Cincinnati News, Connecticut News, DePaul News, Georgetown News, Louisville News, Marquette News, Notre Dame News, Pittsburgh News, Providence News, Rutgers News, Seton Hall News, Seton Hall Recruiting, St. John's News, Syracuse News, USF News, Villanova News, Villanova Recruiting, West Virginia News

BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (1/23/2010)

The stars were shining bright in Big East play on Saturday. Some big time performances were delivers by some of the top names in the conference…let’s take a look at the action:

Star #1 of the day was South Florida junior guard Dominique Jones who poured in 46 points in a 109-105 overtime win at Providence. Jones also found time to grab 10 rebounds and dish out 8 assists as the Bulls won for just the third time in 38 Big East road games since joining the Big East. In order to do so, USF had to rally from as many as nine points down in the game’s final minute and forced OT on a Toarlyn Fitzpatrick three-pointer in the final second. It was just the second made three in the freshman forward’s career.

South Florida improved to 2-5 in the conference and 12-7 overall with the win. Mike Mercer added 18 points and Jarrid Famous 17 in the win.

It was a devastating loss for Providence (3-4 Big East, 11-8 overall) who let the game slip away despite getting a combines 75 points from Jamine Peterson (26), Marshon Brooks (25) and Sharaud Curry (24).
———————————————————

For star #2 we will go to Storrs (CT) where Connecticut senior guard Jerome Dyson scored a career-high 32 points as UConn’s Second-Half Blitz Topples No. 1 Texas (NY Times), 88-74.

After UConn turned the ball over for the 17th time in the opening possession of the second half, which the Longhorns took advantage of to take a 44-34, Kemba Walker and Dyson combined to score 7 points in 21 second and watch Dogus Balbay commit three fouls in that span. The game turned from there and a 37-14 Husy run was unleashed.

Walker provided Dyson with ample support, scoring 19 points (17 in the second half), dishing out 10 assists and making 6 steals (we will forgive his 8 turnovers). Stanley Robinson added a double-double of his own with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Connecticut, which is 3-3 in the Big East, improves to 13-6 overall and picks up a key win to boost NCAA Tournament resume that was short on wins of quality.
——————————————————–

For out third star of the day we head to Notre Dame and, SURPRISE, it is not Luke Harangody. Instead, his front court partner Tim Abromaitis was the game’s star for the Irish with a 30-point effort in an 87-77 win over DePaul.

Notre Dame Strikes Fast (Chicago Tribune) by building a 10-point lead within the games fist four minutes and were never seriously threatened again by the Blue Demons.

It was an afternoon of statistical bliss for the Irish. Mike Brey’s club recorded 22 assists on 26 made baskets while turning the ball over just twice in the 40-minute contest. They also had three players register double-doubles with Harangody recording 24 points and 11 rebounds, Ben Hansbrough collecting 15 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists and Tyrone Nash added 13 points and 10 boards. The Irish move to 4-3 in the Big East and 15-5 overall.

DePaul (1-6 Big East, 8-11 overall) got 35 points from senior Will Walker, who is probably still icing down his arm after hoisting 30 shots to get his 35 points.
————————————————————

Syracuse forward Wesley Johnson gets the nod as out #4 star today with a 22-point, 15-rebound performance as he helps the Orange to a win over Marquette, 76-71.

The Eagles Were Cut Down by Size (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) as Syracuse outrebounded MU 46-21 and rode a 56-22 advantage in points in the paint.

Syracuse improves to 6-1 in Big East play and 19-1 overall. Kris Joseph came off the bench with a double-double as the sophomore scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the game.

Marquette has now lost 5 conference games (2-5) by a combined total of 11 points, however, this one was not quite as close as the others and a late run helped make the score look closer as the Orange had control throughout the second half.

Darius Johnson-Odom led MU with 17 points and Lazar Hayward added 16 points and 8 rebounds.
————————————————————

It was expected that Georgetown would have little trouble with Rutgers and that was exactly what happened as Georgetown Eases to Victory over Rutgers (Washington Post) by the score of 88-63.

Taking the nod for our 5th star of the day was Hoya sophomore center Greg Monroe who put together a stat line of 21 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists. Chris Wright added 15 points and Austin Freeman 14 as Georgetown moves to 6-2 in the Big East and 15-3 overall.

Then there is Rutgers, who remains as the only Big East team without a win in conference play (0-7) as The Season at Rutgers Swirls Down the Drain (NY Times). Jonathan Mitchell had 21 to lead the Scarlet Knights. Sophomore Mike Rosario added 15, but was just six of 18 from the field.
————————————————————–

West Virginia also used a big second half comeback to earn a quality non-conference win as the Mountaineers erased a 40-28 halftime deficit and took down Ohio State in Morgantown (WV) by the score of 71-65. WVU improved to 15-3 overall on the season.

Earning the 6th star of the day was senior Da’Sean Butler who scored 16 of his team-high 21 points in the second half. Butler also added 8 rebounds and 5 assists to his stat sheet.
—————————————————————

Our 7th star of this Saturday did not have one of his signature scoring outings, but Villanova senior guard Scottie Reynolds continues to lead the race for NBE’s Big East Player of the Year and his team-leading 19 points led the Wildcats to an 81-71 win over St. John’s.

The Red Storm had the lead at halftime as the bright lights of Broadway seemed to impact the young ‘Nova squad. However, after halftime, Villanova Gets Comfortable and Beast St. John’s in MSG to match their best start in school history at 18-1.

Corey Fisher added 18 points to the ‘Nova cause.

Dwight Hardy scored 19 to take scoring honors for St. John’s, who falls to 2-5 in the Big East conference and 12-7 overall.
————————————————————–

On Sunday there are a pair of games:

Cincinnati at Louisville, 12 Noon.
–Now Cardinals Need to Imrpove their Record (Louisville Courier-Journal)
–Press Puts UC’s Jaquon Parker on the Spot (Cincinnati Enquirer)
–Cronin a Proud Member of Sprawling Pitino Coaching Tree (CNati.com)
——————————–

Pittsburgh at Seton Hall, 2 PM.
–Pitt Among Best on the Road (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
–Pope Fired up for Pittsburgh (ZagsBlog.com)
–Pitt’s Wanamaker Thriving in Adjusted Role (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
———————————————————-

Speaking of Seton Hall, it looks like there will be a change in their athletic department this summer as Seton Hall Athletic Director Joe Quinlan Has No Contract and Will Leave in June (Star-Ledger), according to sources. Quinlan has had a rocky relationship with basketball coach Bobby Gonzalez that has been much-talked about among Pirate fans.
——————————————————

At last week’s Big Apple Basketball Invitational Academy of the New Church was a program we were anxious to see. While Rakeem Christmas draws most of the interest for ANC, sophomore forward Savon Goodman Could be the ‘Next One’ (MaxPreps.com) and the 6-foot-6, 205-pound class of 2012 prospect made his case with his 32-point performance against Impact Academy on Monday.

Goodman has already received an offer from Penn State, and is receiving considerable interest from Villanova, North Carolina, Seton Hall and Temple. That list will only grow in the future.

*********Follow NBE Sports on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NBESports*****

==================================================================
It might be two months away, but our 2010 Big East Tournament & Tickets page has the links needed for Big East basketball fans to purchase tickets to any or all of the 2010 Big East Tournament sessions. The Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden is an event Big east fans must experience when they have the opportunity and here is your chance to get your tickets early before they become harder, and more expensive, to find. Stub Hub and the Big East conference have teamed up to provide fans with quality tickets and you can get tickets to ANY Big East conference or non-league game by following this link: StubHub.com – The Safe Way to Buy & Sell Tickets Online
====================================================================

Be Sociable, Share!

•