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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (11/13/2009)

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It is a busy Friday night around the Big East as nine teams will be playing their season openers tonight. Seton Hall, St. John’s, Villanova, Connecticut, Providence, Pittsburgh, Marquette, South Florida and Georgetown all tip off their seasons on Friday the 13th. South Florida and Georgetown do so away from home while the rest will open before the home folks.

Last night, Cincinnati finished up their exhibition schedule with a victory of D-II Bellarmine at Fifth Third Arena. Rutgers opens their season Saturday with their hopes likely riding on a pair of sophomores. Big visit on tap this weekend on the recruiting front for UConn as they host a top 2010 prospect.

Read about all these, and more, below. Also, check back later this afternoon for NBE’s preseason all-Big East teams and awards.

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On tap to tip tonight:

St. Peters @ Seton Hall, 7:00 PM
—Seton Hall Seniors Garcia, Harvery Feel a Sense of Urgency (mycentraljersey.com)
—Hall’s Harvey has High Hopes (NorthJersey.com)

St. Peter’s is coming off an 11-19 season and return their top three scorers from a season ago, including guards Wesley Jenkins and Nick Leon, both who averaged over 15 points a game, but take a lot of shots to get there. Expectations are high at Seton Hall with their top four scorers returning and the addition of Herb Pope, Keon Lawrence and Jeff Robinson (Dec) via transfers. Lawrence, however, is suspended indefinitely for his role in causing a two-car crash earlier this week on the New Jersey State Parkway. Still, SHU has plenty of depth to overcome Lawrence being out during their soft non-conference schedule.

Long Island @ St. John’s, 7:00 PM
—Norm Roberts’ Red Storm Basketball Program Hopes to Recharge St. John’s Power in Big East (NY Daily News)
—Perfect Storm for the Red Storm (nbcNewYork.com)
—Five Burning SJU Basketball Questions (The Torch)

The Red Storm hope to improve upon last year’s 16-18 mark with an experienced line-up in 2009-2010. However, the key return of Anthony Mason Jr. who missed most of last season with a foot injury is delayed again because of a hamstring injury that is likely to hold him out a few more weeks. The open at home with Long Island, who was 16-14 last year, but returns a very young squad that will be thrown into the fire against a Big East team right away.

Fairleigh Dickinson @ Villanova, 7:00 PM
—For Villanova’s Reynolds, Success is All About Team (Philly.com)
—Villanova Basketball at a Glance (Philly Daily News)
—Villanvoa’s Yarou Expected to Play in Opener (DelCo Times)

FDU opens for the first time in 27 years without Tom Green as head coach as the longtime head coach was dumped in the middle of the summer after a 7-23 campaign last season. Greg ‘shoes’ Vetrone has the difficult task of opening on the road against Big East favorite and 2009 NCAA Final Four participant Villanova. The Wildcats return experience on the perimeter and will look to ease in their talented freshmen to the mix in what will be an exciting season for the Wildcats.

Bryant @ Providence, 7:30 PM
—PC Friars Set to Start Season with Three Games in Three Days (Providence Journal)
—Capsule Preview: Bryant @ Providence (Providence Journal)

Bryant finished last season at 8-21 in their first as a Division 1-A program. The Friars open their season by playing three games in three days in the World Vision Invitational. Mercer and Bucknell follow Bryant to close the weekend. PC beat Bryant 91-64 last season. It is a new look Providence club with only three contributors returning (Sharaud Curry, Marshon Brooks and Brian McKenzie) from last year’s team that finished 19-14. Redshirt sophomore Jamine Peterson is a player to watch this season.

William & Mary @ Connecticut, 7:30 PM
—Huskies Open Season Against William & Mary (Hartford Courant)
—It’s Breakout Time for Walker (Courant)
—For Opener’s, UConn Wants to Avoid ‘Whoops’ (Waterbury Rep-Am)
—Walker Takes Over Reigns as UConn’s Court Leader (Connecticut Post)

William & Mary is coming off a 10-20 season and things wont be any easier for them as the open up against Connecticut in Gampel Pavilion. The Huskies have a high-powered trio of Kemba Walker, Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson leading the attack and they will be tough to slow down tonight in their opener.

Wofford @ Pittsburgh, 8:10 PM
—Wofford to Throw Experienced Team at Panthers Tonight (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
—Pitt’s Dixon Will Use Five New Starters for Opener (Post-Gazette)
—Panthers Begin their Season Against Wofford (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
—Woodall Ready for Point at Pitt (SNY.tv)

Between the two teams opening their seasons at the Peterson Events center tonight there will be five returning starters. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, which will honor the accomplishments of last year’s Elite 8 team by raising a banner before the game, all five returning starters will be on the side of Wofford. An inexperienced and young Panther squad will face Wofford who finished 16-14 a season ago, but hopes for bigger and better things led by Noah Dahlman and company.

Centenary @ Marquette, 8:30 PM
—Musical Line-ups? (Milwaukee Journal0-Sentinel)
—Game 1: Centenary (Journal-Sentinel)

It is a new era at Marquette, even though it is the second season as the head coach for Buzz Williams. Gone are the guard trio of Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Mathews and a young and inexperienced line-up for the Golden Eagles will take the floor. Still, with Lazar Hayward and a very good recruiting class, MU should have plenty left to get past the Gents who are in the process of de-emphasizing basketball and moving to D-III.Centenary had a lot of turnover in personnell from last year’s 8-23 team, including guard Chase Adams who was the Summit League’s defensive player of the year and is now at Pittsburgh.

South Florida @ SMU, 8:30 PM
—USF Tried to Exorcise Road Demons in Season Opener (St. Pete Times)

South Florida, who finished 9-22 last season, travels to Dallas to open the season against SMU, who finished 9-21 last year. The Bulls were just 1-6 away from home last year in their non-conference schedule and will look to improve upon that right away and hope that their strong nucleus of Dominique Jones, Augustus Gilchrist and JUCO recruit Jarrid Famous is talented enought to navigate through the out of conference portion of their schedule without any devastating losses. The Mustangs return six of their top seven scorers from last season for a team coached by former North Carolina head coach Matt Doherty.

Georgetown @ Tulane, 9:00 PM
—Hoyas See Toughness and Intensity as Keys to Rebound (Washington Post)
—Hoyas Clark Ready for Breakout Year (Washington Times)
—Georgetown’s Greg Monroe Returning to Play Tulane (Nola.com)

Georgetown opens their season on the road in New Orleans Friday night when they take on Tulane. However, the game is a homecoming for sophomore star Greg Monroe and the Hoyas are hoping for a breakout season from Monroe to help them put last year’s disappointment behind them. Tulane, a member of C-USA, finsihed 14-17 last season and is strong on the perimeter. Despite being on the road, the Hoyas should cruise as Tulane can not really match-up with Monroe or any of the Georgetown bigs.
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Cincinnati hit the court on Thursday night for a final tune-up before their regular season gets underway Monday by hosting Prairie View with an exhibition match-up against D-II power Bellarmine. After building a 16-point lead in the second half, Cincinnati Holds Off Bellarmine (Cincinnati Enquirer) for a 76-69 victory before 6,653 fans at Fifth Third Arena.

The Bearcats used predominately an eight man rotation and Darnell Wilks came off the bench to lead UC with 16 points. Freshman Lance Stephenson was in the starting line-up and added 15 points in 17 minutes. Stephenson attemped a team-high 13 shots and had some foul difficulty, committing four in his 17 minutes of action.

UC shot just 38% from the field in the contest and if you subtract Wilks’ six of seven effort, the rest of the team was just 18-56 (32%).
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Rutgers will open their season on Saturday against Marist and big things are expected from Mike Rosario and Greg Echenique as the Sophomores are Ready for An Adjustment at Rutgers (mycentraljersey.com) of winning this season.
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According to ZagsBlog.com there is a Biog Visit on Tap for Connecticut as Oak Hill (VA) Academy and NYC native Doron Lamb heads to Storrs this weekend. UConn is also recruiting Lamb’s Oak Hill teammate Roscoe Smith. The early signing period lasts until November 18th, but it looks like Lamb is likely to sign in the late period. Smith is reportedly awaiting word on Harrison Barnes, who will be deciding between Duke and North Carolina later today, befor emaking his choice between UConn, Georgetown and Duke public.

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