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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (3/24/2009)
March 24, 2009 by NBE Blogger · Leave a Comment
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Now that we have all caught our breath from the exciting long weekend of March Madness, lets get around the league and see what is happening. We begin with a tour of the five Big East teams still alive in the 2009 NCAA Tournament and the latest updates found on each team from around the web. We also have links available for fans to purchase tickets to the Regional Semifinals (Thurs/Fri) and Regional Finals (Sat/Sun) as well as full strips of tickets for each location so Big East fans can catch every minute of the action as the conference looks to make more history.
Elsewhere, West Virginia has a bright future and the building blocks have been laid this season, which dulls some of the sting of a sudden ending in Round One. A Wainwright is out of a coaching position at DePaul. Also, a look ahead for Providence under Keno Davis.
In recruiting notes, a Marquette recruit finishes off a tremendous career and season by fulfilling his promise. A week from Lance Stephenson’s much-anticipated college decision, all signs seem to be pointing in one direction. Also, update on Sherrod Wright, DeAndre Kane and Jarrid Famous in the News & Notes below.
BUY NCAA Tournament East Regional Tickets – Session 1 (Semifinals) March 26, 2009
BUY NCAA Tournament East Regional Tickets – Session 2 (Final) March 28, 2009
it has been a great senior season for Dante Cunningham with the Wildcats. The 6-foot-8 native of Silver Spring (MD) leads Jay Wright’s squad with a scoring average of 16.3 points a game as well as in rebounding (7.3) and blocks (1.3). Cunningham’s play in the opening two rounds was vital in Villanova advancing to their fourth Sweet 16 in five seasons as he averaged 21.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in the two wins over American and UCLA at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. For a program that was in a prolonged slump prior to his arrival, Cunningham Helps Lead Villanova Back to Prominence (Charlotte Observer) and their Sweet 16 run in the last five years is only matched by North Carolina and Memphis.
Next up for the Wildcats is a Sweet 16 match-up in Boston with #2 seed Duke. If Villanova Beats Duke, Elite Status Might Not Be Too Far Away (Philadelphia Daily News) as it would mean getting by the Bruins and Blue Devils and bringing them one step away from an elusive Final Four bid in the Jay Wright era. With a stud recruiting class signed up to enter school in the fall, the reach of the program could extend even more with a run to Detroit this March.
So, a match-up with Duke also means a match-up of Jay Wright and Mike Krzyzewski of Duke, the standard all coaches try to measure up with in today’s game. Nova’s Wright Relishes Matchup Against Coach K (Philly Inquirer), who is like an idol to him in the coaching field.
Each game, Corey Fisher plays his role. Even though the highly toured sophomore guard is not in the starting line-up, he relishes his role as the ’6th starter’ and Fisher Always Makes a Splash for Villanova (Philly Daily News) upon his entrance in the game. His spark, just 2 1/2 minutes into the game Saturday, against UCLA was just another example of a second gear the Wildcats can hit shortly into a contest.
Philadelphia Roman Catholic senior guard Maalik Wayns has been watching the 2009 NCAA Tournament with pride as his future teammates rolled into the Sweet 16. Wayns has long been committed to the Wildcats and signed his LOI last Novemeber. Noting his excitement over a hustle play by senior Dwayne Anderson in the win over UCLA Saturday, Recruit Wayns is Already Familiar with the Villanova Way (Philly Daily News).
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BUY NCAA Tournament West Regional Tickets – Session 1 (Semifinals) March 26, 2009
BUY NCAA Tournament West Regional Tickets – Session 2 (Final) March 28, 2009
UConn easily averted any hiccups in Philadelphia in rounds one or two, even with a sidetrip to the hospital for coach Jim Calhoun. Now it is a trip out west, a region where UConn emerged from in 1999 and 2004, their two previous National Championship seasons. With a meeting against Purdue in the Sweet 16, a Healthy Outlook for Calhoun and UConn (Washington Post) is not good news for the foes ahead.
Although Jerome Dyson’s injury in February has literally changed the make-up of this year’s UConn club, it is a New Team With the Same Goal (Journal Inquirer) of a National Championship. The adjustment period of losing Dyson had to be quick as he went down during game #24, not in the preseason or in November, but as the stretch run was getting underway.
While UConn’s 7’3 center Hasheem Thabeet gets most of the attention, he will find a quality foe in the Sweet 16 in 6’10 Purdue center JaJuan Johnson. The UConn-Purdue Game Offers Big Matchup Inside (Hartford Courant) between the two NBA prospects.
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BUY NCAA Tournament South Regional Tickets – Session 1 (Semifinals) March 27, 2009
BUY NCAA Tournament South Regional Tickets – Session 2 (Final) March 29, 2009
The Orange have blossomed into a very dangerous team in March as their individual talent is starting to translate better as a team. After a pair of 1st round exits and then back-to-back NIT appearances, How Sweet for Syracuse (NewsOK.com) to be back in the title chase.
With his team just days away from a Sweet 16 matchup with 2-seed Oklahoma in Memphis, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim has plenty to worry about. Once thing is for certain, however, Boeheim is Not Worried About 800th Win (Syracuse Post-Standard), the coaching milestone up next for the Hall of Famer. Sunday’s 78-67 win over Arizona State was the 799th coaching win of his career, a win over OU would give him win #800, but the berth in the Elite 8 is what Boehiem is focusing on for his team and hoping his patented 2-3 zone can slow All-American Blake Griffin on Friday night. The Orange hope that OU Will Be facing Danger in Orange Zone (Tulsa World) come Friday.
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BUY NCAA Tournament East Regional Tickets – Session 1 (Semifinals) March 26, 2009
BUY NCAA Tournament East Regional Tickets – Session 2 (Final) March 28, 2009
There are subplaots aplenty in Boston as the Panthers prepare for their fifth Sweet 16 appearance in eight seasons on Wednesday night against Xavier. Of course, Pitt is 0-4 thus far in the third round and the Sweet 16 Losses Keep Panthers from Elite Discussions (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), despite being fourth in total wins in the last eight years (219), trailing just Duke, Kansas and Memphis, Pitt is the only school among the top 13 in wins over the last eight years to not get past the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
Standing in the Panthers way of breaking through their glass ceiling is Sean Miller and his Xavier Musketeers. Miller, who has been to the Elite 8 with XU twice already, was a point guard on the Panthers during the Paul Evans era and registered the assist on the famous Jerome Lane backboard smashing dunk his freshman season. The Former Pitt Star Faces the Panthers for the First Time (Tribune-Review) and will look to extend their Round Three winless streak.
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BUY NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Tickets – Session 1 (Semifinals) March 27, 2009
BUY NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Tickets – Session 2 (Final) March 29, 2009
Rick Pitino’s squad will be vying for their second consecutive Elite 8 appearance on Friday night when they meet Arizona at Lucal Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Cards have had their moments during the season, especially in the non-conference schedule, where one would wonder if they would reach this position in the season. But, the UL players remember back When the Cards Aligned (Louisville Courier-Journal) during a players only meeting following a loss to Western Kentucky in late November. The meeting allowed the players to get through to each other with honest talk about effort and playing unselfish. It opened the door for the players to have a role to police themselves, in addition to the coaching staff.
On Sunday, Louisville needed all that team and player harmony to pull together and overcome a stunning Siena run that saw the underdog Saints take a 6-point lead midway through the second half in their second round match-up in Dayton. Siena was applying pressure and sending the crowd into a tizzy as Rick Pitino spent three time-outs in three minutes and finally challenged his players to defend…or go home.
The Cards Come Through in the Clutch to Stay Alive (Courier-Journal) when Terrence Williams steadied the ship and calmed everything down with a key three-pointer and hitting the boards.
To advance to the Final Four this season, Samardo Samuels Could Be Louisville’s Missing Piece (St. Pete Times). The 6’8, 240-lb freshman is still brimming with potential and do not count the talented rookie from reaching some of it in the next week…or two.
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With an NCAA Tournament record five representatives in the Sweet 16, the Big East Progress Fills Mike Tranghese With Pride (NY Daily News). The retiring Big East commissioner knows the traditional will continue as well.
We all know the Big East is Good and is Proving it this Year (Post-Gazette) to the rest of the country.
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Elsewhere around the Big East:
As noted over the weekend, the month of March is filled with highs and lows, but the sudden ending to seasons and careers is as tough as it gets for players, coaches and fans of all kinds. West Virginia suffered the pain of a sudden ending in their first round loss to 11 seed Dayton. With three freshmen playing key roles and the early season loss of expected point guard starter Joe Mazzulla to injury, the Season of Achievement Softens the Agony (Charleston Gazette) of the sudden end in the 1st round.
Many WVU fans are already pointing towards next season and the Mountaineers are appearing on many early favorites lists of Big East contenders.
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Wainwright is out at DePaul, Scott Wainwright that is. After four season’s on his father’s staff, as the DePaul Coach’s Son Resigns as Assistant (Chicago Tribune) to pursue other coaching opportunities.
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The Pawtucket Times takes a look at What’s Next for Keno Davis and the Friars as they have five seniors moving on, a few key returning players, a solid group of newcomers and several intangible factors that will determine their level of success for next season. Providence will face long odds to match this season’s 19 wins and berth in the NIT.
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Recruiting Notes:
Marquette and coach Buzz Williams have te replace four senior starters in Dominic James, Wesley Mathews, Jerel McNeal and Dwight Burke next season and a highly touted recruiting class will hopefully help immediately. One impact newcomer should be Jeronne Maymon, a 6’6, 235-lb powerful forward who just finished a highly acclaimed career at Madison Memorial HS. Maymon Fulfills his Promise (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) on his championship guarantee by leading Madison Memorial to a Division 1 state title Saturday. Yesterday, a statewide panel of sportswriters voted Maymon the 2009 Associated Press Wisconsin state player of the year.
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In one week the world will know the destination of Lincoln (NYC) guard Lance Stephenson if he does his mandated one-year of college basketball before jumping to the NBA (remember, the talk af a European stint still exists). ‘Born Ready’, as he has been known at Rucker Park for several years, has decided between Kansas, Maryland and St. John’s and the announcement will be made during the McDonald’s All-American Game festivities of next week (March 31st or April 1st). Right now, according to ZagsBlog.com, All Signs Point to Lance Landing at Kansas.
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Zags Blog also has Sherrod Wright, DeAndre Kane & Jarrid Famous Updates for readers. Here is the Big East worthy snynopsis:
Sherrod Wright will visit George Mason this weekend while Seton Hall and South Florida remain under consideration from the Big East.
DeAndre Kane, who at one time was listed as a soft verbal to Pitt and reportedly made a verbal commitment to Seton Hall, is down to three schools and neither Pitt or SHU are among them. Kane will visit Marquette and Rhode Island in the near future and has already visited Marshall. Today, it looks as if he will choose one of those three, but, with Kane, it is almost certain to change again…
And, finally, Jarrid Famous, the Westchester CC big man, will begin an official visit to South Florida on Thursday. Seton Hall looks to be the local leader for Famous, who also recently visited Missouri. Several other Big East schools have taken a couple looks at Famous as well.
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