 2 vs. UAB
Jan. 24 vs. Pittsburgh
Feb. 21 vs. Georgetown

The Cincinnati Bearcats have made the postseason for 17 consecutive years. With the unpredictability of this year’s squad and a new head coach in Mick Cronin, that streak is in major jeopardy. Last spring, the bubble popped for veterans James White, Devon Downey and Eric Hicks who lost in the NIT quarterfinals. There are also a few players on the roster still with eligibility questions. Two of those players are foreign imports Adam Hrycaniuk (pronounced Ritch-a-nuke) and Hernol Hall. Two JuCo kids – part of a nine-player recruiting class – who are expected to make immediate contributions are John Williamson and Jamual Warren, who arrive with a full two years of eligibility left. 6-1 freshman guard Deonta Vaughn has impressed Cronin in preseason practices. Sophomore big-man Connor Barwin, also a tight end on the football team, may actually receive some serious playing time this season. He averaged 10 minutes per game last season.

14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (19-14, 7-9, 10th)
Projected Starting Five:
Sophomore guard Anthony Farmer
Senior guard Marquis Webb
Sophomore freshman JR Inman
Junior forward Ollie Bailey
Senior center Byron Joynes

Schedule Highlights:
Dec. 28 at North Carolina
Jan. 17 vs. Georgetown
Jan. 27 vs. Seton Hall

Coach Fred Hill had been a veteran assistant and finally gets the nod to call all the shots for the Scarlet Knights. Unlike a couple of other newcomers to the league, Hill has four starters returning. Byron Joynes, Adrian Hill and Ollie Bailey will anchor a strong frontcourt and will look to prove something to those coaches who picked Rutgers to finish 14th in the preseason conference poll. That most likely is the blatant result of losing Quincy Douby’s 27.0 points per game, which is fair. Freshman Hamady N’diaye is a blue chip recruit with good shot-blocking skills and at 6-11 and 235 lbs., he will be a fun player to watch develop. The intimate but ruthful confines of the Louis Brown Athletic Center will be a benefit against Connecticut, Georgetown and Syracuse. 6-1 guard Courtney Nelson, a transfer from Richmond, has three years of eligibility left starting this season.

15. Seton Hall Pirates (18-12, 9-7, Seventh)
Projected Starting Five:
Sophomore guard Paul Gause
Junior guard Jamar Nutter
Junior forward Brian Laing
Junior forward Stan Gaines
Senior center Grant Billmeier

Schedule Highlights:
Dec. 9 vs. Penn State
Jan. 3 vs. Rutgers
Feb. 19 vs. Pittsburgh

If you look closely, you’ll see a sparkle in the eyes of the Seton Hall fan. Within the span of a couple of months, coach Bobby Gonzalez hopped across the Hudson and has rejuvenated the Pirates program. Besides already signing most of next year’s class, Bobby G. has added two big-time guards in Eugene Harvey from Brooklyn and Larry Davis from Queens, and both will make immediate contributions. They join Paul Gause and Jamar Nutter in the backcourt and on the wings to add depth. Stan Gaines and John Garcia will be asked to apply heavy pressure on opposing offenses when conference play roles around. Center Grant Billmeier is in a tough position because he must fill the void at center left by Kelly Whitney. Freshman Kashif Pratt from Bronx is a solid wing player who can give the starters ample rest if necessary.

16. South Florida Bulls (7-22, 1-15, 16th)
Projected Starting Five:
Freshman guard Solomon Bozeman
Senior guard Chris Capko
Senior forward McHugh Mattis
Senior forward Melvin Buckley
Senior forward Melvyn Richardson

Schedule Highlights:
Dec. 5 vs. Richmond
Dec. 19 at UNLV
Feb. 14 vs. Syracuse

A 63-56 win in the season finale against national power Georgetown gave the Bulls’ players some clarity heading into the summer. With a more generous schedule this season, do not expect the school’s sophomore year in the Big East to be as bad as their one-win debut. The losses of Solomon Jones and James Hughes will hurt, so fourth-year coach Rob McCullum has added a handful of transfers and a schedule, which if pieced together correctly, can include wins against Rutgers, Syracuse, Notre Dame and Louisville. Center Kentrell Gransbury, a transfer from LSU, and guard Jesus Verdejo, an Arizona transfer, are not eligible until December. Freshman wingman Amu Saaka is expected to see significant minutes, and the health of 6-9 sophomore Aris Williams is not 100 percent. He is coping with knee problems.

NCAA Diploma Mill Investigation

Guilty by Association

by Jesse Ullmann

It is Fall in southeast Connecticut and perched atop the mystique of Gardner Lake a swift breeze rustles the yellow and red autumn leaves. Nestled within the deep, thick woods of Montville, 30 minutes on back roads far, far away from anything such names as Quincy Douby, Ed Cota, Charles Minlend, and Ajou Deng have come to enhance their skills both on the court and off.

Jere Quinn, the head basketball coach at Saint Thomas More Prep, usually awakes in his cottage overlooking Gardner Lake, walks 40 yards to his office tucked inside the much-heralded gymnasium where his teams destroy opponents at will on a daily basis.

From grades 8-12 plus a post-grad program, St. Thomas More of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Conference (NEPSAC) has sent about 200 players to high-end Division I institutions. Alumni include former Pittsburgh star Carl Krauser and Douby, who was drafted 19th last month by the NBA’s Sacramento Kings after three strong years at Rutgers.

Here is a man who rejected two large Nike and Adidas sneaker contracts and who will not hesitate to deny a roster spot to the nation’s best high school player. This is a man who will roughly see 75 percent of his players graduate through Division I, II, and III programs on scholarship. His motto: Student first, athlete second.

So in light of that, some might have been surprised to see St. Thomas More Prep mentioned by the NCAA in the diploma mill investigation.

The NCAA is cracking down on high schools and prep schools admitting kids with prior negligent schooling and then graduating them with bogus credentials to get them into college. A list of schools has been compiled as part of the initial stages of the investigation. St. Thomas More is on the list of schools subject to further review from the NCAA.

“I’ve dedicated my life to helping kids grow,” said a dejected Quinn. “I’m stunned. What I do isn’t just about basketball. If I wanted college or the NBA I would’ve been there long ago.

“If we were going to give gifts, why are all of my kids Proposition 48 kids? If a kid came here and the crease in the dam was too wide we’re going to tell him. I’m not associated with any sneaker company. I’ve never left campus to scout, never left campus to recruit.”

This is the story of the kid in grade school who acted up one morning and had afternoon recess cancelled for everybody else.

The NCAA must investigate everyone, but they will now have to find a way to do so without negatively affecting the image and reputations of other schools. It has and will do damage and unsettle the stomachs of a lot of people. In addition to St. Thomas More, two other NEPSAC schools, Notre Dame Prep (MA) and Bridgton Academy (ME) are on the list. Oak Hill Academy (VA), considered by many to be a very credible academic and basketball landmark and one that does not take post-graduate students, was originally on the list until recently being removed.

Vulnerability

The objective of a prep school is to revive a kid with a checkered past and offer him a second chance. Take lemons and make lemonade. In some cases, though, it is risky business, and as is the situation with every prep school when there is fire occasionally you are going to get burned.

Schea Cotton is one case in point. The top prospect at one point in time from California, Cotton attended two high schools, one prep school, one junior college, accepted four scholarships (UCLA, NC State, Long Beach Sate, Alabama) before finishing at Alabama. He left Tuscaloosa two years early to declare for the 2000 NBA draft, only to go undrafted.

In 9th grade Cotton dunked over 6’10″ UCLA product Jelani McCoy. As a high school sophomore, Cotton scored 33 points against Stephon Marbury and the Lincoln Railsplitters. He scored 22 versus Ron Mercer and Oak Hill that same season. Cotton had all the talent in the world, but learned the hard way that there are no short cuts in life.

In 1997 while at St. Thomas More, Cotton’s SAT scores were consistently insufficient but he tried on his own to accept a scholarship anyway to play for NC State. The NCAA ruled him ineligible.

Six countries later and stops in the ABA, CBA, NBDL, Cotton’s career has not amounted to much. Cotton was on the Washington Wizards roster for the NBA summer league team this month in Las Vegas, but did not play.

A more recent story is the one of Rob Thomas. Thomas began at St. Thomas More, but was not invited back partially due to similar academic problems to those Cotton had. At 6’6″, Thomas was Quinn’s trophy player and getting looks from every top-notch college program in the country. As a sophomore the Brooklyn native averaged 19.7 points, 7.4 rebounds in just 21.7 minutes per game. After leaving St. Thomas More, he enrolled at South Kent Prep (CT) and managed to turn his outlook around by graduating. Thomas is now attending St. John’s.

Every kid is different. Julian Sensley did not have the grades and Quinn, knowing it would be impossible to get Sensley into college, had to graduate Sensley as a Prop 48, meaning he’d be eligible to play for a junior college, which would be a necessary step to get him into Division I. Sensley wanted to bypass all that.

Then like a freight train plowing down the train tracks, Sensley proceeded to either attend, commit to or sign with California (committed as a junior), Iona, Southern Nevada, L.A. City College, San Francisco, Fresno St., and Hawaii.

Sensley just graduated from Hawaii, where he is originally from, after leading the Rainbow Warriors in scoring last season. He played for the Golden State Warriors in Las Vegas earlier this month.

Middle man

All too often a high school prospect can be misdirected. Reebok ABCD 2006 took place in Teaneck, New Jersey three weeks ago. Every year the campers are given a pamphlet. One of the many topics discussed in this pamphlet are suggestions for the campers on how to be careful with whom you choose to listen to or hang around with.

The influence of a third party is all too common and typically there is less concern for the kid’s well being than there is for personal gain or some sort of self gratification. Whether or not these “advisers” are from some of the high schools on the NCAA’s list or are an independent party remains to be seen. They need to be weeded out though. The question is, how? Quinn seems to be one of the good guys.

“Eddie (Cota) didn’t come from much. He wanted to go to Manhattan College,” said Quinn. “He kept saying to me he wasn’t good enough and I kept telling him fine, but what is your dream school Eddie? ‘I’ve always dreamed of playing at North Carolina Coach.’ For the first time ever I picked up the phone, called Dean Smith and told him about this kid I had and he came up and watched a few games and the rest is history.” After graduating from St. Thomas More and passing his SAT’s, Cota reached the Final Four three of his four years as a Tar Heel and went on to make a six-figure salary playing professionally overseas.

Moving Forward

For eight months out of the year, the St. Thomas More Chancellor’s will draw as many as 25 scouts per game during the season and pack a less-than 300 capacity gym with way more than 300 spectators at the highly visible school. Quinn, following in the footsteps of former Stony Brook head coach Nick Macarchuk, will enter his 29th season as head coach of the boy’s post-graduate team. There are varsity, junior varsity and freshman teams coached by other faculty members and these new allegations being made against St. Thomas More have taken a toll on everyone. Quinn’s phone will continue to ring though. Mike Krzyzewski, Paul Hewitt, Jim Calhoun, Tom Pecora and Tim Welsh will call in hopes of the next big thing to carry them through their next big moment.

If you have an impeccable record then as it goes, you have nothing to be worried about. In this investigation everyone will have to give a little in order to secure a proper looking into of these “store front” schools. But giving a little could mean hurting the image-conscious reputations of schools such as St. Thomas Prep.

So there is a slight dilemma right now at the hands and feet of the NCAA.

In a July 5th press release, the NCAA stated prudently that schools will be picked “based on irregularities in academic records, the nontraditional nature of their course content or their recent request for approval from the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse.” As of July 10, neither Quinn nor the headmaster of Saint Thomas More had been contacted by the NCAA.

The NCAA must look into every program and it must be done to ensure fairness. This is a careful process in which schools already cleared for Division I initial-eligibility will take offense to if their names are brought up publicly. Kevin Lennon is the vice-president for NCAA membership services. “The vast majority of high schools in the country, public and private, do a fine job of educating their students,” said Lennon in a statement. “The review of high schools in the initial eligibility process is an on-going effort.”

ABCD Camp Notes

Have You Heard The One About…

by Jesse Ullmann

TEANECK, N.J. – After a long All-Star day of top quality high school hoops in Teaneck, the finale at Reebok ABCD 2006 was only fitting. For everyone in attendance – fans, coaches, scouts, media – the underclassmen went to overtime and then the upperclassmen game was extended to five quarters. Five quarters? Anyway, Kenny Wepburn who is invited annually as the official public address announcer for all-star day and better known for his consistent work behind the microphone at Madison Square Garden, did a solid job of enthusiastically announcing “a fifth quarter will be added”, but he couldn’t have meant it. He must have been exhausted.

Some Observations

• Syracuse fans have a special treat in store for them two years from now. It’s going to be very exciting to see Johnny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris play together in unison. That’ll be a high-wire act.
• From a visual standpoint it was amazing to notice the decrease in the amount of campers as this summer’s was reduced from the usual 200-plus kids to 150 due to the restriction of 5th year players. That just goes to show how many of the best high school kids go and prep.
• The ongoing Reebok-Adidas merger had no initial affect on this summers’ camp carousel between the camps in New Jersey, Georgia, Indianapolis and Vegas. ABCD is owned by VSP basketball and is sponsored by Reebok. It would make sense that Reebok/Adidas will now jointly come together and battle Nike. Therefore, it is inevitable that at some point in the near future this merger will trickle down and affect not only the summer camp scene, but everything (recruiting, scouting, kid’s decision-making, everything you can imagine). It’s just a matter of time.
• Speaking of battles, Lance Stephenson was nowhere to be found in Teaneck. It’s surprising only because ABCD is known as the “first four letter in high school hoops” and gets only the best such as Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and Lebron James. Stephenson is the best underclassman in the nation.
  The Brooklyn-born player had a falling out with AAU coach Gary Charles a short while ago after Stephenson decided to play for the Juice All-Stars AAU instead of the NY Panthers, run by Charles. Charles is the Director of Coaches at (Reebok) ABCD Camp this year. Juice: Dwayne Morton, Adidas. Panthers: Charles, Reebok. Checkmate.
• Once again Billy Walker (OH) dazzled the crowd, nearly surpassing his display from 2005. The hype on Renardo Sidney (MS) is legit and the rumors of him fattening up clearly have been blown way out of proportion. He seemed fine. Verdell Jones (IL) looks and plays like Ricky Torres. Flynn (NY) is smaller but has a smooth stroke like Ray Allen. Corey Stokes (NJ) put great defensive pressure on O.J. Mayo.
• Nothing short of an outstanding job by CSTV picking up coverage of the tournament’s festivities and posting the games on their website for free viewing. They have play-by-play as well on the web coming from Ralph Bednarczyk, who adds useful commentary.

Big East Tournament Early Rounds

Big East Conference Tournament Notebook

by Jesse Ullmann

NEW YORK – It was clearly evident Louisville was not ready for the bright lights of the big apple.

2 media timeouts, 1 hot dog, 1 Poland Spring and 3 Mark Jones walk-bys later, Louisville finally made a field goal.

The New York Rangers also had finished their match in Atlanta and returned home.

The Cardinals actually connected for their first field goal with 9:17 left with the second coming at the 4:30 mark. The result was a 39-16 deficit at the break. A resilient second half effort made the final score respectable, a 61-56 loss to Pittsburgh.

The main story though from the first two days at MSG has been Syracuse dethroning No. 1 UConn. The Huskies, marred by horrific shooting and what appeared to be a half-hearted first half effort, fell 86-84 in overtime. Commissioner Mike Tranghese, who has been here all 27 years, described the thriller as one of the greatest games he’s ever seen in the Big East Tourney.

Syracuse, who on Wednesday did not use a single substitution in the second half versus Cincinnati, turned to Gerry McNamara. “Without Gerry we wouldn’t have one 10 (bleeping) games this year. Okay not 10,” said Jim Boeheim in response to speculation on G-Mac’s capabilities.

After hitting the game-winner against the Bearcats, McNamara, with 5.4 seconds remaining, went the length of the floor and hit a three-pointer to tie and force an overtime session, where they’d inevitably go on to win by 2.

In the first semifinal on Friday the Orange play Georgetown, who defeated Marquette 62-59. Villanova and West Virginia/Pitt will play in an exciting second semifinal.

Meanwhile Mike Wilbon, Andy Katz, Allen Houston and the logo Jerry West are all here. Also, it is being reported that starting in 2007-08, every member team will play each other, with three specific Big East opponents twice on each schedule.

Big East Notebook

Big East Conference Notebook

by Jesse Ullmann and Zach Van Hart

Top 25? Let’s stay focused on the Top 15 for now or at least one third of it.

As for Charles Barkley’s proclamation during TNT’s “GameBreak” last weekend that “Those guys up there in Storrs can beat the Timberwolves,” this is far-fetched but you get his point. UConn is steamrolling through perhaps what could be considered the strongest Big East ever.

Which four teams will get a bye in the Big East Tournament, and which four teams will be left out? Louisville, welcome to the Big East. Nine mid-season finalists for the Wooden Award. Lowry, Krauser and G-Mac have been named to the mid-season list for the Bob Cousy Award. This is getting good.

1. Villanova Wildcats (10-1 Big East, 20-2 overall)
Up Next: Sunday vs. Georgetown at noon

If the (Armani) shoe fits…

Villanova is clearly one of the smartest kids in the room. In the first half versus Connecticut, Kyle Lowry was unstoppable, scoring at will. Lowry finished with 18 points. “We have a lot of heart”, said coach Jay Wright following a thrilling 69-64 victory in a game featuring the No. 1 and No. 4 ranked teams in the country. Ray, who did not play against South Florida, also looked great finishing with a game-high 25 points on 9-of-20 shooting. It is very likely the Wildcats will be granted one of those all-important four first-round byes in the Big East Tournament.

2. West Virginia (8-0, 17-4)
Next: Sunday at Georgetown

The Mountaineers are about to find out how tough they really are. Starting with Thursday’s game at Pittsburgh, they begin a four-game stretch that includes traveling to Georgetown, Seton Hall and hosting top-ranked Connecticut. Entering the Pittsburgh game as the last remaining unbeaten in Big East play, WVU has assured itself a high seed going into the NCAA Tournament. Having won 15 of its last 16 – that lone loss coming against instate rival Marshall – many could argue the Mountaineers deserve a higher ranking than ninth this week. If it runs the table during this four-game stretch, or goes 3-1, expect West Virginia to crack the top five.

3. Connecticut Huskies (9-2, 22-2)
Up Next: Saturday at West Virginia at 3:45 p.m. (CBS)

Connecticut’s 11-game win streak came to a close Monday night after dropping a thriller at the Wachovia Center to Villanova 69-64 and also bringing to a close their number one ranking by next week. With 15 seconds to play, Mike Nardi missed a free throw and UConn, down 67-64, had a chance to tie. There was, however, some confusion on the offense as the ball was brought over the timeline. Marcus Williams and Rashad Anderson collided, forcing a turnover and the loss.

If Connecticut is to make a run at another national championship, they’ll have to rely, at some point, upon their two backup point guards, Craig Austrie and Rob Garrison, who are both freshmen. Austrie has seen his minutes steadily decline since the return of Marcus Williams, who has so far been hit-and-miss. Garrison’s minutes haven’t just declined, they have disappeared. Garrison is no longer qualified to be a backup point guard. Williams and Austrie will now have to go it alone the rest of the way as the only true ball-handlers.

4. Georgetown (7-2, 16-4)
Next: Sunday vs. West Virginia

The cute, getting-to-know-them phase for the Hoyas is over. After Sunday’s win against No. 9 Pittsburgh 61-58, Georgetown is not only one of the top teams in the country, it’s a legitimate Final Four contender. Forward Jeff Green is positioning himself for making one of the All-American teams and senior Brandon Bowman is leading his team by example. Like West Virginia, the Hoyas are about to embark on their own tough stretch. After playing WVU, they travel to Marquette and Villanova. With its berth in the big dance now assured, Georgetown is now focusing on positioning for a higher seed. Not a bad job by coach John Thompson III.

5. Pittsburgh Panthers (8-3, 19-3)
Up Next: Wednesday at Providence at 7:30 p.m.

You can only talk about former Pitt center Mark Blount going from Boston to Minnesota so much at the water cooler. Well the Pittsburgh faithful finally had something a little more newsworthy last week as a hot West Virginia team came to town. In a classic that came down to the wire, Pittsburgh defeated the Mountaineers in a huge Thursday night game 57-53, a win that definitely earned the Panthers a spot as one of the country’s top 10 programs this week. Pitt’s backcourt, at times, shows flashes of brilliance with Carl Krauser, Levance Fields and Ron Ramon. Combine that with Gray and Pitt is a team that, if and when they fully get together, will be a formidable contender.

6. Seton Hall Pirates (6-4, 15-7)
Up Next: Saturday vs. Notre Dame at 7:30 p.m. (YES)

The Pirates won at Providence, beat heated in-state rival Rutgers, took care of business versus USF, knocked off NC State, and then none of it meant anything because they lost to UConn by 50. They really lost by 42, but you get my drift. After an impressive six-game win streak, the Pirates took it on the chin at home losing by 99-57 in front of one of their biggest crowds all season at the Meadowlands. Coming off a big game versus Rutgers, Jamar Nutter scored 13 and continued to impress. For Nutter it all seemed to have started at the Carrier Dome when he caught fire in the second half from downtown en route to the upset win over Syracuse. Stan Gains is reportedly going to make his return sooner than expected.

7. Marquette (6-4, 16-7)
Next: Sunday at Rutgers

Before the season started, most would have guessed Louisville or Cincinnati would have the best season of the new teams from Conference USA. But that honor belongs to Marquette, which has positioned itself for a surprise return to the NCAA Tournament. Though the Golden Eagles lost their last game, it was a five-point defeat on the road against No. 4 Villanova. Freshman Dominic James is becoming a bona fide star, averaging 15.1 points per game. Senior Steve Novak is finally embracing his role as team leader, averaging 16.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. But, as seems to be the common theme, Marquette’s next few games will test its mettle. After traveling to Rutgers, always a tough win on the road, the Eagles host Georgetown and Pittsburgh. Two wins out of that run should almost lock up a tournament bid.

8. Syracuse Orange (5-5, 17-7)
Up Next: Wednesday vs. Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

Lou McCroskey and Gerry McNamara both seem to be back on track. McCroskey left the team and missed more than a week after “blowing up” at coach Jim Boeheim over a lack of playing time. The dispute has apparently been put to rest. McNamara, after missing minutes versus Connecticut due to an ankle injury sustained earlier in the game, bounced back against St. John’s. He dropped in 23 points, racking a little less than the number of inches of accumulated snow on the ground.

Before that, for just the third time in Boeheim’s coaching career, Syracuse lost four games in a row. Last week McNamara passed former Syracuse superstar Dave Bing on the school’s all-time scoring list at eighth.

9. Cincinnati (5-5, 16-8)
Next: Sunday at Pittsburgh

Monday’s game against Louisville was one of the biggest in memory for Cincinnati, but for a new reason. A loss would have made a 15th-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament a near impossibility. Luckily for the Bearcats, they passed the test, beating their rivals 74-68. Still, Cincinnati is not out of the woods. With road games at Pittsburgh, Seton Hall and Syracuse and home dates against West Virginia and Villanova, the Bearcats likely need to finish 3-3 down the stretch to ensure a tourney bid. Jihad Muhammad’s shooting may be the key to the Bearcats’ chances. He scored 17 points on five 3-pointers against the Cardinals.

10. Providence Friars (4-6, 11-10)
Up Next: Friday at Cincinnati at 8:00 p.m.

PC picked up an encouraging win on the road by defeating DePaul 61-60 on a Sharaud Curry running jumper down the lane. The Friars have looked sluggish defensively against Big East opponents but after beating St. John’s, have strung together a couple of wins going into their final stretch, which by the way includes visits to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Marquette. There are three very realistic opportunities for the Friars. Donnie McGrath is starting to get comfortable from behind the arc including three 3-pointers in an 81-73 win over SJU. In a time when big guys are getting harder and harder to come by, PC has added 6-foot-11, 265-pound center Ray Hall of Denver. San Diego State and UCLA also showed interest. A good sign for Tim Welsh, Steve DeMeo and crew.

11. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-7, 14-10)
Up Next: Saturday at South Florida at 7 p.m.

Potentially very bad news on the Rutgers front. Reserve Adrian Hill underwent surgery on his knee last week and will be out for the season. Starting forward J.R. Inman, who strained his ankle in the Seton Hall loss, has been sidelined 4-6 weeks with a fractured fibula and freshman Anthony Farmer and Center Byron Joynes are also banged up. And just as all this is going down what does Gary Waters do? Knowing full well a massive snowstorm is on its way, he risks missing Sunday’s game by flying to his former school (Kent State) Saturday to be honored. He indeed missed the game and former Villanova assistant Fred Hill stepped in. That’s an image of what’s to come by the way; it’s inevitable. Interesting stat: Gary Waters is 3-31 in league games on the road.

12. Louisville (3-7, 15-8)
Next: Saturday vs. South Florida.

What a difference two weeks make. That’s all it took for Louisville to go from ranked to out of the tournament picture. And not just the NCAA Tournament. If the season ended today, the Cardinals would not even qualify for the Big East Tournament. Taquan Dean is finally healthy for Louisville, but that has not prevented the team from losing three of four, the lone win coming thanks to Dean’s heroics at home against lowly Notre Dame. With road games remaining at West Virginia and Connecticut, the future is not bright for coach Rick Pitino’s bunch.

13. St. John’s Red Storm (3-8, 10-12)
Up Next: Wednesday at Rutgers at 7:30 p.m.

Skydiving. What must it feel like when jumping out of an airplane from thousands of feet from up above in the sky? I don’t know because I’ve never done it. I did, however, watch St. John’s play Georgetown the other night and I’d have to imagine that the feeling would strike a familiar chord.

Since the departure of Dexter Gray, who left St. John’s for unspecified reasons, the Red Men have taken a tumble. They are spiraling downwards, down towards the bottom of the Big East’s 16 teams, and they’re falling fast. Don’t count SJU out yet. It’s unfortunate because it was just a couple weeks ago when the Red Men welcomed West Virginia to the Big Apple and with 3:57 left, trailing by 13, SJU made a ferocious comeback proving they can hang. Maybe this season will just turn out to be a microcosm of that game. SJU still has a better record than Notre Dame and DePaul but probably not for long.

14. DePaul (2-8, 9-12)
Next: Saturday vs. Villanova

It’s been a rough season for the Blue Demons, and the cruelest loss yet came Tuesday, as they lost 61-60 at home to Providence. Sharaud Curry’s jumper with 10.7 seconds left game them a one-point lead. Sammy Mejia got a good look in the paint with 2 ticks left, but it missed off the rim. It was DePaul’s second one-point loss to Providence this season, making the difference in their 2-8 and 4-6 conference records. It was also the Blue Demons’ best shot at another win this season, minus their regular-season finale at Notre Dame.

15. Notre Dame (2-8, 11-10)
Next: Wednesday vs. South Florida

No team in the country has endured more heartbreak from close games this season than Notre Dame. Wednesday, the Fighting Irish atoned for the season in grand fashion. After losing six of its eight conference games by three points or less, Notre Dame destroyed Rutgers 90-63. The 27-point win matched the team’s largest win in its Big East history, as Torin Francis led the Irish with 21 points. Despite their 2-8 Big East record, a solid finish could position the Irish for an NIT berth. With home games against DePaul, South Florida and Marquette and a road game against Providence, four wins is attainable.

16. South Florida (0-9, 6-16)
Next: Saturday at Louisville

While not as dramatic as Notre Dame’s season, South Florida has suffered its fair share of close losses in conference play. But unlike the Irish, the Bulls’ remaining stretch is brutal and there should be doubt in Tampa if the team will register a Big East win this season. Solomon Jones’ scoring has declined in recent weeks, and the South Florida bench is non-existent. A Feb. 18 home game against Rutgers is the Bulls’ last decent shot at avoiding an 0-for-the-season start in the Big East.

Big East Notebook

Big East Conference Notebook

by Jesse Ullmann and Zach Van Hart

If the Big East Conference was perhaps looking for one word to define what makes its lineup the best from top to bottom, the word might be “consistent.” Or maybe it would be “resilient.” In any case, the critics calling the Big East the Big Least have been silenced. Yes, Georgetown has just solidified a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Yes, Pittsburgh might be a little overrated (remember pollsters tapped out Pitt at No. 9). And yes, West Virginia might be the most underrated team in the country. Connecticut is now No. 1 and Syracuse stocks have dropped. With that, Hoopville runs down the latest news and notes from the country’s number-one conference.

Uncertainty about Orr hurts the Hall

Malcom Grant, a highly prized recruit out of Robeson High (Brooklyn, N.Y.) has gone back on his verbal commitment to Seton Hall and has decided to reopen his options for next season. Grant, 6-foot, 170 pounds, has not been given a vote of confidence that coach Louis Orr will be back in New Jersey next season. The senior guard said Orr is the reason he wanted to play for the Pirates. If Grant turns away from SHU then SHU officially does not have a single commitment for next season.

Meanwhile, the interesting twist here is that, according to various reports, Norm Roberts and St. John’s have taken an interest and have gotten into the mix with Grant. If Norm Roberts gets a commitment from Grant, the Red Storm immediately fills its void left by Doug Wiggins. At his position, Grant is ranked 24th in his class compared to Wiggins (same height, same size), who is ranked ninth. Grant played AAU ball with Corey Fisher, who recently committed to Villanova.

1. West Virginia Mountaineers (14-3, 5-0)
Up Next: Wednesday vs. Marshall at 8 p.m.

With Pittsburgh, Duke and Florida losing Saturday, the Mountaineers suddenly have the nation’s longest winning streak at 12 games. They got there by traveling on the road to another non-conference, tournament-bound team, UCLA, and posting a 60-56 win. With Kevin Pittsnogle struggling – he finished with eight points – Mike Gansey picked up the slack and scored 24. West Virginia nearly blew a 17-point halftime lead and UCLA even had two chances to tie the game in final minute, but the Bruins missed a 3-pointer and turned the ball over. Earlier in the week, WVU cruised past Providence 64-48 to remain perfect in Big East play. And the Mountaineers retained the title “Team Nobody Wants to Play in the Tournament” for another week.

2. Pittsburgh Panthers (5-1, 16-1)
Up Next: Saturday vs. Marquette at noon

Former BE member Boston College had a similar undefeated start to their season last year. The question now becomes do the Panthers taper off like last year’s Eagles? It doesn’t appear likely; however, the 55-50 loss at Madison Square Garden to the Johnnies was a step backwards. Pittsburgh was out-rebounded and Carl Krauser had just 10 points to go along with 4 turnovers versus a slow guard whom he has at least three inches on in Eugene Lawrence. Once again, Aaron Gray fouled out, leading to Pitt being outrebounded by one of the smallest teams in the league.

3. Connecticut Huskies (4-1, 16-1)
Up Next: Saturday at Providence at 2 p.m.

The Huskies’ win over Louisville should not be a surprise but believe this: Louisville vs. UConn is a major rivalry in the making. If the league is divided (and inevitably we lose fun games such as St. John’s/UConn and Villanova/Georgetown), you better believe the headline becomes UConn versus Louisville. The return of Marcus Williams has clearly altered the Huskies’ look in that Williams looks sensational. Jay Bilas, Seth Davis and WFAN’s Mike Francessa have all picked Connecticut to take home the crystal in April. February’s schedule is insanity with Villanova twice, Syracuse, then at Indiana and West Virginia.

3. Villanova Wildcats (4-1, 13-2)
Up Next: Saturday at Notre Dame at 6 p.m.

Villanova won by double figures against Syracuse and Seton Hall. Allan Ray grabbed 8 rebounds and also broke out of a scoring drought by dropping in a game-high 22 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the floor. Villanova led Syracuse by as many as 19 points (39-20). Nova had four players score in double figures, including 20 points from guard Randy Foye. On Monday, the Wildcats moved from No. 7 to No. 6 in the ESPN/USA Today poll. Foye is currently second in conference scoring averaging 20.3 points per game.

5. Marquette Golden Eagles (4-2, 14-5)
Up Next: Wednesday vs. DePaul at 8 p.m.

It’s official: Steve Novak is the heart and soul of this year’s Marquette team. And he’s quickly becoming a hero in Milwaukee. The 6-foot-10 senior forward hit a fallaway 19-foot jumper with 1.1 seconds left to lift Marquette past Notre Dame 67-65 on Saturday. His 28 points, including those huge final two, kept an unlikely strong season going for the Golden Eagles. Novak scored 24 points earlier in the week as Marquette jumped to a 19-point halftime lead at DePaul, allowed the Blue Demons to cut the lead to two then hung on for an 82-79 win. Freshman Dominic James scored 29 against DePaul and hit the bucket that tied the score at 65 against the Irish.

6. Georgetown Hoyas (3-2, 12-4)
Up Next: Tuesday at Notre Dame at 7 p.m.

So, how do you jump into the Top 25 for the first time since 2001? Beating the undefeated, No. 1 team in the country is a good start. The Hoyas knocked off Duke on Saturday 87-84 and vaulted to No. 25 in this week’s Associated Press rankings. While the win likely shocked many around the country, it should not come as a too big of a surprise. The Hoyas’ two conference losses came on the road at West Virginia and Connecticut, arguably two of the best teams in the country, by seven points in both games. They also won easily at St. John’s, a victory that looks even more impressive after the Red Storm defeated Louisville and Pittsburgh last week. Analysts harped on the play of forward Jeff Green against the Blue Devils, but the truth is Georgetown is a very balanced squad filled with leadership. This team is legit.

6. Cincinnati Bearcats (3-2, 14-5)
Up Next: Wednesday at Louisville at 7:30 p.m.

The Bearcats picked up a much needed win Sunday, beating Rutgers 71-66 at home. It was the team’s first win since forward Armein Kirkland went down for the season with a torn ACL. Chadd Moore, a player that will need to step up without Kirkland, made a big 3-pointer and steal in the game’s final moments to seal the win. Earlier in the week, Cincinnati lost 73-71 in overtime to crosstown rival Xavier in another classic. Jihad Muhammad hit a 3-pointer with five seconds left to force overtime, but James White’s offbalance jumper at the overtime buzzer missed. After Wednesday’s game at Louisville, the Bearcats travel to suddenly noteworthy Georgetown.

6. St. John’s Red Storm (3-2, 10-6)
Up Next: Sunday vs. West Virginia at 2:30 p.m.

Taking care of business this past week, the Johnnies knocked off a pair of ranked opponents in Louisville and then Pittsburgh, both games inside the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden. Eugene Lawrence, the 6-foot sophomore point man (Lincoln, N.Y.) tallied 18 points and 4 assists in 31 minutes in a 68-56 defeat of the Cardinals on Tuesday night. SJU honored some alumni, including one of the greatest college shooters of all time in Chris Mullin and one of the classiest men to ever grace the college game in Lou Carnesecca. Lawrence was one of two Johnnies to score in double figures against Pittsburgh and is slowly quieting skeptics who say the only reason he was given a scholarship was because he played alongside Sebastian Telfair in grade school.

9. Syracuse Orange (3-3, 15-5)
Up Next: Sunday vs. Seton Hall at 4:30 p.m.

An anticipated featured matchup in the Big East this year was Gerry McNamara, Lou McCroskey and freshman sensation Eric Devendorf against the likes of Mike Nardi, Allan Ray and Randy Foye of Villanova. Instead of sparring, Syracuse clearly was outplayed in an 80-65 loss where the ‘Cuse trailed by as many as 19 (39-20). G-Mac took just 8 shots (made one) to finish with 4 points in 37 minutes.

Is it outrageous to actually think Syracuse will not dance? Probably, but let’s take a quick look. A quality loss to Florida (75-70) and just one good win so far in conference (77-58 at Cincinnati) might not be enough evidence to overlook this: five-point wins over Manhattan and Cornell, a loss to Bucknell, plus wins over Colgate, Towson and Siena? Maybe it isn’t all that outrageous. They must beat a tier-one team in the Big East.

10. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (2-2, 12-5)
Up Next: Saturday vs. Louisville at 2 p.m. (ESPN)

Quincy Douby continues to lead the league in scoring with an impressive average of 23.5 ppg, which ties for eighth-best overall in the country with East Tennessee State’s Tim Smith. Douby dropped in a game-best 27 points in a 76-68 loss at the RAC to Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Rutgers is at .500 right now in the league. The sky’s the limit for freshman J.R. Inman, who is averaging 25.5 minutes per game, fourth-best on the team. Inman is one of the most athletic players for Rutgers and has a very bright future under Gary Waters, who gets all of the credit for recruiting this kid.

11. Seton Hall Pirates (2-3, 10-6)
Up Next: Wednesday at NC State at 7 p.m. (ESPN Classic)

In no way, shape, or form did Seton Hall deserve to win this game. South Florida was on the verge of its first conference win and the Pirates were offering it up on a silver platter. James Holmes’ 3-pointer left the Hall down by 11 and led to an eventual 15-2 Bulls’ run and a 64-51 deficit for the Pirates. It was when Solomon Jones and starting guard Collin Dennis fouled out that USF just imploded. Kelly Whitney looked horrible against the smallest team in the Big East. Once again, Paul Gause becomes the only bright spot with 18 points off the bench and some impressive defensive stances.

Brian Laing has been demanding more playing time and now he’ll get it. The team’s best defender, Stan Gains, is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery Monday with multiple facial fractures after being elbowed during the Villanova game.

12. Louisville Cardinals (1-4, 13-5)
Up Next: Wednesday vs. Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m.

If Georgetown and St. John’s are the biggest pleasant surprises, Louisville is easily the biggest disappointment thus far in Big East play. The Cardinals dropped two conference games last week, including falling to 0-3 at home after their 71-58 loss to Connecticut. Granted, these losses are coming as Taquan Dean remains a non-factor with an ankle injury, but losing three straight conference games at home spells doom in any league, let alone the Big East. If Louisville cannot win Wednesday in Freedom Hall against common foe Cincinnati, it is huge trouble. The Cardinals’ next games are on the road at Rutgers, always a tough place to win, and Villanova. It’s unknown if Dean will be in action Wednesday.

12. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1-4, 10-6)
Up Next: Tuesday vs. Georgetown at 7 p.m.

Of all their close losses this season, this one stung the most. The Irish allowed a layup with 40 seconds left to tie the game, than Steve Novak hit a near impossible jumper with a tick left to seal their 67-65 loss, dropping Notre Dame’s conference record to 1-4. Notre Dame is not playing poorly, but it’s not making the big plays at the crucial moments and at times Chris Quinn is not eager to not look for his shot. The news goes from bad to worse for the Irish; here’s their schedule for the next two weeks: Georgetown, Villanova, at West Virginia, at Louisville. Sounds like N-I-T, if that.

12. Providence Friars (1-4, 8-8)
Up Next: Wednesday at Rutgers at 7 p.m.

Randall Hanke led five Friars in double figures scoring in a quality 76-75 win over DePaul on Saturday. Seventeen of his 19 points came in the second half but the 6-foot-11 sophomore center continues to lead his teammates in scoring (15.1) and has scored team-highs in 50 percent of PC’s games thus far through the season. Hanke has also been impressive defensively posting the second highest rebound average. Looking for just their second win in the league, playing on the road against Rutgers in front of a hostile crowd is good experience for this very young team. Geoff McDermott has been a nice compliment to coach Tim Welsh’s’ starting lineup. The freshman out of New Rochelle, N.Y., is one of five PC players averaging more than 9 ppg. The Friars have a bevy of weapons; however, the bench has been completely depleted with the departure of several players throughout the season.

15. DePaul Blue Demons (1-5, 8-9)
Up Next: Wednesday at Marquette at 8 p.m.

The Blue Demons are a team in turmoil. Their narrow, 76-75 loss to Providence was their fourth straight defeat. On top of that, Sammy Meija, Draelon Burns and Jabari Currie each were benched for the start of the game to due to missing academic commitments, said DePaul coach Jerry Wainwright. Tied in the final minute against the Friars, DePaul allowed a jumper with 40 seconds left, then committed an offensive foul as it worked for the last shot. Providence hit two free throws to seal the win, as Meija hit a meaningless 3-pointer at the buzzer. Earlier in the week, the Blue Demons nearly rallied from a 19-point halftime deficit to Marquette, only to lose 82-79.

16. South Florida Bulls (0-5, 6-12)
Up Next: Tuesday vs. Villanova at 7 p.m.

The Bulls were so close to winning their first Big East game, twice, last week. And both times, they came away empty handed. First, South Florida lost by three at Georgetown (the same difference in Duke’s loss to the Hoyas later in the week), then it fell in overtime at Seton Hall 94-89. The Bulls shot at a tie against Georgetown clanged off the rim, and James Holmes’ 35 points against the Pirates was not enough. The Bulls have lost seven straight.

Lance Stephenson

The Newer Next Kid

by Jesse Ullmann

Saturday night. No big plans. Earlier in the week I caught wind of a show that was going down out in Westchester that sounded interesting. I had just remembered about it that afternoon. The show featured a bunch of side acts leading up to the main one. The show was called, “The Lance Stephenson Show”.

So I decided to go out there, and I can now tell you this. If I had to write a review of this show it would probably go along the lines of something like the following: 5 stars. An exciting, high-flying, theatrical act featuring a one-of-a-kind performance. Awe-inspiring. A must see.

The Lance Stephenson Show will be appearing on your nearby television soon enough, don’t worry. Stephenson is a 6’4″, 210-pound three-guard playing for the Lincoln (Brooklyn, NY) Railsplitters. Like Lebron and Greg Oden, he is a boy trapped in a man’s body. He is currently playing high school and AAU ball under the notorious Dwayne “Tiny” Morton and yes, Stephenson is a freshman.

Saturday night, the No. 1 and No. 2 freshmen in the country were set to face-off. Demetrious Walker of California and the manchild himself from Coney Island, Lance. At some point before tip Walker mysteriously came up with a hamstring problem and could not play.

Gotta love the politics of high school hoops (especially in NYC)!

But Stephenson did not disappoint. The other highly-anticipated match up of Darrell Arthur (South Oak Cliff, TX) and Curtis Kelly (Rice, NY), was, well, it was good but it was nowhere close to what Stephenson had to offer.

It will be the pick of the litter for Stephenson, who has superstar potential, when he chooses a college. His shooting game is exceptional, he is strong, superbly quick, a natural righty but can easily handle with his left, long arms, and for a guard can jump out of the gym. He plays calm and has an incredible sense of the court for such a young kid.

Morton, a Lincoln graduate himself who coached the likes of Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair, has in past years been criticized for a wide variety of things, the latest being Stephenson.

Originally Stephenson made a commitment to Bishop Loughlin, which has ties to Reebok, a shoe company in which Morton, as recently as two years ago, had a little bit of a falling out with. When Lance had a sudden change of heart, Morton, who runs the Juice All-Stars AAU squad and had coached Lance with them, was accused of being a part of Lance’s decision to leave Loughlin for Lincoln.

If Lance picking a high school can create this much controversy, imagine when colleges come calling! So where will Lance go to college?

It is way too early to speculate but its fun to so why not. His father is heavily involved and there have already been some problems with him getting into some trouble at summer tournaments. And you better believe Morton will be in the mix. Coaches do not want to scare him away by bugging him from freshman year until senior prom.

How about Louisville? This would be an interesting school because it was just two years ago when Morton offered up Telfair, only to soon find out Telfair would never even play on the college hardwood. This might be Morton’s way of making amends with Pitino.

In 2009, when it comes to Lance Stephenson making a decision one thing is for certain: he is the real deal. He is a high-wire act in the making waiting to explode onto the scene. Remember this name. Lance Stephenson. You’ll be hearing from him a lot.

Big East Notebook

Big East Conference Notebook

by Jesse Ullmann and Zach Van Hart

Pittsburgh Panthers (14-0 overall, 3-0 Big East)
Up Next: Wednesday at Rutgers at 8 p.m.

Pittsburgh is off to a fast start in Big East play keeping its unbeaten overall mark intact. The Panthers are one of only three schools in Division I still perfect joining Duke and Florida. The closest Pitt came to losing was last week in double overtime versus Notre Dame. Aaron Gray’s 25 point, 11-rebound performance proves an interior scoring presence has been established. Behind Carl Krauser (17.7 points per game) Gray is the only other Panther averaging in double figures (13.1). With a bevy of talent in Pitt’s backcourt, the 7-foot center from Emmaus, Penn., might be a big factor for Jamie Dixon.

West Virginia Mountaineers (12-3, 4-0)
Up Next: Tuesday vs. Providence at 7 p.m.

Not a bad start to Big East play for the Mountaineers. Sandwiched in between two close wins against South Florida and Georgetown, West Virginia went on the road and defeated previously unbeaten and third-ranked Villanova 91-87 and then handily beat Marquette 104-85 on Saturday.

In the Villanova game, three starters scored 20-plus points and the team shot 11-of-22 from the 3-point line. The Mountaineers struggled for the first half against Georgetown in their conference home opener, but came alive during the second half thanks to Kevin Pittsnogle’s 23 points. If the title was in doubt, WVU sewed it up after the win in Villanova: This is the team that no one wants to play come tournament time.

Syracuse Orange (15-2, 3-0)
Up Next: Monday vs. Connecticut at 9 p.m. (ESPN), Saturday at Villanova at 6 p.m. (ESPN)

Jim Boeheim and Jim Calhoun meet at the Carrier Dome for the first time since last fall’s Hall of Fame induction in Springfield, Mass. With one more win, Boeheim surpasses Don Haskins, former Texas El-Paso head coach and hall of famer himself, as 17th all-time in the wins column as a head coach in Division I men’s college basketball.

The Orange is riding a 12-game win streak. Double-doubles by both Demetris Nichols, who went for 18 points, 10 rebounds and Terrance Roberts’ 11 points, 10 boards led to a 77-58 win at Cincinnati, the first visit since Cincinnati became a member of the Big East this season. Gerry McNamara scored a game-high 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting.

Connecticut Huskies (14-1, 2-1)
Up Next: Monday at Syracuse at 9 p.m. (ESPN), Saturday at Louisville at 9 p.m. (ESPN)

Hilton Armstrong continues to put forth very inspiring efforts night in and night out. Remember, he has learned from some of UConn’s best-ever frontlines in the past couple of years. The 6-foot-11 senior from New York posted 19 points and 6 blocked shots in the Huskies’ 74-67 win over Georgetown on Saturday, his second straight game with 6 blocks.

The question in Connecticut surrounding the Huskies: is Rudy Gay the most overrated player to ever come through Storrs? At 6-foot-9, 220 pounds (almost identical to Lebron James) the Maryland native will definitely get his shot at the bigs, but so far back down here on earth, Gay has been a little disappointing. For a pre-season Wooden All-American candidate, he is not in the top 10 in Big East scoring or field-goal percentage, and against the powerhouses out in Maui, with the exception of one sensational performance where we saw glimpses, he had a bad showing. Gay still has a world of time to get better.

Cincinnati Bearcats (13-4, 2-2)
Up Next: Thursday at Xavier at 9 p.m., Sunday vs. Rutgers at 2 p.m.

The Bearcats hung tough at Connecticut in their first game against a perennial Big East team before losing 70-59. But the bigger loss was that of senior forward Armein Kirkland, who tore the ACL in his left knee during the first half against the Huskies. His loss leaves Cincinnati with only eight scholarship players; only two are above 6-foot-7. The Bearcats defeated former Conference USA foes DePaul and Marquette before falling to UConn, and suffered an ugly loss to Syracuse afterwards. Eric Hicks continues to carry the team on his back, recording a triple-double (22 points, 12 rebounds, 10 blocks) during Cincinnati’s four-point win against Marquette.

Villanova Wildcats (11-2, 2-1)
Up Next: Tuesday vs. Seton Hall at 7:30 p.m., Saturday vs. Syracuse at 6 p.m. (ESPN)

Still, at this juncture in the season Jason Fraser has yet to have started a game. Will Sheridan has been the replacement as the sole big man in Jay Wright’s four-guard starting lineup. Sheridan is averaging just two more minutes than Fraser is coming off the bench and yet with Curtis Sumpter out indefinitely, the Wildcats still have this mystique. In Austin, Texas, the Cats lost 58-55 to the Longhorns but afforded themselves an opportunity to win the game in the final minute, which is impressive enough.

Villanova’s backcourt, if you can believe it, might have just gotten better. An apparent commitment from St. Patrick’s (N.J.) star guard Corey Fisher for next year has reportedly already been made.

Georgetown Hoyas (10-4, 2-2)
Up Next: Tuesday vs. South Florida at 7:30 p.m., Saturday vs. Duke at 1:30 p.m.

After two warm-up games in the Big East (Providence, St. John’s), the Hoyas faced the real deal with their road game at West Virginia. And for a half, it looked like Georgetown was more than up for the occasion. The Hoyas led by as many as 11 late in the first half, but then the wheels started to fall off. The Mountaineers made a late run to close the gap to two by halftime and pulled away for a 68-61 win. Georgetown also came up short in another seven-point loss, to UConn on Saturday. Still, the tough defeats proved Georgetown will not be an easy win for any team, anywhere in the Big East. The key for the Hoyas is balance. Five players are averaging between 9 and 12.8 points per game, and three players are averaging between 5.2 and 6.4 rebounds per game.

Marquette Golden Eagles (12-5, 2-2)
Up Next: Tuesday at DePaul at 8:30 p.m., Friday vs. Notre Dame at 9 p.m.

It didn’t take long for the Golden Eagles to notch their first major Big East win. In fact, it came in their first Big East game, as Marquette shocked previously unbeaten and second-ranked Connecticut in surprisingly easy fashion last week 94-79. Exploding for the type of performance Golden Eagle fans hope to see more of, Steve Novak poured in 41 points against the Huskies. Marquette was brought down from the clouds by old nemesis Cincinnati, but won a tough road match at Seton Hall by four this week. It’s the type of win that could have been taken for granted in Conference USA, but any road win in the Big East is a plus for the Eagles this season.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (12-4, 2-1)
Up Next: Wednesday vs. Pittsburgh at 8 p.m., Sunday at Cincinnati at 2 p.m.

Behind Quincy Douby’s 20-point showing, the Scarlet Knights won on the road beating DePaul 78-68 and proving all the more that maybe Gary Waters does indeed have a plan. Rutgers outrebounded, outshot and simply outplayed DePaul, which was held to 34 percent shooting. Four Rutgers players scored in double digits, but it’s been the Douby show all along. The 6-foot-4 guard from Brooklyn is averaging 23.3 ppg – that’s best in the Big East. Douby is shooting 46.6 percent and he continues to build confidence around himself and his teammates. If Rutgers is intent on making this year’s Big East Tournament, though, it must get more contributions on offense. The next highest scoring effort to Douby’s is 9.4 ppg.

Louisville Cardinals (13-3, 1-2)
Up Next: Tuesday at St. John’s at 9 p.m., Saturday vs. Connecticut at 9 p.m.

The jury remains out on the Cardinals. An interesting pre-conference schedule (one road game, long layoff at the start of the season) showed a Louisville team playing close games against inferior competition. Then the Cardinals came out and promptly lost their conference opener at home – granted it was against Villanova. Factor in a nagging injury to Taquan Dean, causing him to miss their last game, and no one knows how tough this team is. A bright spot has been the play of guard Brandon Jenkins. With Dean out against UC Davis earlier this week, Jenkins scored a career-high 31 points. Known more for his defense and intangibles, Jenkins showed he’ll light it up if need be. Right now, it’s unknown if those points will be needed.

Seton Hall Pirates (9-5, 1-2)
Up Next: Tuesday at Villanova at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN Classic), Friday vs. South Florida at 7 p.m.

Seton Hall played just one game last week, a loss to Marquette. Seemingly back in full form is Jamar Nutter, who in returning from a suspension for violating team rules dropped in a team-high 19 points in a hotly contested 67-63 loss at home to the Golden Eagles. Paul Gause has become another option despite a little mental lapse (against St. John’s) in what would have been described in soccer terminology as an “own goal”. Gause is one of 6 substitutes averaging more than 9 minutes per game. Seton Hall unexpectedly finished with an impressive 8-3 non-conference mark but with four of the next five on the road and Villanova and UConn coming into the foreseeable view over the horizon, SHU fans beware: do not expect the sky, the stars and the moon from your Pirates.

St. John’s Red Storm (8-6, 1-2)
Up Next: Tuesday vs. Louisville at 9 p.m. (ESPN2), Saturday vs. Pittsburgh at noon

First the good. St. John’s, for the first time in nearly four seasons, broke a 17-game Big East road-losing streak with a convincing 68-49 win over the Bulls of South Florida. The first win of the Big East season for the Johnnies almost came a week earlier when at Madison Square Garden the Storm gave Georgetown a run for their money.

And now the bad. That 17-game road-losing streak should’ve already been broken. The Red Storm opened up the season in an incredibly frustrating way against Seton Hall. Up by 20 points in the second half St. John’s allowed Seton Hall to climb back forcing an overtime and allowing Seton Hall to literally steal one in their own gym, 69-61. Lamont Hamilton must step up his production on both ends and improve his shooting both from field-goal range and the charity stripe. Hamilton has the ability to be the leader of the team with Daryll Hill now out on a game-by-game basis.

DePaul Blue Demons (8-7, 1-3)
Up Next: Tuesday vs. Marquette at 8:30 p.m., Saturday at Providence at 7:30 p.m.

The Blue Demons are probably right about where they expected to be. Following a bad loss at Cincinnati, where they never play well, the Demons came home and beat a solid Notre Dame team, then had Pittsburgh on the ropes for a half before falling to the unbeaten Panthers on the road. DePaul does not have the weapons to out-gun the top teams in the Big East but are solid enough to keep games close and maybe squeak out an upset or two. Junior guard Sammy Meija is showing the leadership this team needs, averaging 15.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Expect DePaul to finish close to .500 in the conference at season’s end.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-5, 1-3)
Up Next: Friday at Marquette at 9 p.m.

One could look at the Irish’s conference mark and think, “What? I thought Notre Dame was supposed to be good?” Well, the record is misleading because the Irish opened at Pittsburgh, at DePaul and at home against Syracuse, who always plays well against the Irish. Yes, they probably should have won one of those three, but a 0-3 conference start is not the end of the world, and Notre Dame showed that when it rolled over Providence on Saturday. Colin Falls and Chris Quinn continue to play well outside, and Torin Francis is starting to get help inside from Rob Kurz and Luke Zeller. Notre Dame can still recover and even earn a berth to the NCAA Tournament, but it cannot afford any bad losses against some of the lower-tier conference teams.

Providence Friars (7-7, 0-3)
Up Next: Tuesday at West Virginia at 7 p.m., Saturday vs. DePaul at 7:30 p.m.

After being switched to the two-guard (way to wait until his senior year!), Donnie McGrath is thriving at his new spot. McGrath is averaging 14.6 ppg including 14 points on three 3-pointers in a highly contested 72-67 loss at the Dunk’ to Louisville and former PC head coach Rick Pitino.

Pitino on his return to his former home: “They gave me a standing ovation. That was great. When I returned to Kentucky they didn’t give me a standing ovation. It was far from a standing ovation actually.”

Tim Welsh and Providence need to get conference wins soon or else they may find themselves as one of the four teams left out of the Big East Tournament. Currently the Friars rank last in conference play in scoring defense, second to last in defensive rebounding and their assist-to-turnover ratio is a less-than-mediocre 0.87. DeSean White, who grew up in Philadelphia and is no longer on the active PC roster, wants to transfer to LaSalle or St. Joseph’s.

South Florida Bulls (6-10, 0-3)
Up Next: Tuesday at Georgetown at 7:30 p.m., Friday at Seton Hall at 7 p.m.

Forget the fact that the Bulls are 0-3 in conference play. They are arguably the pleasant surprise of the Big East after Week 1. The Bulls hosted West Virginia and went into Syracuse and nearly defeated both teams, losing by four and six points, respectively. This was the team that everyone picked to finish last and it was close against two of the better teams in the league, playing one of them on their home floor. James Holmes is lighting up the hoop, averaging 19 points per game, and forward Solomon Jones is becoming a double-double man, averaging 13.7 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. With a game against Seton Hall coming up, South Florida has a good chance to crack the ‘W’ column.

Big East Notebook

Big East Conference Notebook

by Jesse Ullmann and Zach Van Hart

1. Connecticut Huskies (9-0)
Next: Wednesday vs. Stony Brook
A healthy Denham Brown and refreshing play from Hilton Armstrong have helped UConn to a flawless start and undefeated record in non-conference action. A career high 33 points by Rashad Anderson including a perfect 7-of-7 from 3-point range helped the Huskies beat up on Morehead State in Storrs. Pending the return of his grades after finals, guard Marcus Williams should return for Big East play – but will he have the legs after sitting out so long? Connecticut’s next test will start in January with Syracuse, Louisville and Georgetown.

2. Pittsburgh Panthers (9-0)
Next: Wednesday at South Carolina
The Panthers have managed to finagle their way into the Top 25 by playing what could generously be called a mediocre non-conference slate. Yes, at 9-0 Pitt deserves to be ranked (No. 23) but concern about how they’ll fare in Big East play may prevail because Coppin State, Vermont, Robert Morris and Saint Francis (N.Y.) are not all that good. As is tradition with the Panthers, they will not have played an away game up until this week, when they’ll travel to South Carolina.

3. Villanova Wildcats (8-0)
Next: Saturday at Temple
Remember when three Big East teams (‘Nova, St. John’s, Georgetown) went to the Final Four in 1985? That was the year Villanova pulled off one of the greatest upsets in college basketball history. Last week, the Top 25 poll was released and 3 of the top 4 teams were Big East schools. Now I am not saying we will see a repeat performance of what happened ten years ago but the conference is incredibly strong this year and the Wildcats may cash in and turn out to be the biggest beneficiaries. Coach Jay Wright has a top-heavy non-conference schedule (Oklahoma, Texas, Big 5) and with the non-conference coming to a close, will play twice each: Louisville, UConn, Syracuse. The guard play of Randy Foye, Mike Nardi and Allan Ray has been outstanding. The three-headed monster on the Main Line has so far been impenetrable.

4. Louisville Cardinals (9-1)
Next: Wednesday vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
The Cardinals came feel good about last week if they cling to the old cliché, “A win is a win.” If not, they should be worried after three lackluster performances. Louisville defeated Middle Tennessee State, College of Charleston and Detroit in a span of five days, all at home, but did not appear to be a top 15 team at any juncture. The Cardinals beat MTSU by 10, C of C by 15 thanks to a late run and Detroit by eight. Louisville is receiving solid defensive performances, though the fullcourt pressure has not been very present yet. But the team is struggling offensively, highlighted by senior guard Taquan Dean’s early-season slump. He scored 15 against Detroit but only hit 4-of-11 shots from the field.

5. Syracuse Orange (9-2)
Next: Tuesday vs. Towson
Syracuse picked up a 90-80 victory over Davidson and a 75-61 win over Illinois-Chicago last week with three more non-conference games before wrapping it up to get ready for Big East play. Lou McCroskey and Eric Devendorf have split time at ball-handling duties with the freshman having a little bit of an edge. Devendorf is for real. He is almost ambidextrous-looking in the way he plays and can dribble and sometimes shoot with both the right and left. Gerry McNamara is now averaging 17.5 points per game with just two other teammates averaging over 9 ppg.

6. Cincinnati Bearcats (9-2)
Next: Wednesday vs. Miami (Ohio)
The Bearcats have bounced back from early home losses with a six-game win streak, the two most impressive wins coming last week at the Las Vegas Holiday Classic. Cincinnati got revenge from one of its home losses, beating Dayton 81-63 before coming from behind to beat LSU 75-72. Freshman guard Devan Downey continues to show he is a star in the making (he is second on the team with 14.7 points per game) but so far this season senior forward James White has finally stepped up as the complete package. He leads the Bearcats with 18.3 points per game and scored the game’s final five points against LSU.

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-2)
Next: Wednesday vs. Fordham
The Fighting Irish are turning into a three-headed monster, with guards Chris Quinn and Colin Falls joined by big man Torin Frances. The three have led Notre Dame to five straight wins, including last week’s defeats of Niagara and Columbia. The Irish’s main weakness is a lack of help for Frances on the interior. That was highlighted when Columbia outscored Notre Dame 44-16 in the paint. Frances, though, as been a force, as he is averaging a double-double (14.4 points, 10.1 rebounds) through nine games. He will need more help though as conference play starts.

8. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (9-3)
Next: Saturday vs. Princeton
The Scarlet Knights picked up a 63-45 win over South Carolina State in Piscataway behind 21 points from Quincy Douby. Rutgers is out-rebounding opponents partially due to the interior presence of Byron Joynes and Ollie Bailey.

An 85-82 loss versus Charlotte was not all that bad. They played well against the new A-10 school and gave the 49ers a run for their money. Five players scored in double figures including a solid 10 points in 20 minutes for Adrian Hill off the bench.

9. Marquette Golden Eagles (9-3)
Next: Wednesday vs. Lewis
Youth is serving in the early going for the Golden Eagles. Following Marquette’s 60-48 win against Delaware State last week, three of the team’s four leading scorers are freshmen. Not the scenario coach Tom Crean would prefer, but he has no choice but to run with it.

Following senior Steve Novak’s team-leading 13.8 points per game are Dominic James (13.4), Jerel McNeal (10.6) and Wesley Matthews (10.2). Against Delaware State, all three freshmen started, played at least 28 minutes and were the only Golden Eagles to score in double digits. With Novak leading the way, these youngsters are quickly becoming the driving force for Marquette.

10. Georgetown Hoyas (6-2)
Next: Tuesday at Colgate
Though the Hoyas’ frontcourt continues to lead the way, Georgetown is receiving solid contributions throughout the lineup. Georgetown easily won its lone game last week, dispatching Savannah State 78-49. Four players scored in double figures, highlighted by freshman guard Jessie Sapp’s career-high 11. The Hoyas have won three straight after an increasingly impressive loss at Illinois. Seven-foot-two Roy Hibbert is commanding a lot of attention, but forward Jeff Green has been the early MVP, leading the team in rebounds (7.4) and assists (3.4) while averaging 10.4 points per game.

11. West Virginia Mountaineers (7-3)
Next: Friday vs. Canisius
Just in case anyone thought the Mountaineers couldn’t live up to the hype, they ended those doubts with a 92-68 thrashing of then-No. 8 Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. WVU shot a school-record 66.7 percent from the field and hit 20-of-23 free throws. Kevin Pittsnogle scored 25 points, one of four Mountaineers to score at least 14. This game was West Virginia at its best – shooting well and shooting often. There isn’t a team in the country that can hang with this group when it plays like it did.

12. Seton Hall Pirates (6-3)
Next: Thursday vs. Morgan State
When Seton Hall’s committing more turnovers than field goals made against a team that could generously be called sub par, trouble is inevitable. At home versus Northwestern, the Pirates found themselves walking off the plank by connecting on just 12-of-51 field goal attempts while committing 20 turnovers in a 44-42 loss, an ugly game played by both teams. Louis Orr and the Hall may have critics raising some eyebrows in a tough contest versus Iona coming up this New Year’s Eve.

13. DePaul Blue Demons (6-4)
Next: Saturday vs. Florida International
The Blue Demons continue to come up with big wins. Their latest was a 68-65 road win against tough California. Sammy Meija scored 20 points for DePaul in the win, as he continues to relish his role as team leader. Meija is averaging 15 points per game, along with 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He is getting plenty of help, too, from a couple of sophomore sensations: Karron Clarke and Draelon Burns, who are both averaging more than nine points per game.

14. Providence Friars (5-4)
Next: Tuesday vs. San Diego State
After losing to Florida, Memphis and Wichita State, the Friars needed to refocus and they did. A 90-72 win over Northeastern followed up by a 76-63 win over Yale has put Providence back up above .500. Better believe head coach Tim Welsh has already forgotten about the four consecutive losses. January games against Louisville, Georgetown and Connecticut can give PC the experience it will need if it wants to pull off some upsets later on in conference play.

15. St. John’s Red Storm (5-4)
Next: Tuesday vs. Columbia
We’ve all been there. Remember in college: you’re going to the dorm, approaching the security booth to swipe your ID. “Shoot, I forgot to bring it with me.” And so the story’s told. Well not only did Daryll Hill forget his ID but he was benched for it! It seems with the excess still from two years ago (player misconduct and rape allegations), there is simply no abandonment of punishment. The Storm should close out a decent finish in the non-conference with wins in the annual MSG Holiday Festival this week.

16. South Florida Bulls (6-5)
Next: Wednesday vs. Bethune-Cookman
The Bulls picked up their first road win of the season last week with a close 54-50 victory against Loyola Marymont. James Holmes again lit up the score board for South Florida, scoring 21 points. He’s averaging 19.5 points per game this season. The Bulls have become a four-man show between Holmes, Solomon Jones, Melvin Buckley and McHugh Mattis. All four are averaging at least 10.5 points per game, but no one else on the team is averaging more than five.

Big East Notebook

Big East Notebook

by Jesse Ullmann and Zach Van Hart

Moore serving suspension

Cincinnati’s Chadd Moore will miss the next three games after being suspended for the team’s first five contests because he played in a summer league without permission. The senior guard has not played since February after he left the team with chronic back problems. He becomes eligible when the Bearcats play Vanderbilt on Dec. 10.

1. Connecticut Huskies (4-0)

Next: Tuesday vs. Army at 7 p.m.

If those in charge of assembling the field of 65 and in charge of the polls questioned the vigor of the Connecticut Huskies, then you better believe that at the end of the Maui Invitational all questions were put to rest. UConn, by defeating Arkansas, Arizona, and Gonzaga in a 65-63-championship thriller, set the table for a delicious season. Seniors Denham Brown and Hilton Armstrong may very well have had their coming-out parties. Possibly the biggest surprise of all? The Huskies proved they could win big games without Rudy Gay.

2. Cincinnati (2-0)

Next: Friday vs. Holy Cross at 8 p.m.

The Bearcats were about to lose their first home opener in 40 years, before James White came to the rescue. The senior forward stole the ball and went coast-to-coast for a dunk with 5.8 seconds remaining, tying Cincinnati with Murray State at 70 and forcing overtime. The Bearcats went on to win their opener 79-75. They cruised during the second game, defeating Illinois State 76-59. Freshman Devan Downey came off the bench to score 21 points and key runs during both halves.

3. Georgetown (2-0)

Next: Saturday vs. Vanderbilt at 1 p.m.

Talk about a nice start. Sophomore center Roy Hibbert scored the Hoyas first 15 points, en route to a career-high 23 and a 73-66 Georgetown win against James Madison on Monday. Hibbert only missed one shot all night, going 7-of-8 from the field and 9-of-9 from the free-throw line. Sunday the Hoyas opened the season on the road with a 72-49 win against Navy. Hibbert again led the team with 20 points, while fellow sophomore Jeff Green contributed 13 points and senior guard Ashanti Cook dropped in 12 points.

4. Notre Dame (2-0)

Next: Saturday vs. North Carolina State at 7 p.m.

Not a bad couple of warm-ups for the Irish. Notre Dame started the season with two relatively easy wins, knocking off Lafayette 84-66 and Hofstra 69-50 in the comforts of South Bend, Ind. Depending on unproven talent to overcome the departure of point guard Chris Thomas, Notre Dame received a career-high 18 points from sophomore Rob Kurz against Lafayette, followed by Colin Falls’ 19 points and five 3-pointers against Hofstra. The Irish trailed by four at halftime against Hofstra but outscored the Flying Dutchman 40-17 during the second half.

5. Pittsburgh (2-0)

Next: Saturday vs. Maine at 7:30 p.m.

Levance Fields was 13 years old when Carl Krauser began his first season in Pittsburgh. The chemistry of the two backcourt starters will be key this season and they’re of to a good start. Through three games Krauser is averaging 15ppg and 5rpg while Fields leads the team in free throw percentage and assists. The Panthers have easy wins over St. Peters and Robert Morris while edging Maine 52-49.

6. Providence (2-0)

Next: Monday @ Fairfield at 7:30 p.m.

At the start PC thought they’d have 10 players on scholarship but Dwight Brewington quit and then there were 8 and then DeSean White got hurt (and has not played yet) and then there were 8, four of whom are freshman! One of the those youngsters, Wayinmi Efejuku, could be PC’s number one scorer one day. 6’11″ sophomore Randall Hanke has a combined 40 points through two relatively easy wins over Vermont and New Hampshire.

7. Rutgers (2-0)

Next: Wednesday vs. Temple at 7:30 p.m.

12 of 16 Big East teams will make the end-of-season Tournament and the Scarlet Knights are hoping to be on of them. That may not be realistic but the Rutgers are off to an undefeated 3-0 start with Quincy Douby averaging a team best 17.3 ppg. Depth will become an issue as the season progresses for Rutgers as Gary waters has chosen to play just three guys off the bench with any significant minutes.

8. St. John’s (2-0)

Next: Tuesday vs. Hofstra at 7:30 p.m.

The NY Post and the Daily News have officially claimed that the Red Storm is back. This is a tough statement to make but it is definitely true that St. John’s has become the talk of this town. College basketball is alive and well here in NYC and in part due to a couple of Big East newcomers. Aaron Spears and Anthony Mason Jr. have been inserted into Norm Roberts starting lineup while Ricky Torres will come off the bench and shoot from outside. Daryll Hill is tops in scoring with 15 points apiece in good wins over St. Francis (Brooklyn) and Niagara.

9. Louisville (1-0)

Next: Dec. 3 vs. Prairie View A&M at 1 p.m.

Well, the Cardinals played one. It’s going to be awhile before we see them in action again. Louisville opened its season Saturday with a 78-61 win against Tennessee Martin; now it is in the midst of a two-week hiatus. Four starters reached double figures against the Skyhawks, led by sharp shooter Taquan Dean’s 18 points. Dean struggled from the field though, going 5-of-17 (3-of-13 from the 3-point line). Juan Palacios, injured all preseason, began what many critics feel will be a steady dose of double-doubles, scoring 16 and grabbing 11 rebounds.

10. South Florida (1-0)

Next: Saturday vs. Jacksonville at 7 p.m.

The Bulls continued one of their few winning traditions – taking home openers – as they knocked off Alcorn State on Saturday 69-52. Guard James Holmes scored 21 points for USF, one of four players to reach double figures. Head coach Robert McCullum doesn’t believe in having a large bench and his team’s first game reflected that, as only seven players walked on the court. Center Solomon Jones, expected to fill the big shoes left by graduated Terrance Leather, finished with 16 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks in a stellar performance. The Bulls will need a lot more of that from him this season.

11. Villanova (1-0)

Next: Wednesday @ Rider at 7:30 p.m.

With just one game in the books Jay Wright and his Wildcats have had more time to try and figure things out. One thing’s for sure this will be one of the best backcourts in the country. Randy Foye score 21 points in a 78-35 mauling of Stony Brook. Foye joins Mike Nardi and Allan Ray. None of these guys are turkeys. Will Sheridan and Jason Fraser are still awaiting word on whether or not Curtis Sumpter will return this season and join them in the post, or redshirt.

12. Marquette (2-1)

Next: Wednesday @ Nebraska at 8 p.m.

Key Wins: 82-65 over Rice
Leading Scorer: Fr. G Dominic James, 16 pts
Key Wins: 83-73 over Eastern Washington
Leading Scorer: Sr. G/F Joe Chapman, 17 pts

Key Losses: 71-64 to Winthrop
Leading Scorer: Sr. F Steve Novak, 17 pts

13. Seton Hall (2-1)

Next: Monday vs. St. Peter’s at 7:30 p.m.

Early in the season there are lots of questions that everyone wants answers to soon. Well Louis Orr should have already found an answer to whether or not Jamar Nutter is a point guard or a shooting guard. After serving his one-game suspension (93-40 loss to Duke) for being late to practice, Nutter’s role is still up in the air. The Pirates have a medley of options though with Kelly Whitney posing problems for opponents’ inside game. Sophomore forward Brian Laing has come off the bench to average nearly 28mpg and is one of only three players averaging double figures (10.1).

14. Syracuse (3-2)

Next: Wednesday vs. Manhattan at 7 p.m.

The Orange met their match in the Florida Gators during the Pre-Season NIT. At Madison Square Garden in front of what could always be described as a heavily favored crowd, Syracuse fell 75-70 to the unranked Gators. That loss may have trickled over to the next game at the Carrier Dome where the Cuse lost again, this time to a team they absolutely should have beat. With a chance to wipe the Florida loss off the their minds Syracuse fell 74-69 despite 19 points from Demetris Nichols.

15. West Virginia (2-2)

Next: Saturday vs. LSU at 4:45 p.m.

Even in defeat, the Mountaineers showed that last year’s Elite Eight run was no fluke. Playing in the Guardians Classic in Kansas City, Mo., West Virginia lost at the buzzer to No. 2 Texas 76-75 before falling a bit harder to No. 7 Kentucky 80-66. Against the highly regarded Longhorns, WVU allowed an offensive rebound and stick back by LaMarcus Aldridge with 3.6 seconds remaining. On the game’s final play, the Mountaineers worked the ball up to Mike Gansey at the block, but Aldridge rejected his layup attempt. Though the team struggled against Kentucky, tournament-legend Kevin Pittsnogle tied his career high with 27 points and added 10 rebounds. An early 20-0 Wildcat run was too much for West Virginia to overcome.

16. DePaul (0-1)

Next: Saturday vs. Northwestern at 2 p.m.

Not the start that head coach Jerry Wainwright would have wished for. DePaul never challenged as Bradley came in to All-State Arena and won convincingly on the Blue Demons’ home court 75-60. Twenty three turnovers, 14 in the first half, did in DePaul. Sophomore forward Karron Clarke was the team’s bright spot, scoring 19 points and adding five rebounds. The Miami transfer sat out last season and notched a new career high with his performance.

Big East Preview

Big East Conference 2005-06 Preview

by Jesse Ullmann and Zach Van Hart

A new frontier of Big East basketball will begin amidst some controversy. 16 teams? Won’t there be conflicting schedules? Is it really a good idea to not end up playing all your conference foes? Can they allow more than 7 teams from one conference into the NCAA Tournament? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Big East basketball ushers in a new era with the subtraction of Boston College and the addition of Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette and South Florida. And from now on, night in and night out you get the best level of basketball in the country. 15 of the 16 members have been to at least one Final Four. From the following as you’ll see, in the midst of what will be known as the transitional year, there will be plenty of entertainment.

All-Big East
Gerry McNamara, Sr. G, Syracuse
Taquan Dean, Sr. G, Louisville
Rudy Gay, So. F, UConn
Carl Krauser, Sr. G, Pittsburgh
Allan Ray, Sr. G, Villanova

Player of the Year
Rudy Gay, Connecticut

Rookie of the Year
Eric Devendorf, Syracuse

1. Villanova Wildcats (24-8, 11-5 4th Place)
Projected Starting Five:
Jr. G Mike Nardi
Sr. G Randy Foye
Sr. G Allan Ray
Sr. F Curtis Sumpter
Sr. F Jason Fraser

Notes: The loss of assistant coach Fred Hill to Rutgers is going to be an adjustment. The target has already been placed on the back of the uniforms after receiving a generous Power Ranking of No. 4. Again the Wildcats are deep in the backcourt, but Curtis Sumpter’s health taken into question yet again could pose some problems. An extremely tough schedule including road trips to UConn, Louisville, Notre Dame and then Syracuse does not help either.

Mark your calendar: Dec 3 vs. Oklahoma, Jan. 14 @ Texas, Feb. 11 @ DePaul

2. Connecticut Huskies (23-8, 13-3 2nd Place)
Projected Starting Five:
Fr. G Craig Austrie
Sr. G Rashad Anderson
So. F Rudy Gay
Jr. F Josh Boone
Sr. F-C Hilton Armstrong

Notes: In perhaps the toughest off-season UConn has ever faced, many obstacles are abounding. The loss of Charlie Villanueva and Andrew Bynum are no small blow. Marcus Williams was barred from playing until January while A.J. Price will be out for the year (and may very well transfer). Freshman guards Craig Austrie and Rob Garrison will be asked by coach Jim Calhoun to do more than they’ll be able to handle. UConn may still have the best frontcourt in the country.

Mark your calendar: Nov 22 @ Maui Invitational (Zona/Kansas), Feb. 13 @ Villanova, March 4 vs. Louisville

3. Louisville Cardinals (33-5, 1st Place in C-USA)
Projected Starting Five:
Sr. G Taquan Dean
Jr. G Brandon Jenkins
So. F Juan Palacios
Fr. F Brian Johnson
Fr. G Andre McGee

Notes: The Cardinals sustained heavy losses from last year’s Final Four team, as Francisco Garcia, Ellis Myles and Larry O’Bannon departed. Further handicapping them early on, Juan Palacios is out until mid-November with an extreme ankle sprain, while David Padgett will be out until at least December with a knee injury. Freshman Andre McGee will likely start the season at point guard and classmate Terrence Williams will also see significant time. Taquan Dean will be the leader of this team, but Palacios will likely develop as the team’s best player.

Mark your calendar: Dec. 17 @ Kentucky, Jan. 5 vs. Villanova, Feb. 25 @ West Virginia

4. Syracuse Orange (27-7, 11-5, 3rd Place)
Projected Starting Five:
Sr. G Gerry McNamara
Jr. G Lou McCroskey
Jr. F Demetris Nichols
Jr. F Terrence Roberts
Jr. C Darryl Watkins

Notes: He’s back. Gerry McNamara can change the outcome of the game as everyone witnessed in March 2003. McNamara this year faces a new challenge and that will be the absence of Hakim Warrick, who graduated and is in the NBA. Craig Forth and Josh Pace are also gone. Freshman Arinze Onuaku adds size at 6’9″ 255 and PG Eric Devendorf, whom many believe will be this year’s rookie of the year, adds depth behind Mac. Coach Jim Boeheim, inducted this summer into the Naismith Hall of Fame, has a very fast team and they will run a lot this year. Can they keep up though with this new-look Big East?

Mark you calendar: Jan. 21 @ Villanova, Feb. 18 vs. Louisville

5. West Virginia Mountaineers (24-11, 8-8, 7th Place)
Projected Starting Five:
Sr. G J.D. Collins
Sr. G-F Johannes Herber
Sr. G Mike Gansey
Sr. C Kevin Pittsnogle
Jr. F Frank Young

Notes: The Mountaineers return four of five starters from last year’s Elite Eight team including NCAA Tournament star Kevin Pittsnogle, who flirted with entering the NBA draft before returning for his senior year. Forward Tyrone Sally is the lone key loss for WVU. Aside from the starters and sixth man Patrick Beilein the Mountaineers are young, littered with sophomores and freshmen. With so many parts of last year’s team returning it’s curious why West Virginia is only picked fifth in the conference.

Mark your calendar: Dec. 22 @ Oklahoma, Jan. 8 @ Villanova, Feb. 18 vs. Connecticut

6. Georgetown Hoyas (19-13, 8-8, 7th Place)
Projected Starting Five:
Sr. F Brandon Bowman
So. F Jeff Green
Sr. G Ashanti Cook
So. C Roy Hibbert
Sr. F Darrel Owens

Notes: The Hoyas return all five starters and six of their top scorers from last season, led by forward Brandon Bowman and his 15.1 points per game. Coach John Thompson III has a year under his belt at his father’s old school and is likely to be in much more of a comfort zone. Georgetown was close to erasing its nearly decade-long slump last year and this could be a breakout season for the storied program.

Mark your calendar: Jan. 14 @ Connecticut, Jan. 21 vs. Duke, Feb. 19 @ Villanova

7. Pittsburgh Panthers (20-9, 10-6, 5th Place)
Projected Starting Five:
So. G Ron Ramon
Sr. G Carl Krauser
Jr. G Antonio Graves
Jr. F Levon Kendall
Jr. C Aaron Gray

Notes: Three Panther starters have departed, including Chevy Troutman and Chris Taft. Carl Krauser tossed the idea around, but decided to come back for his senior year (which, by the way, crushes the development of Brooklyn’s Levance Fields). The Bronx bomber will team with Ron Ramon in a very formidable backcourt. Five new names will grace Pitt’s roster this season, including 6’8″ freshman Ty Biggs and classmate Fields. The Panthers had a disappointing season in the Big East last year, especially at the Pete, and this year may be tougher with the addition of Louisville, DePaul, Marquette and Cincinnati to their schedule.

Mark your calendar: Feb. 9 vs. WV, Feb. 12 vs. Cincinnati, Feb. 18 @ Marquette

8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (17-12, 9-7, 6th Place)
Projected Starting Five:
Jr. G Chris Quinn
Sr. C Torin Francis
Sr. F Rick Cornett
Jr. G Colin Falls
Jr. G Russell Carter

Notes: After being at ND for seemingly forever, point guard Chris Thomas graduated after last year. In his place, seniors Chris Quinn and Torin Francis will emerge as team leaders. The Irish saw its tournament bubble burst last season with too many non-conference losses, so a lighter schedule (prior to the beast of conference play) should not be an issue this year. Freshman Luke Zeller has potential to be a starter by season’s end.

Mark your calendar: Dec. 7 @ Alabama, Jan. 28 vs. Villanova, Feb. 4 @ Louisville

9. Cincinnati Bearcats (25-8, 12-4, 2nd Place in C-USA)
Projected Starting Five:
Sr. F Eric Hicks
Sr. F Armein Kirkland
Sr. F James White
Sr. G Jihad Muhammad
Fr. G Devan Downey

Notes: After a tumultuous off-season, the Bearcats enter the Big East with interim head coach Andy Kennedy and not Bob Huggins. Cincinnati returns four of five starters and will be led by forward Eric Hicks. Armein Kirkland has yet to live up to expectations at small forward; his development is key for the Bearcats. As expected in Cincinnati, it will depend on production from its freshmen and junior college transfers.

Mark your calendar: Dec. 3 vs. Memphis, Jan. 25 & Feb. 6 vs. Louisville, Feb. 23 vs. Villanova

10. St. John’s Red Storm (9-18, 3-13, 11th Place)
Projected Starting Five:
So. G Eugene Lawrence
Jr. G Daryll Hill
So. G Cedric Jackson
So. F Dexter Gray
Jr. F Lamont Hamilton

Notes: It will take a couple years for the residue from the sex scandal to go away, but there’s no question coach Norm Roberts has his team heading in the right direction. With a beautiful new practice facility and an impressive freshman class, the Red Storm again will remain competitive despite what will probably be a deceptive record. Anthony Mason Jr. has worked very hard the past 16 months to get to where he is now physically, and he actually resembles his father a little, the former NY Knicks star. Freshman Ricky Torres and veteran Daryll Hill are two purists when it comes to shooting and will be fun to watch. 6’10″, 240-pound Lamont Hamilton is back and creates a problem for scorers down low with teams such as West Virginia and UConn.

Mark your calendar: Jan. 4th @ Seton Hall, Jan. 25 @ UConn

11. DePaul Blue Demons (20-11, 10-6, 4th in C-USA)
Projected Starting Five:
Jr. G Sammy Meija
Fr. F Wilson Chandler
Jr. F Lorenzo Thompson
Sr. F-C Marlon Brumfield
So. G Cliff Cinkscales

Notes: Dave Leitao departed as head coach to take the head position at Virginia. Jerry Wainwright, previously the coach of the Richmond Spiders for the past 11 years, inherited the resurgent program. DePaul suffered heavy losses with the graduation of Quemont Greer, Drake Diener and LeVar Seals. Sammy Meija will move permanently to shooting guard, while Marlon Brumfield could break out as the Blue Demons latest star power forward.

Mark your calendar: Dec. 13 @ Wake Forest, March 2 vs. Syracuse, March 4 @ Notre Dame

12. Marquette Golden Eagles (19-12, 7-9, 9th in C-USA)
Projected Starting Five:
Sr. F Steve Novak
Sr. G Joe Chapman
So. F Ryan Amorso
Sr. C Chris Grimm
Fr. F Jerel McNeal

Notes: Mr. Everything Travis Diener graduated, leaving a large void for Marquette. Perhaps a bigger loss, though, was the transfer of swingman Dameon Mason to LSU, as he was expected to become the team’s top scorer. Steve Novak must take leadership of this team, a role he was reluctant to embrace during Diener’s tenure. Ryan Amorso and Chris Grimm are hard workers underneath, making up for a lack of talent.

Mark your calendar: Dec. 10 @ Wisconsin, Jan. 17 & 25 vs. DePaul, March 1 @ Louisville

13. Providence Friars (14-17, 4-12, 9th Place)
Projected Starting Five:
Sr. G Donnie McGrath
So. F DeSean White
Jr. G Dwight Brewington
Jr. F Herbert Hill
So. C Randall Hanke

Notes: Donnie McGrath needs just four three-pointers to break the school’s all-time record for makes, which will take one game. With Gomes gone, McGrath becomes the Friars’ centerpiece, while Dwight Brewington will team with him in scoring. Remember Brewington had an impressive 23 points against Wake Forest and another 23 against Michigan last season.

Four newcomers, however, will be expected to make an immediate contribution. With an extra scholarship available after the departure of Rob McKiver, an okay freshman class morphed into a very good one. The group features Weyinmi Efejuku (New York (NY) Rice HS), Jonathan Kale (6’8″, 240) and Geoff McDermott (6’7″, 230).

Mark your calendar: Dec. 6 vs. Florida, Jan. 7 @ Louisville, Feb. 17 @ Cincinnati

14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (10-19, 2-14, Last Place)
Projected Starting Five:
So. F Ollie Bailey
Jr. G Quincy Douby
Jr. F Adrian Hill
Jr. G Marquis Webb
Jr. F Byron Joynes

Notes: Fred Hill was snatched up from Villanova for a reason: school President voiced his displeasure with coach Gary Waters last year. If winning does not become more prevalent this year, Waters is gone. But Rutgers will win, at least more than last year.

The Scarlet Knights will have 10 players listed at 6’7″ or taller and arguably their best recruiting class on the banks to date. Adrian Hill will make his grand return after missing nearly two years due to a knee injury. Ollie Bailey will score inside while Quincy Douby knocks them down from outside. A freshman class featuring Michigan’s Gatorade Player of the Year (Zack Gibson), a top 100 recruit and former Jordan Classic All-Star (J.R. Inman) and the New Jersey moneymaker (Anthony Farmer), makes the Rutgers season exciting again.

Mark your calendar: Jan. 28 vs. Louisville, March 5 @ St. John’s

15. Seton Hall Pirates (12-16, 4-12, 10th Place)
Projected Starting Five:
Sr. G Donald Copeland
Jr. C Grant Billmeier
So. F-C Marcus Cousin
Jr. G Jamar Nutter
Sr. F Kelly Whitney

Notes: Three freshman and two transfers will hopefully fill the voids of Andre Sweet, Justin Cerasoli and JR Morris. The Pirates are lucky to have gotten freshman John Garcia, who will most likely anchor the freshman class. 6’7″ Minnesota transfer Stan Gaines and 6’8″ Cincinnati transfer Mike Pilgrim (eligible 2nd semester) add much-needed size and depth. SHU returns a pair of veterans in Donald Copeland, who will start in place of Cerasoli at the point, and Kelly Whitney, the Pirates’ leading scorer last season. Louis Orr needs to prove this year he can win in East Rutherford.

Mark your calendar: Jan. 11 vs. Marquette, Feb 21 @ St. John’s, Feb. 28 vs. Cincinnati

16. USF Bulls (14-16, 5-11, 11th Place in C-USA)
Projected Starting Five:
Sr. G James Holmes
So. G Collin Dennis
Jr. G Chris Capko
Jr. F Melvin Buckley
Sr. C Solomon Jones

Notes: The Bulls are playing this season for Bradley Mosley, the 23-year-old USF player who passed away Oct. 29 after a year-long battle with cancer. Freshman Chris Howard, who was slated to take over the point guard duties left by graduated Brian Swift, blew out his knee in the fall and will miss the season. Coupled with graduations of Terrance Leather and Marlyn Bryant, USF appears to have a long season ahead of them. Transfers Chris Capko and Melvin Buckley must step up immediately.

Mark your calendar: Dec. 22 vs. Iowa State, Dec. 30 vs. UAB, March 1 vs. Connecticut

ABCD Camp Notes

Notes from the 2005 Reebok ABCD Camp

by Jesse Ullmann

TEANECK, N.J. – Lute Olson, Tubby Smith, Jay-Z, Jim Calhoun. Jay-Z? What’s he doing here? Sitting courtside in shorts and the white “T” the rapper-turned pop icon chatted it up with camper O.J. Mayo. Just like some athletes, Jay-Z has a shoe deal with Reebok. Just remember, when in doubt, it’s gotta be the shoes.

At this summer’s edition of the Reebok ABCD Camp at Fairleigh Dickinson, O.J. Mayo has drawn comparisons to Jason Kidd, although it is principally agreed upon that Mayo has a much better shooting touch. The rising junior from Cincinnati, along with Greg Oden, were the public studs of the camp.

To just make an observation, it’s incredibly hard to watch these events. Why? All flash and dazzle, no skill and fundamental. For a select few classified as borderline mid-to-high majors, yes it is important for them to showcase more than flare. But whether it’s Reebok, Adidas (Atlanta) or Nike (Indianapolis), the marquee names such as Billy Walker, Mayo and Oden, for two weeks are prima donnas. Only some use this as a talent evaluation period.

There is always a buzz here but the air was particularly crisp this year for a couple of reasons.

First of all, B.J. Armstrong, the Babcock phenomenon (Rob, Pete, Dave), Danny Ferry and the NBA are usually out in full effect. Not this year. The new NBA Collective bargaining agreement will block these kids from declaring for the pros directly out of high school starting now. Secondly, the class of 2006 (and even more so 2007) are held in high regard. Also, some schools such as Syracuse and Connecticut will undergo major reconstruction in the coming years and big recruiting classes will be mandatory in order to remain highly competitive. With that in mind here are a handful of players to look for down the road.

Renardo Sidney
Any kid who concludes nearly every sentence with “sir”, I am a fan of. Sidney, a 6’9″ rising freshman from Mississippi, was all work and no play here at ABCD. It’s hard to call him a sleeper since he’s only 15 years old but he was so overshadowed by Mayo, Walker, Corey Fisher and the like. Sidney plays point guard. Point guard! He’s listed as small forward however in AAU ball, he says he plays PG. “I’m goin’ to Alabama,” said a humble Sidney. “I was there on campus two weeks ago visiting and really like it.”

He may want to keep his options open.

O.J. Mayo
Mayo should go and make a few hundred grand playing in Europe. Or maybe he should go to prep school. If Mayo decides to go to college, the rumor is he’s going to school in a packaged deal with three or possibly four other high major prospects. Whichever school gets lucky, they immediately have to be the favorite to win the national championship. Mayo is the cream of the crop. His shooting and court visibility alone are outstanding. Mayo is a 6’5″ rising junior and was named Reebok ABCD co-Player of the Week. Last year, Mayo was named the ABCD All-Star Game MVP, as a rising sophomore.

Paul Harris
After scoring the first eight points on a variety of moves in the Senior Game, you couldn’t help but wonder: Has Paul Harris cleaned up his academic problems? Two years ago Harris, a 6’5″ shooting guard from Niagara Falls High, had really bad grades. Colleges (i.e. – Syracuse and the rest of the Big East) were turned off. Assuming this is a moot point, the rising senior looked very, very good. A fast break power slam after a 3-point play after a conventional basket-and-the foul, Harris literally dominated. Since I saw Harris last summer in an AAU tourney at Seton Hall, he’s muscled up and his body looks chiseled. If his SAT’s qualify, he can make some team really good.

Will Harris
As Jim Calhoun got ready to leave (possibly back to Hilton Head), Will Harris went to the free throw line. The coach stopped for a second behind the basket in curiosity to see his soon-to-be Husky Harris shoot free throws. Clank. Clank again. I can see it now. UConn opens its season vs. Yale. Harris starts. 40 seconds into the game the Bulldogs take a 6-0 lead. Stomping his feet and unnecessarily screaming Calhoun benches Harris. A common initiation in Storrs.

Harris is definitely a tweener. At 6’5″ he should be playing small forward but his handle is suspect and his shooting is questionable. In the Big East, he’s too small to play at the 3 or 4. During a year when Denham Brown, Rashad Anderson, Ed Nelson are all leaving and possibly Rudy Gay and Marcus Williams as well, Harris’ scholarship offer may have been premature.

Other Notes

Rising senior Wayne Chism (6’8″, Tennessee) was another camper with a big interior force and matched up well against Derrick Caracter (6’9″, NJ) and Durrell Arthur (6’8″, TX). The hops, hustle and unselfishness of Daequan Cook (6’5″, Ohio) were the best in camp. Coming close, though, in the rear view mirror was Cook’s teammate in the Senior Game, Davon Jefferson (6’8″, California).

As always in so many hours on such a beautiful Saturday afternoon there was plenty to talk about here at the Rothman Center. Players from across the country were showcased looking and hoping to find the perfect fit. The NBA is no longer an option. A year or two at IMG or South Kent Prep probably sounds more appealing than ever. One thing is for sure: all these kids have skills.

The new generation of one-year college hoopsters has begun.

NBA Age Minimum

Age-itated

by Jesse Ullmann

Whether you’re on the coast of the Pacific or Atlantic, a republican or democrat, a Yankee fan or a fan of the defending World Series champions, some things just don’t seem to make a whole lotta sense. In the latest NBA hot stove topic of what will now be chronicled as a long line of really giving it to professional basketball, an age limit has people abuzz.

Are you kiddin’ me?

Originally it is hard to tell who had this on their agenda, be it the NBA coaches or the general managers or the commish, but this has got to be one of the most preposterous, laughable, absurdly ridiculous concepts that I can remember. Of course this “problem” just so happens to be regarding the NBA and no other pro sport in America, right? Of course not.

A short while ago back in 1996 a school just outside Philadelphia, Lower Merion High, had this kid named Kobe. Much like a funky outfit by fashion diva J. Lo or pioneering software company Microsoft, Kobe’s prom-to-the-pros decision set a lasting and significant trend.

Since Kobe Bryant made the jump (Kevin Garnett was selected in the 1995 draft before Bryant but at the time was not thought to have Kobe potential), the NBA has seen an influx of players trying to make the same leap of faith. However some have failed miserably thus now apparently it is necessary to make the age limit 20 years old.

Absolutely ridiculous.

If a kid chooses to declare by all means let the kid declare. And it is hypocritical to say the quality of basketball is down because of the high school kid when in fact the one thing keeping the league afloat right now is indeed the high school kid.

From the 1995 draft to the turn of the century only 11 kids made the jump. With emerging prep schools such as Oak Hill, South Kent and Mount Zion (and by the way, is it physically possible to place these schools any further away from reality?), high schoolers are becoming better prepared to handle the situation of being a professional basketball player.

Dick Vitale of ESPN wrote, “I have been on the record as saying these kids would benefit so much from time in college. I think it would help their maturity for later in life.” Fine. The insanely large budgets each NBA team flaunts should allow a franchise to start a mentorship for the youth. Maybe that is asking for too much.

Times have changed and the right decisions need to be made in order to secure the future of the league. This summer when the NBA sits down with the NBAPA to write up a new collective bargaining agreement the age limit should get voted down. That is the sensible thing to do.

Just realize we could be saying goodbye and closing the door on the next generation of Kobe and Garnett and Dwight Howard and T-Mac and even Kwame Brown. Sorry kids. Not yet.

Jermaine O’Neal (selected four spots behind Bryant in the ’96 draft) voiced his personal discernment last week on an age limit and he did bring up a good point. How come a kid can go fight a war and kill people but that same kid can’t go make some money playing hoops?

Some things just don’t seem to make a whole lotta sense.

Syracuse First Round Recap

First Round Recap – Syracuse Region

by Jesse Ullmann

The desirable quality of Jay Wright’s team this season is defense. So when New Mexico was held to just 11 first-half points, the Villanova head coach was a happy camper. Punctuated by a three-pointer from Mike Nardi, the Wildcats headed into the locker room with a 23-point lead and were the eventual winners of a 55-47 contest.

The Lobos did manage a second half run, but the game had far back been put out of reach. After four missed free throws by Villanova, Lobo guard Mark Walters penetrated the lane converting on a lay-up with 29.2 seconds left, bringing New Mexico within five, 52-47.

The Lobos, who won the Mountain West Conference Tournament and would have probably received an at-large bid anyway, end a 9-game win streak and finish the season 26-7.

Villanova, meanwhile improves to 23-7 and will next play in what appears to be a sensational matchup against Florida. The well-hyped junior class of Allan Ray, Curtis Sumpter and Jason Fraser combined to score 8 points. Nardi finished with 15 points and backcourt mate Randy Foye added 14 in the low-scoring affair. The Villanova defense, which mirrors the physically-oriented Big East conference, held the Lobos to 16.7 percent (4-24) shooting from three-point range.

Senior forward Danny Granger led UNM with 15 points and 12 rebounds. In January Granger underwent arthroscopic surgery and his team was 0-3 without him. Granger’s importance to this team was instrumental. Dating all the way back to December, the Lobos went 16-1 with Granger in the lineup. Walters also got into the mix, scoring 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting, and the Lobos received just two points from their bench.

The 26 wins New Mexico finishes with are the second-most in school history. This was the Lobos’ first loss of the season when holding an opponent to less than 60 points.

Big East Championship Recap

Big East Conference Championship Recap

by Jesse Ullmann

NEW YORK – Most of the sellout crowd of 19,528 at Madison Square Garden knew what was going on. On the hardwood stage from midtown, Gerry McNamara went from downtown.

The star guard from Syracuse mirrored himself nailing a 3-pointer with 1:29 left in the 1st half and then doing it again with 1:31 left in the second half, both shots squashing any momentum from West Virginia. In the Big East Championship title game the Orange defeated the Mountaineers of West Virginia by 68-59, claiming their first conference tournament championship in more than a decade.

Those two 3-point shots by McNamara were critical but by no means instrumental in this ‘Cuse victory. Hakim Warrick, who finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds in the school’s only other meeting of the season, scored 20 points to go along with 13 rebounds, earning him the Dave Gavitt Award, given out to the tournament’s most outstanding player. Warrick finishes the season second overall in Big East scoring (21.4 ppg), third in rebounds (8.4 rpg), and third in field goal percentage (.552).

The senior Warrick was able to hold West Virginia’s star player, Kevin Pittsnogle, to just two points, making only 1-of-8 shots. At times he seemed frustrated, along with his teammates, by the 2-3 Syracuse zone and 1-3-1 full-court press. After the game West Virginia head coach John Beilein didn’t seemed to concerned with the loss.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have similar times in my life, but not four times on this stage. These kids are going to remember this forever – for ever and ever,” Beilein said.

After a first half exhibition by Syracuse on how to play defense, West Virginia’s Joe Herber was able to hit a three-pointer with 5:51 left to play before halftime to tie the game at 23. McNamara’s three helped give the Orange a 41-31 lead at the break. Syracuse was excellent out of the locker room on both ends, building an 18-point lead that would eventually dwindle to five.

McNamara finished with 16 points while senior Josh Pace added 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists. For West Virginia, Ty Sally, recovering from a stomach ailment scored a team-high 13 points. Herber and Mike Gansey each added 11.

The anticipation at the Garden was at its best during pre-game player introductions. Music roared with the lyrics, “The weak or the strong, who got it goin’ on?” After Saturday night the pre-season No. 1 claimed its throne atop the Big East.