New year, higher stakes with conference play intensifying

With the new year arriving in a few days, we’re about to bite into the meat of conference schedules.

Already, about half of Division I conferences have played at least one conference game. The Summit League’s South Dakota State sits at 3-0, giving the Jackrabbits the most conference wins of any team in the country. There’s a random fact for you.

In many ways, it feels like the season starts anew when conference play begins in earnest when the calendar turns to a new year. Yes, there are plenty of fantastic nonconference games throughout the season, and some of the best rivalries involve teams from different conferences, such as this weekend’s bout featuring Louisville and Kentucky. However, no matter how intense those rivalries might be, the stakes just aren’t as high when the winner doesn’t gain ground in the win-loss column of its conference standings.

I like to view the nonconference schedule as a time for growth. Teams get two months to adjust to new arrivals — on the roster or coaching staff — while playing only a few games conference games. That gives the coaching staff a chance to settle on an effective rotation and integrate any late additions because of transfer rules or early season suspensions.

In addition to growth as a team, the nonconference slate gives teams a chance to build their résumé for the NCAA Tournament. For the vast majority of D-1 programs, the only route to an NCAA Tournament is the automatic bid awarded with a conference tournament championship. However, for a bunch of teams, November and December help set expectations for conference play. Just look at Indiana, which entered the season unranked. The Hoosiers beat up some overwhelmed competition, which wouldn’t do Indiana any good in the eyes of the selection committee members come March. Then the Hoosiers went out and beat Kentucky. That’s a massive win that will help solidify Indiana’s NCAA Tournament status, even if the Hoosiers scuffle a bit in Big Ten play, finishing with only a .500 Big Ten record.

On the other hand, teams like Vanderbilt enter conference play knowing they have some work to do. The Commodores started the season as a top 10 team, but they have dropped games to Cleveland State, Xavier, Louisville and Indiana State. A couple of those losses are surprising while a couple are missed opportunities. Right now, the Commodores’ best wins are against Oregon, Oregon State and North Carolina State. None of those teams is a lock for the NCAA Tournament. So Vanderbilt must make hay in the SEC, especially against Florida, Kentucky, Alabama and Mississippi State. The Commodores get those teams six times, and Vanderbilt probably needs to win at least three — preferably one on the road — to feel secure about an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

And that just spices up already-compelling conference slugfests.

We go coast to coast with news from around the college basketball nation.

We’ll have at least two undefeated teams heading into 2012, as Baylor and Syracuse don’t play again in 2011 after winning last night. And that’s more than previously unbeaten Indiana and Louisville can say after dropping their first game of the season last night. Missouri plays Old Dominion Friday, and fellow unbeaten Murray State will also be in action Friday, against Eastern Illinois.

Connecticut might not be undefeated, but the Huskies are 1-0 without Jim Calhoun on the sidelines this season, CBS Sports.com reports. The Huskies beat South Florida last night, the first game of Calhoun’s three-game suspension, which is his punishment from a recruiting scandal in which he was cited for creating an atmosphere of compliance in Storrs.

Rhode Island is 1-11 this season, and that’s with senior guard Jamal Wilson in the lineup for 11 of those games. Life won’t be any easier for coach Jim Baron after he suspended the team’s leading scorer for breaking team rules, according to an Associated Press report. Wilson is averaging 17.5 ppg for the struggling Rams.

One of the complaints about conference expansion/realignment/destruction is the loss of rivalries that get the fans going. The Big Ten and Pac-12 are looking to avoid those situations via a strategic partnership that will allow the conferences to schedule multiple games between its members to encourage compelling match ups, which could include rivalry games, according to an ESPN.com report.

Maryland had to wait 10 games to get Ukrainian big man Alex Len on the court, writes Eamonn Brennan for ESPN.com’s “College Basketball Nation” blog. However, he could become a critical player quickly, as evidenced by his 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting in his first game Wednesday against Albany.

In case you missed the big news of yesterday, Louisville coach Rick Pitino announced that he intends to call it a career when his contract expires in 2017, according to the Associated Press. At 59, Pitino is already looking ahead to the end of his coaching run, which includes trips to the Final Four with three different teams (Providence, Kentucky and Louisville).

No cause for alarm in the Big East

One of the best parts of the early college basketball season is that, year after year, the big-time programs of the BCS conferences (mostly) load up on cupcake teams from lesser-known conferences to begin their campaigns — and those teams prove to be more substance than fluff.

More often than not, those cupcakes turn out to give some of the more talented squads from conferences such as the Big East a run for their money, even knocking off a few of them along the way.

The Big East has had its fair share of losses in the early going as some of the teams we picked to be contenders for the conference championships are dealing with some early season growing pains. … Continue Reading

Connecticut Huskies 2011-12 Preview

Connecticut Huskies

Last Year:

32-9 overall, 9-9 Big East (T-9th)

Coach:

Jim Calhoun (25th season, 605-228)

Projected starting five:

G: Shabazz Napier, So.
G: Jeremy Lamb, So.
F: Alex Oriakhi, Jr.
F: Roscoe Smith, So.
C: Andre Drummond, Fr.

Important departures:

Kemba Walker 23.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.5 apg 37.6 mpg
Jamal Coombs-McDaniel 5.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 16.6 mpg
Charles Okwandu 2.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 15.4 mpg

Inside the numbers:

53 percent scoring returning
70 percent rebounding returning

Additions:

C: Andre Drummond, 6’10”, 275 – ESPNU #2
G: Ryan Boatright, 6’2”, 165 – Rivals #42
F: DeAndre Daniels, 6’8”, 180 – Rivals #10

Schedule:

Toughest nonconference game: 1/21 at Tennessee
Toughest in-conference stretch: 2/6 – 2/18 at (8) Louisville, at (5) Syracuse, vs. DePaul, vs. (21) Marquette

Prediction:

3rd in BE; 25+ wins; Second weekend of NCAA Tournament

What to expect:

Despite losing their All-Everything floor general Kemba Walker, the defending national champs might have even more talent in 2011-12 than they did on the title squad. Returning All-Rookie team selections Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier, the Huskies also have big man Alex Oriakhi as well as a top recruiting class that expects to see major playing time right out of the gate.

Andre Drummond, one of the nation’s top high school centers looks to be inserted into the starting lineup, and Ryan Boatright should see some time as Napier’s backup whenever he becomes eligible. The question in Husky-land isn’t whether or not this team will be able to live up to last year’s accomplishments; it is if they can match them.

The postseason runs through the Big East and NCAA tournaments masked the fact that the Huskies were perfectly mediocre in conference play, ending at 9-9. With most of the championship team returning in 2011 as well as the influx of top recruits, folks in Storrs will be calling this a reloading year, not rebuilding.

Next: DePaul Blue Demons

Back to Big East preview

UConn Women: 88 Consecutive Wins

NEW YORK – Number 88 is in the books. UConn ran and hid from tenth-ranked Ohio State, with an 81-50 defeat of the Buckeyes at Madison Square Garden. The featured game of the Maggie Dixon Classic saw the UConn women tie the UCLA record with their 88th consecutive victory. The tempo free efficiency numbers illustrate the Huskies’ dominance. … Continue Reading

Huskies’ Athletes Having Trouble Scoring, Winning

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – For a long time, the philosophy of a lot of winning coaches and programs when it came to recruiting included two key words: recruit athletes.  You always want players with skill, and ideally with that and physical gifts, but you can’t go wrong recruiting athletes since they can develop.  But they have to develop, and if they don’t on a team that doesn’t have enough skill in a key area or two, it might not work.

So it goes for the Connecticut Huskies this season.

Look at their roster, or watch them before the game, and they look impressive.  They pass the look test, with a lot of length and athleticism.  But once the game begins, it’s not long before the feeling changes.  And on Wednesday night, when the Huskies lost 81-66 at Providence, it was right there for many to see.

Like many of Jim Calhoun’s teams at Connecticut, this one is excellent defensively.  The Huskies entered the game tops in the Big East in field goal percentage defense, with Syracuse not far behind.  On Wednesday, they held Providence to 40 percent shooting, which on many nights would be good enough to win.  The Huskies have been remarkably consistent defensively, as there is basically no difference in the opponent’s field goal percentage in their wins or losses.  It’s the offense that wins or loses games, and for too much of this season it has been losing games.

Another thing this team shares with many of Calhoun’s teams is that there is a lot of athleticism.  This team is dangerous in a fast-paced game with a lot of running, as they are at their best when they get transition baskets.  When it’s a slow, half court game, the opponent has this team right where they want them.  Past Connecticut teams could win these games, often quite convincingly, but not this one.

It starts with the lack of shooters.  Kemba Walker and Jerome Dyson are capable shooters, but neither strikes fear in opposing perimeter players and neither seems fond of taking jumpers.  Stanley Robinson is shooting well, but he, too, strikes more fear in opposing players with his ability to score closer to the basket.  He isn’t a sniper.

The lack of a shooter might not be so bad if not for the fact that this team has a lot of the same player.  The Huskies are loaded with athletes who can score but not shoot, and that has hurt this team.  In their seven losses, the Huskies have shot below 22 percent from long range, a major difference from their 38.5 percent shooting from deep in their 13 wins.  Knowing that the Huskies like to score off the bounce, teams can play a zone against them or just sag back and force them to prove they can make shots.  Even when given those openings, they don’t always opt for the jumpers because the mindset is to go to the basket.

Get past that, and this team doesn’t have the post scorers they have had in the past.  When you’re in the Big East and your best post scorer is Gavin Edwards – a nice player and slight over-achiever who is at best a complementary player in the Big East – you could be in for some difficult times.  Freshman Alex Oriakhi has rebounded well and had his moments, but has always been a bit soft and tries too hard to out-finesse opponents inside, evidenced by his average of 2.5 free throw attempts per game in over 28 minutes per contest.  Ater Majok is long and has some athleticism, but is also clearly over-hyped.  Jonathan Mandeldove was over-recruited, and Charles Okwandu is a role player at best.

With all of this, it’s not a surprise that offense lost Wednesday night’s game first.  Mind you, this came against a Providence team that has had its struggles on the defensive end and had a meltdown there in their last game, a 109-105 overtime loss to South Florida.  While the Friars were able to get good penetration against the Husky guards and turn them into a number of dunks and layups, that’s not where the Huskies lost this game.

“We get ahead, we got right where we wanted to be, then we stopped playing offense,” said associate head coach George Blaney, coaching the team in Calhoun’s absence for medical reasons.

As a result, the Huskies are 13-7 overall and 3-4 in the Big East.  That puts them likely on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble at the moment, especially since they lacked a resume win before knocking off Texas on Saturday.  They have plenty of opportunities left to get quality wins while improving their record, but it’s not going to come easily with the offense being what it is.

“We have the talent to do it,” said Dyson.  “We’re playing tentative at times, giving up way too many points by taking a break.  If we keep giving teams 10-0 runs, 12-0 runs, it’s difficult to win games.”

The way this team plays offense, that might be an understatement.

Connecticut has a team with plenty of physical gifts, as they have certainly recruited athletes.  They are translating into some success defensively, but you have to score to win, and right now the Huskies are having trouble scoring.  As a result, they are also having trouble winning.

UConn women Romp in Big East Opener

NEWARK, N.J. – Big East Conference women’s play began on Saturday with an eye-opening score. The UConn Huskies, defending Big East and national champions romped over Seton Hall 81-24 at the Prudential Center. In a game whose result undoubtedly sent chills among the rest of the conference, the Huskies went on a 17-0 run after the score was tied at two and never looked back. The three keys to the game:

1. Talent – UConn is absolutely loaded. With eleven players dressed the most minutes (23) went to Tina Charles and Meghan Gardler, the least to Jacquie Fernandes, who logged 11. Going to the bench there did not seem to be much of a drop-off in skills. Coach Geno Auriemma also has the luxury of two solid point guards. Sophomore Tiffany Hayes is more of your half court set floor leader while junior Lorin Dixon is a high-octane transition type. Some teams are fortunate having one proven lead guard; UConn has two.

2. Pick your poison – The exact phrase used by Seton Hall coach Phyllis Mangina. UConn, with Charles posting and Maya Moore penetrating, is a force inside. Mangina opted to give the Huskies the outside shot. They knocked down 6 of 18 from three but also hit a succession of mid range jumpers from fifteen feet. On the afternoon, UConn shot 57 percent (38 of 67).

3. Scoring woes – Throughout the pre-conference schedule Seton Hall had trouble scoring and turning the ball over. They committed 28 turnovers, despite the fact UConn did not press. In addition the Pirates shot 17 percent from the floor (9 of 52).  “When you do not shoot well against an opponent like UConn the problem magnifies,” Mangina said. “you have to shoot very well to have any chance of beating them.” Or of being in the game. The Pirates actually shot better from three-point range (4 for 21 for 19 percent) than inside the arc (5 for 31 for 16 percent).

Notes

• Seton Hall did not have a player in double figures and was led by junior guard Ebonie Williams with 9 points.
• UConn pit four players in double figures and was led by Charles’ 19 points 8 rebounds. “Since last March (Charles) has just lifted her game to another level,” Mangina said of the 6-4 Husky center.
• UConn improved to 12-0, their “closest” game being a 12-point win over number two Stanford just before Christmas.
• The Hall falls to 8-6 and Syracuse is next on Tuesday. “There are things to learn from this game but we have to put it behind us,” Mangina said. “In the Big East you need a big ego and a short memory.”
• UConn Coach Geno Auriemma, on facing a team UConn has defeated 25 straight times: “Our kids do not realize the history of the series. What we do every game is simply prepare for the opponent at hand. We focus on each team and get ready in the same manner.”
• Attendance was 4,166, as roughly eight busloads of UConn fans made it for the afternoon meeting.

UConn, Arizona State Women Advance From Trenton

TRENTON, N.J. – One team held serve while another gave a big surprise at the NCAA Women’s Regionals at Sovereign Bank Arena on Sunday. Number one and unblemished UConn dispatched Cal 77-53 in a game that was more competitive than the score hints. In the nightcap, sixth seed Arizona State upset second-seeded Texas A&M 84-69.

The keys to the UConn-Cal contest:

1. Poise – There have been upsets in the women’s tournament this year. With just over 6 minutes remaining in the half, UConn trailed 31-23 and Cal had the momentum. The Huskies never hit the panic button and continued to execute on both ends with poise.

2. Defense – From that juncture with six minutes to play in the half, Cal scored six field goals the remainder of the game. Up until that point they had 11. UConn just dug down deep, forced a few shot clock violations and a succession of rushed attempts with the clock expiring. “The way we played the second half, especially on defense,” said coach Gene Auriemma, “was classic UConn basketball.”

3. Tiffany Hayes - the UConn freshman buried a few treys early and finished with a game high 28 points to spark the Huskies with a game-high 28 points. “She was open and took the shots,” said teammate and star lead guard Renee Montgomery of Hayes. “She showed a lot of confidence to step up like that in a Sweet 16 game.”

UConn led 35-33 at the half and opened it up immediately as the final twenty minutes began. Maya Moore with a relatively quiet start added 22 points. Tina Charles was limited by foul trouble but had a solid five-point, eight-board effort in 23 minutes. Cal’s big gun Ashley Walker sparked the Bears to the early lead. A strong inside player, Walker led Cal with 21 points, but only five following intermission.

In the final contest both coaches were planning on a grind-it-out defensive battle. Instead they got an offensive display as Arizona State pulled a big upset over Texas A&M. Sun Devil mentor Charli Turner Thorne studied the stat sheet following the game and said, “Giving up 69 points and 48 percent from the floor and we win?” As noted, it was an offensive display on both ends. It wasn’t a case of poor defense by either team. “There were times kids hit shots with a hand in their face or made a nice step-back,” Turner Thorne said.

At the half Arizona State held a 42-37 lead, a figure some may have expected to be a final tally. Arizona State was shooting 67 percent while A&M wasn’t too shabby, checking in at 55 percent. In addition, neither team missed a free throw as Arizona State was 9 of 9 and the Aggies were perfect in four attempts.

The second half saw much of the same: torrid shooting and the Sun Devils just refusing to relinquish a lead. A&M hung tough but could never grab the lead as the Pac-10 reps maintained a consistent two-possession lead. In the stretch the Sun Devils gained some separation. A&M had to gamble on defense and was forced into a late-game fouling mode that inflated the final margin.

Arizona State senior guard Briann January paced all scorers with 22 points. Texas A&M had three players in double figures, led by junior forward Tanisha Smith with 19 points. Arizona State finished the game with a 62 percent mark, while A&M cooled off with a 41 percent field goal percentage the second half. The defense for Arizona State may have been a little late but it got there – in time to send them to the regional final against UConn on Tuesday.

“They have a Hall of Fame coach,” Turner Thorne said. “This is one of his best teams for a number of reasons. This is an incredible opportunity to play against them. They are unbeaten and they are the team to beat.”

A Big East and A-10 Hoops Day with Rocks and Ducks

STORRS, CT – Today’s task was to evaluate Rhode Island’s Ryan Center and UConn’s Gampel Pavilion. In addition, I was hoping to get enough material to write some kind of game story.

It was perfect. Akron, a very good MAC team with a coach that always gives me a good quote, coming in to try to steal a win from a strong Rams team from the A-10. That Mid-Major struggle was the early game.

The night cap was the Huskies taking on Big East foe, Rutgers. Sounds like a simple operation. Take care of the URI/Akron game then drive a little over an hour and knock out the late game.

Holy crap, did that plan go south in a hurry.

First off, the Rhode Island women played before the men and that game moved at the pace of some Post Office workers. The men’s game concluded with the Rams pounding Akron.

After the game I finish writing my evaluation then I stuck around and started to get some post-game comments and finally figured out it would take too long. I needed to get on the road to UConn.

The Rhode Island campus in Kinston is a good 10 miles on two-lane roads from I-95. It took me 20 minutes just to get to the highway and the whole trip is supposed to take 75 minutes.

After reaching I-95, it was a 25 mile drive down to the exit to start the cross country journey to Storrs.

I missed the turn off and it took me about 20 minutes to get turned around. Then it was too dark in my car to read the directions without pulling over to stop under a light, which I did every five minutes.

I finally asked a woman coming out of a gas station where UConn was from where we were. She knew, but explaining it to me in concise way was not something she could do easily.

She said, “Drive down this road until you get to the big rocks and turn right, then follow the signs.”

Of course, I wanted to know how far down it was and she explained she was not very good at miles.

So I asked how about in driving time. She thought for a few moments and said, “Drive for maybe 20 minutes.”

I then inquired as to what these rocks looked like.

“Not rocks, ducks! It is big ducks”

I said ducks and she said it back to me, only it still sounded a little like she was saying rocks.

So I said ducks again and she said something I could not understand but I thought it was either rocks or maybe ducks. I just couldn’t make it out for sure. I thanked her and proceeded to drive looking for some either big rocks or ducks.

After about 18 minutes I spotted a bridge that had big columns with big stone or cement ducks on top of them. So I guess she said ducks.

There was a sign for UConn and I went in the direction the sign was pointing and 10 miles later the campus appeared. I had no idea where the arena was located but I saw a line of cars and I figured it was in that direction.

So I decided to out-flank those cars by driving around the outside of the campus and coming in the back. I got around the back and there was a line of cars and I got in it. After about 10 minutes I inched up to a policeman and asked him where to find my correct parking lot.

In between directing cars he yelled out, “Up the hill and to the right.”

That was about as concise as telling me to turn at the duck or rock.

Thirty minutes later I inched up to Gumpel and there were no policemen, parking lot attendants or anyone that looked official.

There was a huge line of cars turning in next to the arena, so that looked like where I could park. If it was the wrong lot, I felt pretty confident I could talk my way in for free. I have done that earlier today at Rhode Island, at Butler several million times, UNC, NCSU, UGA, Maryland and a bunch more over the years.

But while I still about 150 feet away someone came out with a couple of barrels and closed off that parking area off to the right of the arena. To make it worse, he walked away.

Now there was nobody to talk into letting me park. I drove around outside the perimeter of the campus again and parked on the street about a mile from Gampel Pavilion and started walking toward the general direction of the arena.

I decided to shave some time off by cutting between two dorms. It was like a maze of dorms. I walked toward my right then back toward my left around another building and then right again and finally left around one more building and then I saw a fence.

That maze came to an abrupt end and I never found the cheese. I just walked 300 yards out of my way in 20 degree cold.

I was boiling mad at this point.

I finally got to Gampel and I was on the opposite side of the building from the gate I was supposed to enter. I walked around the whole building able to see inside the seating bowl each time I passed one of the three gates I had to go by before I got to the west gate.

I walked in still hopping mad and a guard told me I couldn’t bring a case into the building and that I should take it out to my car. You know, that car that is over a mile away on the other side of the maze of dorms.

I informed him it was my computer. He wanted to know why I had a computer. I told him so I could write about this crappy campus and piece of crap arena.

He said, “Oh, I thought you were a fan” I let him know that sports writers could be fat pigs too.

When I got in there was about six minutes left in the first half. I waited until half time and set my computer up. It took me one of the media people 15 minutes to figure how to get me logged on the wireless internet.

At this point I am a broken man. I have a lot of words to write and not much game left to do it.

So let’s see what we have here.

The Rams just took apart Akron. Rhode Island shot 55.8 percent (29-52) for the game and 57 percent from beyond the 3-point line (8-14).

Akron shot just 35 percent for the game and not a single Zip scored in double figures. Rhode Island’s strong defense had a lot to do with how poorly Akron played.

In the night cap, Connecticut beat the tar out of Rutgers 80-49. Rutgers shot just 28.8 percent (15-52) for the game UConn was big and fast. When they pulled down a rebound they shot out a quick pass and they were off to the races

Rhode Island against UConn might have been a better game today

And now for the arena comments.

Gampel Pavilion opened in 1989 and it is pretty underwhelming for a school from a Big Six Conference. It is not a dump, it is well kept, it is just the bare minimum in terms of a basketball venue.

It is a cement structure with a walkway around the inside of the seating bowl and that separates the upper seating section from the lower seating section. The upper seats on the ends are plastic bleachers and the rest are plastic chair backs. There is no outer concourse or lobby. In the four corners on the walkway level there are some concession stands that serve food. The score boards are attached to the wall above the seats. They are standard boards with video boards and player stats. I guess they don’t put more money and effort into making it nice because they play a fair number of games every year at the XL Center in Hartford and that is much bigger. The crowds at Gampel are big time. It holds 8000 and 2000 plus each game are screaming students. It is loud and intimidating.

Now Rhode Island built a much nicer arena. Ryan Center opened in 2002 with a thrilling overtime over USC.

It has a lower seating area with padded seats on the sides and upper seating consisting of plastic chairs with a beautiful carpeted concourse that runs under the upper seating section. The seats go up, rather than out, so the sightlines from the top row are great. It seats 7657 and every seat is a chair back.

Rhode island has pretty good parking nearby and they don’t charge to park I don’t think they have a maze of dorms either.

They just need more fans, it was at most, half-filled today.

So that is my East Coast swing for this year. Any day I can get two games in is a good day even with ducks, mazes and traffic jams.

Hey! Shouldn’t there be a cigar in this story?

Connecticut: Calhoun Misses Second Half of Rutgers Win

Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun did not return to the sidelines after halftime of the team’s win against Rutgers because he was not feeling well. Calhoun is fighting off shingles and a cold. Without Calhoun, the Huskies continued to cruise, whipping the Scarlet Knights 80-49.

Maggie Dixon Classic Notes

NEW YORK – Madison Square Garden has played host to many great events over the years. In the college basketball game it is home to the “final four” of the nation’s oldest post-season tournament, The NIT. Add the Pre-season NIT, Big East Tournament and Coaches vs. Cancer, to name a few and you can see why the Garden is termed the “Mecca” of basketball.

The Maggie Dixon Classic is a relative newcomer to the “world’s most famous arena” and is catching on as a premier event. The first classic was on the campus of West Point. It was held November of 2006, just months after the tragic passing of the former Army women’s coach. And it was a day of sadness and emotion to say the least.

The second one was held at the Garden last season and with another classic that brought in nearly 10,000 on Sunday, it appears to have found a home.

The Dixon Classic featured Army against Rutgers followed by Penn State and UConn. The thoughts of Maggie are still with us but the classic has now evolved into a celebration. The celebration of her life, love and passion of the game and the devotion to the women she coached at West Point.

The scores:
Rutgers 59, Army 38
UConn 77, Penn State 63

In the opener Army fell behind 14-2 early yet battled back. Army simply had a tough time handling Rutgers’ inside-outside combination. Senior center Kia Vaughn scored 12 points while grabbing seven boards, while Epiphanny Prince scored a game-high 25 points. The junior guard shot 3 of 4 beyond the arc.

“Prince was a big difference in the game,” noted Army coach Dave Magarity.

The Cadets trailed 33-21 at the half. They struggled to score in the second half, going the first six and a half minutes without a field goal. Still, they dug in and kept working each possession. Midway through the half they had an opportunity to get the deficit to single digits and missed an easy layup.

“That play was really huge,” Magarity said.

From that point on Rutgers maintained the double-digit lead and was in command. “We didn’t get out to a good start and I was disappointed with out defensive positioning,” Magarity said.

On the other hand, Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer was pleased, not just with the win but the face the Scarlet Knights had only 11 turnovers. “We are trying to do a couple things well and one is cut down on turnovers,” Stringer said.

The Scarlet Knights went into the contest averaging 17 turnovers per game. One reason is the point guard by committee, as Stringer puts it. The lead guard spot has been a problem thus far, as highly-touted freshman Nikki Speed is still adjusting and different combinations have been tried. Brittany Ray ran the point against Army and had a commendable 12-point, 8-rebound, 3-assist outing with no turnovers. “Point guard is such an important position,” Stringer said. “It’s more about a mind set than a skill set.”

Alex McGuire led the Cadets with 16 points. Despite the loss, army earned Rutgers respect for their hustle and resiliency. “Those (Army) girls were strong out there today,” Vaughn said of her opposition on the blocks.

In the second game, UConn received a strong challenge but had too much for Penn State. The Huskies triumphed 77-63 to run their record to 6-0. The teams were even a good part of the first half. In the latter stages UConn achieved some separation and went into the locker room with a 34-21 lead.

The second half saw Penn State continuously hang around. Each time UConn would get the lead to 13 or 15, Penn State responded. “They are aggressive,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said of Penn State. “They can beat you off the dribble and go right by you. They came out and pushed the pace, not a lot of teams are willing to run against us. We are fortunate we got a few late blocks that helped us put the game away.”

Tina Charles was a force Penn State couldn’t answer and dominated inside for UConn with 29 points and 18 rebounds. Each time the Lady Lions made a serious run, Charles or teammate Maya Moore (21 points) responded to stop the bleeding.

Tyra Grant, Penn State’s junior guard, was very effective off the dribble and led her club with 26 points. Penn State also made life tough for the Huskies on the defensive end. UConn came into the contest shooting 60 percent from the field. For the afternoon they shot 26 of 69 for a 38 percent mark.

“There are a lot of good teams out there,” Auriemma said. “Penn State came in 5-4 but they can play and showed it.”

Notes

• Auriemma discussed the shooting that saw UConn make 7 of 30 from three-point range and attempt 44 percent (they normally average 31 percent) of their shots beyond the arc. “As a team I don’t know if we remembered basketball is a game of makes and misses. As a coach it’s a dilemma.” As Auriemma noted, shooters missing have to keep shooting to find their groove. Still, there is a time to look inside.
• Charles, a 6-4 junior center, has motivation for this season. “During out team meeting after losing to Stanford (in the Final Four) last spring coach (Auriemma) said we are set at the guards and wings and not sure about the middle. That motivated me and inspired me to work hard all summer.” Charles entered the game a force in the paint, averaging 16.2 ppg and 7 rebounds per outing.
• CARE foundation, involved in heart disease prevention and awareness, ran an expo at the Garden the day of the classic. Free ECG screening and blood pressure tests were available.

Among those on hand for the Classic were Maggie’s mother Marge, sister Julie and brother Jamie who made the trip in following his Pitt team’s win a day earlier. It was a special moment to see Jamie, in the white Maggie Dixon Classic shirt, help out in a post-game clinic for young players, held right on the Garden floor.
New York Mayor Bloomberg proclaimed it “Maggie Dixon Day”. Halftimes were featured with presentations and video highlights of Maggie Dixon’s career and remarks from featured guests. Following the first game Rutgers and Army players were joined on the floor by UConn and Penn State for a special presentation.
The current senior members of Army and of course head coach Dave Magarity were on that 2006 Army team that captured the Patriot League title and went to the NCAA tournament. They all have great memories and their own recollections of Maggie Dixon.
Players Megan Evans, Courtney Wright and Alex McGuire spoke about the tournament being a testament to her legacy and a celebration of a special person who truly loved life. “The classic is a celebration of her life,” Wright said. “We are taking what we got from her and passing on her legacy.”
Magarity noted the mention of Maggie, “immediately brings a smile. I have nothing but great memories working with Maggie. Our seniors were freshmen during her year here and they and everyone are all better people for having known her. Mention Maggie’s name and you see them smile. Maggie was only in their lives six months and she had that effect she had on them.”
Yes, Maggie Dixon was present six months in their day-to-day lives, but her influence is for a lifetime.

Big East Notebook: Orange Turn Heads, Irish Run into a Buzzsaw

STORRS, Conn. – Easy-Going Gavin rapidly morphed into Gung Ho Gavin last night, an aggressive individual UConn fans have rarely seen during the reserve forward’s stay with the Huskies.

The kid from Gilbert, Az., finally got physical, played above the rim, and displayed a sense of urgency, en route to the reserve forward’s career-high 17 points in 16 minutes on 7-of-9 shooting.

“Gavin’s one of the more talented players on the team, at least athletically talented,” said Jim Calhoun, following UConn’s latest 79-49 roasting of marshmallow MEAC native Delaware State.

“He’s got a very high basketball IQ, he makes good passes… he’s got to be more physical. I’m encouraged by what he did tonight and I’m sure he is too.”

For Easy-Going Gavin, life isn’t always that easy. He has to go up against two physical specimens and behemoths in Jeff Adrien and Hasheem Thabeet every practice, is forced to take a backseat to the two larger-than-life bigs when game time rolls around, and is sometimes forced to play out of his nature (“I’m more of a finesse player,” Edwards admits) and play a physically intimidating brand of ball at the four-slot.

So, Easy-Going Gavin’s Monday night coming-out party came with much fanfare and to the delight of his teammates. Edwards established himself early, connecting on a jumper and a layup and then delivering an eye-popping block with 13:28 remaining. The son of former NFL defensive lineman Earl Edwards, who entered the game averaging a meager 3.3 points, continued his sublime showing in the second half.

He came soaring in, finishing a catch-and-run alley-oop from Kemba Walker that pumped the then insurmountable Husky lead to 71-42. He dunked home a Jerome Dyson miss that put an exclamation point on his career night and UConn’s drubbing of another smurf-sized foe.

“I think he got something out of it tonight. I know I got something out of it. Gavin has a chance, he’s got a fight on his hands. The more he fights, the deeper we can go,” explained Calhoun.

That “fight” Calhoun refers to is between 6-foot-9 swingman Stanley “Sticks” Robinson (who will soon be available) and newcomer Ater Majok, a 6-foot-10 recruit via the Sudan. Majok is undergoing the NCAA clearing process right now, but should be eligible to play soon.

On the surface, it looks like Edwards will have to wrestle for burn as the season progresses and Big East play emerges.

Following a resume-building game, however, Edwards is confident he will remain a fixture off the pine.

“Coach said during the Paradise Jam, as cliché as it is, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Still, if Edwards is to continue turning in expectations-slaying performances, as he did against undersized Delaware State, he needs to get more physical.

“It’s definitely something I’m still trying to work on a lot,” said Edwards, adding that “shooting over 6-foot-7 is definitely easier than shooting over 7-foot-3, National Defensive Player of the Year (Thabeet).”

Edwards continued, “From what I hear, Ater is a very good player. I’m taking baby steps, but I’m definitely working on it.”

Pressure?

None. Well, nothing that the mellow, muscled forward hasn’t seen before during his stay at the Big East’s NBA machine. But constructive criticism and words of encouragement are only one long distance call away.

“I get at least one call a week from my Dad on how I need to play stronger. He gives me all the old football stories. I know I have to step it up.”

Flynn Leads Hot Start For Orange

A radio reporter looked into Jonny Flynn’s eyes but received only a pithy stare in return. This was back in October, during Big East Media Day. Coaches, players, TV/Radio stations, and the New York media circus alike came peppering the conference’s key cogs with questions.

The question heaped upon Jonny Flynn however, could only elicit an empty stare from the proven point guard. The man asked if Flynn was ready to take on such a significant role as just a sophomore. If you could read Flynn’s expression, it said “Are you kidding me, or what?”

Flynn has been no joke this season. The kid who erupted for 29 points and nine dimes in his first NCAA game has been the catalyst for a ‘Cuse team looking to mute the detractors and naysayers and bounce back from two underachieving campaigns.

The 19-year-old offense operator is averaging 18.9 points and 5.3 dimes as Syracuse is off to a 7-0 start that includes marquee wins over Florida and defending national champion Kansas.

Flynn was named Big East Player of the Week, as was announced by the conference office, following his villain-slaying showings against Kansas (25 points and a key trifecta with six seconds left that lifted the game into OT) and Virginia (15 points and six assists as the Orange gutted out a 73-70 triumph).

Don’t You Dar Sleep on Him: Dar Tucker, 4-0 DePaul’s 6-foot-5 forward, is having a breakout start to the 2008-09 season. The Michigan native is averaging 20.8 points and 6.5 boards. He hung 26 points and pulled down nine boards in a 75-70 win over Indiana State on 11/29. Tucker and DePaul, one of five Big East teams without a loss, could watch their stock mount this season.

Moving Em’: With the reigning Big East Player of the Year in Luke Harangody, and the 2007 and 2008 Big East Coach of the Year in Mike Brey, the Irish have picked up where they left off. The Irish blitzed South Dakota to the tune of a 26-point blowout Dec. 3, with Ryan Ayers erupting for 35 points on 12-for-20 shooting.

Team Notes

Cincinnati Bearcats (5-1 overall)
The Bearcats suffered their first setback of the season, losing to Florida State, ending a 4-0 start. But against Coastal Carolina earlier in the week, Deonta Vaughn led the Bearcats with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-8 from three-point range. The Bearcats hit 11 three-pointers in the game. Larry Davis added 14 points, and Anthony McClain added 11 off the bench. The Bearcats shot a solid 53 percent from the field.
Against Florida State in Las Vegas, Mike Williams had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes. Vaughn led the way once again with 16 points, but had six turnovers, and shot just 5-of-18 from the field. The Bearcats weren’t able to overcome a poor shooting night, shooting just 33 percent from the field, 47 percent from the free throw line and committing 19 turnovers.
Then against UNLV, the Bearcats rebounded with Vaughn and Yancy Gates collecting 16 points each. Gates was 7-of-10 shooting off the bench. Dion Dixon added 13 off the bench as well for the Bearcats.
So far this season, the Bearcats have held their opponents to under 40 percent shooting in each game.

DePaul Blue Demons (4-0)
The Blue Demons maintained their perfect start with two victories last week. They’re 4-0 for the first time since 2002. This week, they will travel outside of the Chicagoland area to play California, before returning to Chicago to play a “road” game against Northwestern.
Last week, Dar Tucker had a big night against Detroit, scoring 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-7 from three-point range, and was 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed seven rebounds, had four steals and two assists. Mac Koshwal added 18 points as well.
Against Indiana State, Tucker had another big game with 26 points.

Louisville Cardinals (2-1)
The Cardinals’ postseason resume took a hit last week with a 14-point loss to Western Kentucky.
Louisville shot just 27 percent from the field for the game (15-of-56), including an abysmal 21 percent in the second half (6-of-28). The game was tied at 28 at halftime before Western Kentucky scored 40 in the second half, thanks largely to 50 percent field goal shooting, and a 15-of-18 showing at the free-throw line.
Three players were in double figures for the Cardinals. Terrence Williams led the way with 19 points, while Earl Clark and Samardo Samuels each had 11. Clark also had 11 rebounds. But only four other players scored for the Cardinals, who were outrebounded 48-36.

Marquette Golden Eagles (5-1)
The loss to Dayton could loom large at the end of the season. But the Golden Eagles get in-state rival Wisconsin, which will be a statement game for both teams.
Entering the Texas Southern game averaging 100.3 points per game, Marquette didn’t quite measure up to it, but still pulled it out.
Five players were in double figures for first-year coach Buzz Williams’ squad, led by Jerel McNeal’s 20. Lazar Hayward added 18. Texas Southern hung tight, shooting a blistering 64 percent from the field in the second half, and forced Marquette into 19 turnovers, leading to 21 points.
Against Northern Iowa, the Golden Eagles used an early 20-0 run in the first half to seize control of the game, and were never challenged afterwards in the Chicago Invitational Challenge.
Wesley Matthews scored 17 points for Marquette, followed by Haywood’s 15 and McNeal’s 13. Dominic James added eight points and six assists.
Against Dayton, the Golden Eagles couldn’t match the Flyers, who are now off to a 6-0 start. Dayton got a career-high 21 points off the bench from Rob Lowery, and got a double-double from Chris Wright with 13 points and 13 rebounds, and added four assists. Marquette still got a career-high 28 points from Matthews, and 19 points from James, but that wasn’t enough.
Dayton outscored Marquette’s bench 48-5.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-1)
The Irish made a deep run in the Maui Invitational before running into the nation’s No. 1 team – North Carolina.
Five players were in double figures for the Irish against the Hoosiers, led by Tory Jackson’s 21 points. Jackson was 10-of-17 from the field, had five rebounds and six assists. Also in double figures was Kyle McAlarney with 18, Luke Harangody with 14, and Ryan Ayers with 13. Luke Zeller added 10 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, providing the Irish a big lift.
Notre Dame shot 51 percent from the field for the game.
In a thriller against the Longhorns, Harangody proved why he is an All-American. The big man scored 29 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Irish.
Against North Carolina, the Tar Heels’ Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson were brilliant.
Hansbrough scored 34 points, and Lawson had 22 points, six rebounds and 11 assists to take the Maui Invitational championship.
Lawson was named the tournament’s most valuable player.
For the Irish, they were led by a masterful game from McAlarney, scoring a career-high 39 points and dished out six assists. He was 10-of-18 from 3-point range, breaking his own school record of nine 3-pointers in game set last season.
This was Notre Dame’s second appearance in Maui. The Irish finished sixth in 1993.

Pittsburgh Panthers (7-0)
Starting with Duquesne, the Panthers will play their next four games at home. During that span, they will play all non-conference foes (Duquesne, Vermont, UMBC and Siena).
Sam Young scored 33 points, despite not making a field goal until the 11-minute mark of the first half to lead the Panthers past Belmont, who nearly upset Duke in last year’s NCAA Tournament.
During a 12-2 run in the second half, Young scored all but two points. And during a run in the first half, he scored 13 of Pittsburgh’s 14 points in a 4½-minute span.
Against Texas Tech, Young scored 24 points, and DeJuan Blair added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Panthers in the semifinals of the Legends Classic. Young also had eight rebounds and four assists.
Pittsburgh outscored the Red Raiders 40-14 in the paint.
In the championship against Washington State, two of the best defenses in the nation locked horns, and the game was far from pretty. Both teams shot identical 35.4 percent from the field (17-of-48).
Young continued his solid week with a 15-point, eight-rebound effort against the Cougars, who lost their first game of the season. Levance Fields added 14 for Pittsburgh.

Seton Hall Pirates (5-1)
Seton Hall overcame a strong night by Delaware’s Marc Egerson, who scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Delaware also got a double-double from Jim Ledsome – 13 points and 10 rebounds.
The Pirates had four players in double figures, including three starters. Jeremy Hazell had 17 points, but was only successful on 4-of-14 shots. Eugene Harvey added 14 points, and John Garcia had 13. Jordan Theodore added 13 off the bench.
Seton Hall also overcame being dominated on the boards, 40-29.
Delaware led after the first half, shooting 63 percent, but cooled off in the second half to the tune of 32 percent.

Power Rankings

1. Pitt (7-0): Too big, too strong, too many weapons. The pre-season point guard issue that surfaced did nothing to stop the defending champions, as Levance Fields is back in full force. The Panthers could have the upper hand on UConn if they can negate Hasheem Thabeet the way they did Roy Hibbert in last year’s championship game at MSG.
2. UConn (7-0): Thabeet is dominating the smaller opponents, but A.J. Price needs to get back to game-changer form.
3. Notre Dame (6-1): After nearly smoking his way out of school a few years ago, Kyle McAlarney has set the world ablaze with his three-point assault.