DePaul News

DEPAUL: WHAT ABOUT ERNIE KENT?

by RAY MERNAGH

There’s a one-time basketball power in Chicago that’s trying to turn their program around. DePaul AD Jean Lenti Ponsetto has said that cost will not be an issue (not sure I buy that). Scuttlebutt I’ve heard from those in the coaching profession is that DePaul wants their next coach to be African-American. Everybody agrees the program needs to have success recruiting in Chicago. I believe they need to start a campaign to get an arena built on, or at least close to, their Lincoln Park campus.

Ernie Kent just got pushed out at Oregon. His players had incredible success in the classroom. They also produced, especially for Oregon, on the basketball court. Kent won 235 games in 13 years, 13 years running a program (how rare is that today). Since 1999-2000, a ten year period, Kent took the Ducks to 5 NCAA tournaments and two Elite 8’s. Kent was criticized for not keeping Kyle Singler and Kevin Love in state but I would wager a small fortune that neither kid was coming to Oregon with the speculation surrounding Kent’s status. Shoot, Love’s mind was probably made up once a Nike AAU team basically told him he couldn’t play with them anymore because he decided to challenge himself against the top players at Sonny Vaccarro’s ABCD Camp as a 17-year-old (ABCD was funded by a Rival sneaker company).

The fact that Kent was able to get to a couple of Elite 8’s, and recruit the kind of players to do it, with a lot of speculation about his status makes him more attractive. And if you watch this video of the press conference, including the respect his players have for him as he enters the building (notice the hats come off) it seems like a no-brainer. Kent will not be unemployed long.

Speculation has him as a favorite for the Hawaii job but Kent should get a call from DePaul. He’s from Rockford (IL), he has extensive ties with some real power players on the AAU scene, and he can sell a program like few coaches out there. If Kent is filled with rage and hunger to prove Oregon wrong in their decision, Ponsetto should think hard about snatching him up. He can put a Chicago guy on his staff if need be. He has a proven track record and he’s no doubt learned a lot from his experience with Nike U.

If he can even come close to duplicating his run at Oregon, DePaul fans would be on cloud nine. The OU team he leaves behind has twelve players who are either freshmen or sophomores and went 16-16. His phone is ringing off the hook right now, the only question is whether DePaul is one of the schools on the other end.

They should be…if they’re truly serious and willing to invest in building a quality basketball program.

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BIG EAST TOURNAMENT COVERAGE: MERNAGH’S THOUGHTS ON DAY I

by RAY MERNAGH

USF 58 DePaul 49

A lot is being made about South Florida winning without scoring from outside a few feet and I’ll concede it’s one of the more stranger things I’ve seen in a long time.

But it also points to the control that Stan Heath has over this squad. The Bulls finished 0-8 from three but only took two of those in the second half.

Why? Because they didn’t have to make three’s or a lot of jump shots to beat DePaul. Heat told them that and they executed their game plan of getting to the rim.

Today against Georgetown they’ll have to hit some J’s, but because they realized they didn’t need to yesterday they got to today.

It’s all about advancing folks.

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BIG EAST TOURNAMENT COVERAGE: DAY ONE RECAP

by RAY FLORIANI and MATT WHITFIELD

NEW YORK CITY – The first round of the 2010 Big East Tournament is in the books. Four games, one upset with St. John’s over UCONN in a surprisingly lopsided contest . The scores:

South Florida 58, DePaul 49

St. John’s 73, Connecticut 51

Seton Hall 109, Providence 106

Cincinnati 69, Rutgers 68

—Be sure to visit NBE’s 2010 Big East Tournament home page (HERE!) for the full schedule and links to get tickets to each session—

Ray’s ten points of emphasis from this first day:

1. Loved the attitude of South Florida coach Stan Heath. His Bulls defeated DePaul and are 20-11. Rather than discuss the bubble Heath simply tells his players to keep playing. “We win we get to keep playing,” Heath said, “and that takes care of itself.” Bulls jumped out to a 30-15 halftime lead and outside of a late run fueled by DePaul’s Will Walker (20 points), did a good defensive job.

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2010 BIG EAST TOURNAMENT: TUESDAY PRIMER

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Let the Madness begin!! The 2010 Big East Tournament tips off today at high noon with a double-header this afternoon at Madison Square Garden.

16) DePaul vs. 9) South Florida, 12 noon.
13) St. John’s vs. 12) Connecticut, 2 PM.

It is not to late to find tickets, but you have to act fast for this afternoon’s session:

Big East Basketball Tournament Tickets – Session 1 March 9 2010 (DePaul/USF & UConn/SJU)

The nightcap doubleheader for the opening day:

15) Providence vs. 10) Seton Hall, 7 PM.
14) Rutgers vs. 11) Cincinnati, 9 PM.

Again, tickets are still available and for great prices:

Big East Basketball Tournament Tickets – Session 2 March 9 2010 (PC/SHU & RU/UC)

All three NYC/NJ-area teams are in action today, as well as UConn. South Florida and Seton Hall desperately need wins to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive and kicking.

For tickets to any session of the Big East Tournament, or to purchase a full tournament ticket package, please visit our 2010 Big East Tournament and Tickets page for the complete schedule and links to purchase tickets. 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.

Read on below for more News & Notes on today’s action as well as other notes regarding the Big East Tournament…

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NBE POST-SEASON ALL-BIG EAST TEAMS & AWARDS

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The regular season is complete and the Big East Tournament tips off Tuesday 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.

Throughout the day the majority of NBE writers and contributors contemplated, debated and discussed our post-season awards for the Big East conference. Its been another great season with 16 teams battling it out for 18 games each through the 71 days of Big East action from December 26th through this past Saturday. After much deliberation…here are the NBE Big East 2009-2010 season awards:

NBE Big East Player of the Year: Scottie Reynolds, Villanova

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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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2010 BIG EAST TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE & TICKETS

Madison Square Garden in New York City is the place to be beginning next Tuesday

After 18, hard fought regular season contests all 16 teams head to New York City and Madison Square Garden for the 2010 Big East Tournament as this year’s ‘Garden Party’ tips off at high noon, Tuesday, March 9th.

There is a lot at stake once again in MSG as teams fight for NCAA Tournament seeding and a few fight for their postseason lives. This year’s conference tournament promises to be as wide open as any in recent memory. Below we map out the week’s schedule and offer fans links to buy tickets through StubHub.com and your tickets are guaranteed to be in your hand prior to the games with StubHub’s guarantees.

Enjoy the week…March Madness is here!

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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (3/5/2010)

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Here is a quick Happy Hour fix of the news and notes around the Big East as we take a quick glance back at last night’s action and preview the first game of the weekend tonight that kicks off the final games of the Big East regular season. Also in the news today is the visit list for tomorrow’s Freedom Hall finale as the host cards look to stamp that NCAA Tournament resume. The season has not gone quite as well as planned for Mick Cronin and Cincinnati, but the UC coach can expect to give it at least another try next year with the Bearcats. South Florida and Notre Dame enter this last weekend with hopes remaining of NCAA Tournament bids.

Speaking of tournaments this time of year, a good luck shout out goes to the girls team at Northwest HS in Wichita, Kansas as they play in the sub-state final tonight. Good luck to the Grizzlies in their quest to earn a spot in the state tournament.

It is now less than a week away, so be sure to visit our 2010 Big East Tournament & Tickets page for 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

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

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2010 BIG EAST TOURNAMENT PROJECTED SEEDS/SCHEDULE

The last days of the 2009-2010 regular season are here as we prepare for the conference tournament

All 16 Big East teams will conclude their regular season with a conference game beginning tonight and finishing on Saturday We go through the scenarios and break down the seed possibilities for the 2010 Big East Tournament as this year’s ‘Garden Party’ tips off at high noon, March 9th, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. There will be a lot riding on these final regular season games, but the real action will begin next week a teams will be fighting for their collective seasons and trying to make their final cases in impressive the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. Selection Sunday is just nine days away…are you ready?

Below we break down the scenarios and lay out the Big East Tournament seeding landscape in the conference. Also, we provide links for fans to secure tickets to all the action, closing the regular season and opportunities to buy 2010 Big East Tournament Tickets. This year’s tournament promises to be wide-open and exciting, secure your seats today!

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

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Four games were on last night’s Big East schedule and Marquette made quite a statement, and it was loud and clear. The Golden Eagles are GOOD! MU ran Louisville out of the Bradley Center and the loss puts the Cards back onto the bubble, at least according to Rick Pitino who believes they need a win this weekend to give them enough breathing room before NYC. In other action, South Florida kept their postseason dreams alive while Cincinnati’s looks to be just about shattered. In the process, DePaul gets closer to commencing their job search full steam ahead, but one of their top candidates looks to be off the board. Villanova held on to, at least temporarily, right their ship while Syracuse had a laugher in the Carrier Dome over St. John’s allowing the Orange to celebrate their outright regular season Big East championship.

Tonight is a big game as Notre Dame and UConn put their NCAA Tournament hopes on the line in South Bend. No Luke Harangody again for the Irish…

In other news, Dane Miller is drawing comparisons to another former Big East star from his home area and Jermaine Dixon looks to reach a milestone of his own in his Pitt career. Also, more talk on the Big 10 expansion heats up after the initial report comissions by the conference says it is a feasible plan to move ahead…

Also, it is now less than a week away, so be sure to visit our 2010 Big East Tournament & Tickets page for 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

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

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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (3/2/2010)

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Da’Sean Butler went out as a winner in his West Virginia final home game as the Mountaineers dealt slumping Goergetown another loss. The Hoyas were without Austin Freeman, who is battling an illness, and their lack of depth makes it very tough to overcome.

Tonight on the Big East schedule is four games. Deonta Vaughn hopes to go out as a winner in his final regular season home game at Cincinnati and the Bearcats hopes to finish strong while Villanova, losers of three of their last four, hope to make some short-order repairs in time for the post-season. Syracuse hopes to wrap-up the regular season conference title outright with a win over St. John’s as the Carrier Dome crowd gets to cheer 5th year seniors Andy Rautins and Arinze Onuaku one last time. South Florida looks to keep their hopes for a .500 Big East season alive when they visit DePaul and Louisville and Marquette have an intriguing nightcap with several post-season implicatons tied to the outcome.

In other news, Lenn Robbins gives it to a couple Big East coaches following their weekend losses. Notre Dame is likely without Luke Harangody at least one more time as UConn and the Irish battle tomorrow in a game that has very big post-season ramifications. Carleton Scott has given ND a lift during ‘Gody’s absence. Pitt coach Jamie Dixon is a candidate for coaching awards as the Panthers look to sew up a double-bye in the Big East Tournament in their last two games this year.

Also, it just a week away, so be sure to visit our 2010 Big East Tournament & Tickets page for 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

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

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UPDATED 2010 BIG EAST TOURNAMENT SEEDING SCENARIOS

Calendar flips to March and the last week of the regular season is upon us as teams jockey for position

All 16 Big East teams were in action with eight highly competitive conference match-ups this past weekend. This year’s conference tournament is shaping up to be as wide-open and as important as ever with NCAA Tournament seeding and bids on the line for several teams. We go through the scenarios and break down the seed possibilities for the 2010 Big East Tournament as this year’s ‘Garden Party’ tips off at high noon, March 9th, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Between tonight’s Big Monday contest (3/1) and next Saturday (3/6), everyone in the Big East will close their regular season with two conference games. Everyone is jockeying for position with conference tournament seeding up for grabs, NCAA Tournament bids and NCAA Tournament seeding riding on the outcomes of these games.

Below, we break down the scenarios and lay out the Big East Tournament seeding landscape in the conference. Also, we provide links for fans to secure tickets to all the action, closing the regular season and opportunities to buy 2010 Big East Tournament Tickets. Later today we will do the same with the NCAA Tournament and how the Big East teams are shaping up for their shot at making, or earning a top seed, in the Big Dance.

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2010 BIG EAST TOURNAMENT SEEDING AT A GLANCE

Plenty left to play for in the Big East over the final eight days of the regular season beginning tomorrow

A rare two-day break from conference action allows us to go in-depth and analyze where everyone stands with three regular season games left before the postseason gets underway. We go through the scenarios and break down the seed possibilities for the 2010 Big East Tournament, which promises to be as exciting and as wide-open as a game of online roulette. This year’s ‘Garden Party’ tips off at high noon, March 9th, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Between tomorrow (2/27) and next Saturday (3/6), everyone in the Big East will close their regular season with three conference games. Everyone is jockeying for position with conference tournament seeding up for grabs, NCAA Tournament bids and NCAA Tournament seeding riding on the outcomes of the games.

Below, we break down the scenarios and lay out the postseason landscape in the Big East. Also, we provide links for fans to secure tickets to all the action, closing the regular season and opportunities to buy 2010 Big East Tournament Tickets. Later today we will do the same with the NCAA Tournament and how the Big East teams are shaping up for their shot at making, or earning a top seed, in the Big Dance.

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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (2/24/2010)

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Its a busy week as the stretch run in college basketball is fully underway. The Big East had a trio of games last night and four more tonight and we recap/preview all the action below.

Also, Providence has a player leave their team with just three weeks left in the season, Lance Stephenson announces his intentions, as of now, for next season and a former city rival coach takes a shot at Mick Cronin from afar…interesting…

Also, it might still be another few weeks 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

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

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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (2/17/2010)

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It was a damaging loss for Cincinnati last night on the road against South Florida as once again Dominique Jones makes the difference for his team in a win. Rutgers continues to be on the upswing and comes back from a large deficit on the road to beat DePaul.

Three games on the schedule tonight highlighted by Seton Hall and St. John’s at Carnesecca Arena in Queens. West Virginia will look to snap a two-game losing streak when they visit Providence and tonight’s action is rounded out with Notre Dame and Louisville doing battle in Freedom Hall where one team expects a starter to be back from injury and in the starting line-up while the other has an injured starter making a gametime decision if he will go or not.

Elsewhere, Lance Stephenson might be ‘Born Read’, but he is still a work in progress for UC. Michael haynes is getting some Big East interest as a spring signing period addition and resilient Pitt prepares for surging Marquette this week.

Also, it might be another month 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

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

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NBE BIG EAST POWER POLL (2/16/2010)

Just when you thought you had things figured out in the Big East this season, a week like what we just saw comes along. Louisville and Connecticut seemed to be frittering away their NCAA Tournament chances and then they go on the road and upset top five teams. Rutgers beats Georgetown, Pittsburgh rallies late and hangs on in three overtimes to beat West Virginia, etc.

The top four teams in the Big East have lost five games over the last week. They still hold on to their spots in the power poll in the upper 1/3 of the conference, but this league will not get any easier to navigate through as we head down the stretch with so many teams fighting for NCAA Tournament positions. The 2010 Big East Tournament looks to be one for the ages…don’t miss it!

Here is this week’s Power Poll voting results (including last night’s game), as always, 1st place votes are in parenthesis:

1) Villanova (5): 140 points.
2) Syracuse (4): 139 points.
3) West Virginia: 123 points.
4) Pittsburgh: 115 points.
5) Georgetown: 113 points.
6) Marquette: 96 points.
7) Louisville: 93 points.
8} Cincinnati: 78 points.
9) Connecticut: 65 points.
10) South Florida: 64 points.
11) Notre Dame: 52 points.
tie) Seton Hall: 52 points.
13) St. John’s: 35 points.
14) Providence: 26 points.
15) Rutgers: 24 points.
16) DePaul: 9 points.

NBE’s Big East Player of the Week: Scottie Reynolds, Villanova

NBE’s Big East Freshman of the Week: Dane Miller, Rutgers

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It might another month 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
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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (2/16/2010)

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Connecticut comes up huge on Big Monday with a road win at Villanova. While the Huskies still have a lot of work left to do to find themselves in the NCAA Tournament, last night’s win gives them a puncher’s chance and shows they have the goods to make a run.

A couple games tonight, one with potential NCAA Tournament implications and Cincinnati and South Florida hope to hang on to their Big Dance chances when they meet at the Sun Dome. In the other contest, Rutgers looks to build some momentum following their win over Georgetown on Sunday when they travel to DePaul in a battle of the two teams at the bottom of the Big East standings.

In other conference news, two recent verbal commitments came in recently as USF and SHU each pick up a potential late signing period addition. Pitt got a nice lift from Travon Woodall in their win over WVU and it could benefit the long term chances of the Panthers. Also, Joe Mazzulla returns to his home state this week and Seton Hall might have to answer to some alleged recruiting violations, although Bobby Gonzalez sternly denies there is any truth to the claims made by Chris Washburn.

Also, it might be another month 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

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

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SETON HALL HOLDS OFF VISITING DEPAUL

By RAY FLORIANI

NEWARK, NJ – In a game they never trailed, Seton Hall posted a 79-71 decision over DePaul at the Prudential Center. The St.Valentine’s Day victory gave the Hall its fifth straight home triumph in conference play.

Three keys to the game:

1. The start. A deep three pointer at the buzzer by Jeremy Hazell sent Seton Hall into the locker room with a 50-35 first half lead. “Giving up 50 points is too much,” said DePaul interim coach Tracy Webster. “Once you do that you are playing catch up basketball right from the beginning of the second half.” Actually the start was even sooner. Over the course of the first four minutes of the game the Hall sped out to a 10-1 lead. By the first media time out the tone was set.

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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (2/5/2010)

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One game wa on tap Thursday and it allowed Notre Dame to rebound from their loss at Rutgers and stop their slide. On the other hand, it was a missed opportunity for Cincinnati to move into the upper third of the league and with a daunting schedule to close out the regular season, Mick Cronin’s team faces a tough road ahead to make that NCAA Tournament goal a reality this year.

In other league news, WVU officials have issued apologies for their lack of crowd control in Wednesday’s game against Pittsburgh. The Villanova-Syracuse game will be a record-setter. The Wildcats have a very tough second-half Big East schedule and the Orange have all the intangibles of a winner, something that might not have been the case in recent seasons. It looks like George Blaney will continue to lead UConn, at least for another game, as Jim Calhoun remains away from the team for health reasons. Pittsburgh is in a slide and the lack of playing time for Dante Taylor is raising eyebrows. J.J. Richardson benefited from extra PT as Taylor was pulled in Wednesday’s game and Richardson delivered a strong performance.

Also, it might be another month and a half 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

Read on below for all of today’s News & Notes…

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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (2/3/2010)

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A busy couple nights in the Big East with three games last night, all decided by double-digits, and three games on the schedule for tonight.

On Tuesday we saw Syracuse and Villanova to continue to set the pace in the conference by picking up home wins of Providence and Seton Hall, respectively. The Orange survived a close first half and a scary fall from star Wes Johnson, but a sophomore reserve shows they are in good hands behind Johnson, too. Villanova pulled away late against SHU as Jeremy Hazell saw his night end early and on the bench as part of a teaching moment from his head coach. The other game saw Rutgers deal a staggering blow to St. John’s season of hopes (and now, more like dreams) with an 84-72 punch to the gut that left Red Storm players reeling afterwards.

Tonight, the Backyard Brawl between Pitt and WVU hits the hardwood and marks the debut of Deniz Kilicli for the Mountaineers. Marquette looks for revenge against DePaul and South Florida hopes to continue their winning ways and catch Georgetown coming down off a high after their win over Duke.

Also, it might be another month and a half 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

Read on below for all of today’s News & Notes…

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