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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (3/8/2010)

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The regular season is complete and the Big East Tournament tips off tomorrow so be sure to visit our 2010 Big East Tournament & Tickets page for the full tournament schedule and 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. They still have plenty of seats, and inexpensive options, for the early sessions as well as the entire tournament.

Stub Hub and the Big East conference have teamed up to provide fans with quality tickets and your tickets are guaranteed to be in hand before the game, even when purchasing for the early sessions of the BET: StubHub.com – The Safe Way to Buy & Sell Tickets Online.

Before we dive into the stories of the Big East Tournament and the post season awards and the latest on this coach’s future and who doesn’t like this coach, which is all below, we urge everyone to check out Keith Sargeant’s blog post at Scarlet Scuttlebutt titled Caring for Brayden and see the stories he wrote on Rutgers men’s basketball recruiting coordinator Jim Carr. His son, Brayden, has been battling epilepsy for most of his 18-month old life and the efforts of the Carr family and those close to them and young Brayden to find a cure.

Now, onto today’s News & Notes around the Big East…

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The Big East conference has been busy handing out their hardware for the postseason awards the last couple days, announcing all-league teams and other awards. Our contributors and writers at NBE have been debating the merits of players and coaches in depth the last two days and have now ajourned to separate rooms to cast our votes for our post-season awards. Check back later tonight to see the results of our voting…

The official all-Big East teams were announced on Sunday. The conference’s head coaches choose the all-conference teams. The coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players. Here are the voting results from the Big East conference official press release:

ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM

Greg Monroe, Georgetown, C, So., 6-11, 247, New Orleans, La.
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, F, Sr., 6-8, 255, Schererville, Ind.
Dominique Jones, USF, G, Jr., 6-4, 205, Lake Wales, Fla.
Wes Johnson, Syracuse, F, Jr., 6-7, 205, Corsicana, Texas
Scottie Reynolds, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-2, 190, Herndon, Va.
Da’Sean Butler, West Virginia, F, Sr., 6-7, 225, Newark, N.J.

ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM

Austin Freeman, Georgetown, G, Jr., 6-4, 237, Mitchelville, Md.
Lazar Hayward, Marquette, F, Sr., 6-6, 225, Buffalo, N.Y.
Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh, G, So., 6-2, 190, Scotch Plains, N.J.
Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall, G, Jr., 6-5, 185, Bronx, N.Y.
Andy Rautins, Syracuse, G, Sr., 6-5, 195, Jamesville, N.Y.

ALL-BIG EAST THIRD TEAM

Jerome Dyson, Connecticut, G, Sr., 6-3, 190, Potomac, Md.
Kemba Walker, Connecticut, G, So., 6-1, 172, Bronx, N.Y.
Samardo Samuels, Louisville, F, So., 6-9, 260, Trelawny, Jamaica
Corey Fisher, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-1, 200, Bronx, N.Y.
Devin Ebanks, West Virginia, F, So., 6-9, 210, Long Island City, N.Y.

BIG EAST HONORABLE MENTION

Jimmy Butler, Marquette, F, Jr., 6-6, 215, Tomball, Texas
Tim Abromaitis, Notre Dame, F, Jr., 6-8, 232, Unionville, Conn.
Jamine Peterson, Providence, F, So., 6-6, 230, Brooklyn, N.Y.

BIG EAST ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Lance Stephenson, Cincinnati, G, Fr., 6-5, 210, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Alex Oriakhi, Connecticut, F/C, Fr., 6-9, 240, Lowell, Mass.
Vincent Council, Providence, G, Fr., 6-2, 180, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Dane Miller, Rutgers, F, Fr., 6-7, 210, Henrietta, N.Y.
Brandon Triche, Syracuse, G, Fr., 6-4, 198, Jamesville, N.Y.
Maalik Wayns, Villanova, G, Fr., 6-1, 185, Philadelphia, Pa.

BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Hamady Ndiaye, Rutgers

BIG EAST Most Improved Player
Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh

BIG EAST Sixth Man Award
Kris Joseph, Syracuse

BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award
Tory Jackson, Notre Dame

Awards for Big East Player of the Year, Rookie and the Year and Coach of the Year will be announced later today…
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Rutgers and St. John’s had higher hopes heading this season than any previous year with coaches Fred Hill and Norm Roberts at the helm. However, their seasons went rather similar to previous editions as they both finished among the bottom four in the conference. With the expanded Big East Tournament to include all 16 teams, they will get one last shot at making something of the 2009-2010 season and the Futures Could be on the Line for Hill and Roberts (SNY.tv) this week.
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The third member of the Bg East NYC/NJ coaching fraternity is Bobby Gonzalez of Seton Hall and he is under fire in a joint effort from Kevin Armstrong and Pete Thamel of the NY Times concluding that Gonzalez is a Divisive Personality in the Big East. The story had some previous exposure as it was leaked it was on its way and for those that follow the Big East it was pretty much a dud as everything in the story has been pretty well-known about Gonzalez’s personality that clashes often with those working around him. Gonzalez had previously worked as the head coach at Manhattan College before getting the SHU job and At Manhattan College, the Memories of Gonzalez are Not so Found (NY Times) according to his former boss, Manhattan AD Bob Byrnes. Again, there is nothing new in these articles that was not known about Gonzo previously…

For some of the build up of these stories late last week…they were kind of a dud. Gonzo is abrasive and tough to work for…many coaches are. Of course, until SHU wins in the Big East and in the postseason with Gonzalez in charge he is an easy target.

The NY Times tops it all off with a Q&A With Bob Byrnes.
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What a difference two weeks can make. Two weeks ago tonight, back on February 22nd, Connecticut put the finishing touches on a Big Monday home win over West Virginia for their third consecutive win, a streak that began with a road win at Villanova, that improved UConn’s Big East record to 7-8 and had many predicting the Huskies to be a dangerous team with Jim Calhoun returning from a medical leave of absence in time to save the season.

Now, after three straight losses to close the season, culminating with Saturday’s effort at South Florida, UConn is 7-11 and on the outside looking in at the NCAA Tournament bubble and having writers imploring that Calhoun Should Consider All Options for Health of the Program and Himself (CBS Sports), including retirement.

Saturday, Jerome Dyson, Stanley Robinson and Gavin Edwards found themselves on the bench for the final 16 minutes of a game UConn had to have. It is a Puzzling Time for the UConn Seniors (Waterbury Rep-Am) whose careers are winding down as is a frustrating season.
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Heading in the complete opposite direction of the Huskies is Notre Dame as the Irish Head to the Big Apple with Momentum after winning their last four regular season games, all against NCAA Tournament teams or those fighting for a bid, the last coming in a 63-60 overtime win at Marquette on Saturday.

ND is now 21-10 heading into the 2010 Big East Tournament and Luke Harangody is working his way back into the mix after playing 11 minutes on Saturday after being out for nearly four weeks with a bone bruise in his right knee.
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Lenn Robbins of the NY Post previews the Big East Tournament and offers up West Virginia as the Pick to Emerge from Big East Crucible and take the conference championship this week.
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After averagint 19.5 points and 10.4 rebounds and collecting a Big East-best 15 double-doubles this season, Jamine “Greedy” Peterson of Providence is starting to be noticed. Greedy is Stealing His Share of the Spotlight (Sun Chronicle) and the sophomore forward almost stole a game at Pitt last week for the Friars. Now he will try to do so again at MSG on Tuesday when the Big East Tournament begins with PC having a rematch at 7 p.m. with a href=”http://www.nbebasketball.com/w3/big-east-team-pages/seton-hall/”>Seton Hall in the first round of play. The Pirates were able to beat PC by 12 on Saturday, largely because Peterson had his second lowest scoring (six points) and rebounding (four) output of the season.
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