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SETON HALL, VILLANOVA COMPLETE SERIES OF 1ST ROUND BLOWOUTS IN BIG EAST TOURNAMENT

By Lauren Kirschman

After the opening session of the 2012 BIG EAST Tournament saw a pair of 14-point wins registered by Connecticut and Pittsburgh (Big East Tournament 1st Session Recap), the evening session produced even less suspense as Seton Hall and Villanova scored resounding wins to close the first day of action at Madison Square Garden. Here is a look at last night’s results, the schedule for the rest of the BIG EAST Tournament and your links to secure tickets to the remaining games…

No 10 Seton Hall 79, No. 15 Providence 47

Seton Hall is one of several Big East teams trying to earn their way off the bubble and into the NCAA Tournament this week. The Pirates started on the right track, defeating Providence 79-47 on Tuesday night.

After falling behind 9-0 early, the Pirates stormed back with a 16-2 run and the Friars never recovered. Seton Hall continued to build its lead, taking a 36-23 advantage into the break. The Pirates didn’t slow down in the second half and coasted to a win by our scoring Providence 43-24 after the break.

Seton Hall shot 56 percent for the game, including 67 percent in the second half. The Friars shot a dismal 27 percent from the field and 19 percent from beyond the arc.

The Friars occasionally showed an upside this season, picking up wins over Louisville and Connecticut. But for the most part, Providence struggled mightily throughout the Big East season.

For the Pirates, the win marked a nice recovery from a resume-damaging loss to DePaul in the regular season finale.

Keys to the Game: Jordan Theodore. Seton Hall’s senior guard scored 13 points and dished out a career-high 13 assists. He’s a true leader who’s hard to handle. Theodore dished out two assists and hit a jumper during the Pirates’ 16-2 run.

Promising Future: Providence freshman LaDontae Henton played well, providing one bright spot for the Friars. He scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Henton has averaged 14.3 points and a team-high 8.6 rebounds for the Friars this season.

Area of Concern: Slow start. Against a tougher team, Seton Hall might have had a more difficult time recovering from the early 9-0 deficit. The Pirates will see Louisville tomorrow and the Cardinals crushed the Pirates earlier this season 90-59.

Key Quote:

“It was 9-0. All I kept thinking in my head is that it’s going to be all right. We’re going to fine. We’re going to knock down some shots when we get them, and we’ve just for to get stops.” -Jordan Theodore
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No. 14 Villanova 70, No. 11 Rutgers 49

Maalik Wayns scored a game-high 28 points for the Wildcats as Villanova pulled away in the second half for a 70-49 win over Rutgers on Tuesday night.

With the win, Villanova picked up its first Big East tournament game victory in two years.

The Wildcats pulled away with defense, limiting the Scarlet Knights to one field goal in the final eight minutes of the game. Rutgers scored just 15 points in the second half.

Villanova shot nearly 46 percent for the game and Wayns went 7-14 from the field and 13-14 from the line. The Wildcats will face South Florida’s stifling defense on Wednesday.

Keys to the Game: Maalik Wayns. While the Wildcat defense locked down on Rutgers over the last eight minutes of play, Wayns scored eight points in just over four minutes to lead the Villanova scoring surge that put the game out of reach for good.

Promising Future: Rutgers freshman Eli Carter proved why he’s one of the top young players in the conference. He led the Scarlet Knights on 8-17 shooting from the field. No other Rutgers player reached double figures.

Area of Concern: Tougher competition. Villanova’s best win on the Big East came against Rutgers, twice, this season. The Wildcats didn’t beat any team that received a bye in this year’s Big East tournament and will face South Florida, a team they fell to 65-51, tomorrow.
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Tickets might be sold out to the general public…but you can still get your tickets at the links below with our partnership with TicketNetwork.com:

REST OF 2012 BIG EAST TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Wednesday, March 7 – Second Round (ESPN)
Noon No. 9 Connecticut vs. No. 8 West Virginia
2:00 No. 13 Pittsburgh vs. No. 5 Georgetown


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7:00 No. 10 Seton Hall vs. No. 7 Louisville
9:00 No. 14 Villanova vs. No. 6 South Florida


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Thursday, March 8 – Quarterfinals (ESPN)
Noon 8/9/16 winner vs. No. 1 Syracuse
2:00 5/12/13 winner vs. No. 4 Cincinnati


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7:00 7/10/15 winner vs. No. 2 Marquette
9:00 6/11/14 winner vs. No. 3 Notre Dame


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Friday, March 9 – Semifinals (ESPN)
7:00 Thursday afternoon winners
9:00 Thursday evening winners


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Saturday, March 10 – Championship (ESPN)
9:00 Semifinal winners

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For the best deal for 2011 BIG EAST Tournament Tickets, by an all-session strip:


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