Weekly Recap in the Big East

That’s a Good Win:

Notre Dame over Louisville in an overtime thriller

The Irish entered this game still in search of their first ‘good’ Big East win of the year. And while it was looking bleak with one minute left in the game, Jerian Grant put the team on his back. Five overtimes later, they prevailed.

Pittsburgh wins at Cincinnati

Pitt has been playing some strong basketball as of late and starting to gain some national recognition. So it was good to see them go on the road and get a win against a ranked opponent.

Providence topples Cincinnati at home

Watch out for Providence these days. The Friars haven’t played a bad game since a home loss to DePaul back on January 5^th. Cincinnati is their best win of the season and this team is finally starting to click now that they are healthy.

Syracuse ends skid and tops Notre Dame at home

The Orange were coming off of back-to-back losses (both on the road), so it was reassuring to see them get back to their winning ways and doing that through the strength of their defense.

Villanova wins at DePaul

Beating DePaul shouldn’t be that noteworthy, but when your only win on the road in conference is South Florida, it is good to see. And given that the Wildcats were coming off back-to-back poor shooting performances (both losses to Notre Dame and Providence), it was reassuring to see them fill the bucket (scored 94 points). These are the type of games bubble teams need to win, and Villanova, seen now as a bubble team, got it done.

Now that was a bad loss:

Cincinnati losing at Providence

I wrote above how this was a good win for Providence and that the Friars are a better team these days, but if Cincinnati wants to be recognized as a good team, which they were given their #17 rank at the time, they need to win road games against conference foes that are in the bottom half of the standings. It seems that the Bearcats have been figured out – shut down their guards (Sean Kilpatrick, Cashmere Wright and JaQuon Parker) and you shut down the team. Pittsburgh did a great job of this on Saturday. Kilpatrick got his points, but the Panthers shut him down at the end of the game when they needed him most.

Way to take care of business:

Georgetown wins at Rutgers

I wrote in the section above that if teams want to be considered contenders that they need to win notable road games; Georgetown did what Cincinnati failed to do. It was a close game throughout, but Otto Porter willed the Hoyas to victory with 10 straight points over the final six minutes of the game.

Syracuse beats St. John’s at home

I acknowledge that this was a game that the Orange were expected to win with relative ease, but it was still encouraging to see this offense clicking better now that they got James Southerland back. They looked a little off in their previous six games, and I suspected that was due to the absence of Southerland. The Orange looked just fine on Sunday, making 10 of 22 3-point attempts, with Southerland making three of his seven attempts. I believe this team has Final Four potential once again.

Twitter:  @soupTOOnuts

The Battle of Cincinnati - All Basketball, No Punches

Almost exactly a year removed from the infamous brawl between Cincinnati and Xavier, there was less than a 0% chance of anything close to that situation happening again in the yearly rivalry game between the teams separated by ~3 miles. Instead, we got what we expected - a hard fought game filled with passion and emotion accompanied by a raucous crowd.

After last year’s mess they decided to move the game to a neutral location (after alternating campuses for the last 25 years), splitting the tickets 50-50 amongst the schools and renaming the game from ‘Crosstown Shootout’ to ‘Crosstown Classic’ (to curtail the violence obviously).

The Bearcats eventually ran away with a 15 point win, but it likely would have been much closer if it wasn’t for two key injuries to the Musketeers. Their best player, freshman point guard Semaj Christon, missed almost all of the second half with a leg injury, and their only other significant contributor, sophomore guard Dee Davis, was constantly checking in and out as he dealt with cramps for most of the half.

Without Christon and Davis in the lineup, Xavier struggled mightily with Cincinnati’s full court pressure defense, turning the ball over a total of 15 times, most of them in the second half. There’s no telling how this game would have turned out had these injuries not happened, but Xavier was up by two at half, mostly due to their guard play.

Cincy on the other hand had a rough first half. Not only did it seem there was a lid on the basket, but they were unnecessarily settling for long-range shots. Coach Cronin described his team’s first half performance as a ‘complete debacle’ as they scored only 22 points.

The second half was better. They ran their offense and attacked the basket with authority. Mainly, it was Sean Kilpatrick having his was with his opponent. And it helped that Xavier couldn’t hit a free throw, finishing 2-13 from the line.

Some may discredit this win for the Bearcats using the continued argument that they’ve yet to beat a good team. But the fact of the matter is – this was a rivalry game (never easy no matter how up or down either team is for a given year), on a neutral court, and on national television. Cincy is the best rebounding team in the country, averaging 46.2 per game (whenever there is an offensive rebound opportunity, I always assume JaQuon Parker is going to come up with it), who plays excellent defense from end to end, and has an exceptional back court. They may not end up being in the top two or three of the Big East come the end of conference play, but they will come darn close to that - as they are 11-0 today for a reason.

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Previewing the Big East/SEC Challenge

By:  Shane McCarthy

Last year was the first season that the Big East/SEC Challenge went to the 12 per conference team format.  Previously it was four teams from each, and it was played as doubleheaders on back-to-back days on a neutral court.  The new format spans over three days (this Thursday to Saturday) and each game is played on the  home court of one of the two competing teams.

The Big East won the challenge 8-4 last year.   

This year's challenge will be headlined by #8 Kentucky at Notre Dame on Thursday night, because, well it's Kentucky.  This game features a senior-laden team playing at home in front of a raucous crowd versus a prominently all freshman squad on the road that has struggled a bit in the early going.  The Irish looked very good on Monday night home against Chicago St., which may not mean much, but if they can continue their hot shooting (especially from 3) and play with that same intensity on Thursday night, a victory seems more than possible.  The Wildcats have the edge in the front court, but the Irish have the edge in the back court.  Combine that with their experience, depth and home court, and it should be a good one.

Also on Thursday night, Marquette will head down to Florida to take on the #7 Gators.  This is a rematch of a Sweet 16 game from a year ago in which Florida got the best of the Golden Eagles.  Like that game, expect the floor to be spread and shots raining down from all over.  Like most years it seems, Marquette is flying under the radar early, but that is do to their lack of chemistry, and nothing to do with their athleticism.  This team will only get better, and Buzz Williams would like it to start against the Gators on Thursday.

On Friday both #6 Syracuse vs Arkansas and Tennessee vs #20 Georgetown are intriguing games.  The Hoyas have shown early on that they can hang with the best, but they can't get too casual with Tennessee, who is likely a borderline tournament team.  And anytime the Orange leave Central New York before Christmas it makes headlines.  Syracuse is a force and very difficult to match-up with, especially for a team that never sees them.  Good luck Razorbacks.  You're going to need it. 

And if Kentucky vs. Notre Dame does not end up being the best game of the slate, Alabama vs #17 Cincinnati on Saturday very well could be.  The Bearcats have looked very good in the early going, scoring in droves and pounding the glass.  But they've yet to really be tested (no disrespect to Oregon, but let's see a few more games first).  And the Crimson Tide are a fringe Top-25 team, who, like Cincinnati, is undefeated.  Expect this one to come down to the wire and even to OT.

The rest of the schedule is below.

And I like the Big East to emerge victorious (whatever that means - respect I guess? bragging rights?) by taking one more than half and going 7-5.

Louisville, Pittsburgh and UConn are the Big East teams that are not participating in the challenge.

Thursday, November 29

#8 Kentucky @ Notre Dame

South Carolina @ St. John's

Marquette @ #7 Florida

Seton Hall @ LSU

Friday, November 30

Tennessee @ #20 Georgetown

Georgia @ South Florida

#6 Syracuse @ Arkansas

DePaul @ Auburn

Saturday, December 1

Alabama @ #17 Cincinnati

Villanova @ Vanderbilt

Mississippi State @ Providence

Rutgers @ Mississippi

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Teams' NCAA Tournament Preview

Has Fab Melo cost the Orange a trip to the Final Four?

By Shane McCarthy on March 13, 2012

South Florida Bulls – 12 seed and playing in the first four game

Ceiling:  Win 2 games (1 being the play-in game) – Given how the Bulls like to muck up the flow of the game by playing slow and heavy, they can cause any opponent to get frustrated and unable to find a rhythm.    Both Cal and Temple depend on solid outside shooting to win games, so they may not be particularly fond of South Florida’s style of play.

Floor:  Lose first game – There is no question that the Bulls are physical and play solid defense, but they have had trouble scoring all year.  Cal underachieved most of the season, but they seem to be figuring it out lately and possibly making it difficult for South Florida to keep up on the scoreboard. 

West Virginia Mountaineers – 10 seed

Ceiling:  Elite 8 – Kevin Jones is one of the best players in the country, averaging a double-double, and will be a match-up problem for everyone they play.  If Deniz Kilicli and Truck Bryant can play at a high level there is no reason why they can’t make a run to the Elite 8.  I actually think they match-up well with Ohio St. and can upset them.  Also, their first round game is being played less than two hours from campus, making it a virtual home game for them while Gonzaga has to travel all the way across the country.

Floor:  Lose first game – Besides from Kevin Jones, Gonzaga is a more talented team than the Mountaineers.  West Virginia is solid on the offensive boards, but they play suspect defense and they have had trouble closing games in the last month or two.   

Connecticut Huskies – 9 seed

Ceiling:  Win 1 game – Royce White of Iowa St. is a tough match-up for any team in the country, given his size and versatility.  But beyond him, UConn is the much more talented team with loads of experience on the court.  It’s unfortunate that the Huskies drew the 8/9 game in Kentucky’s region, because I think they could have held their own against any other team in the tournament.  Could they beat Kentucky?  For sure, but they have lacked any leadership or enthusiasm all season and I don’t think they’ll suddenly discover it against the best team in the country.  If it was against anyone else, I would have given them a shot to make a deep run.

Floor:  Lose first game – The Huskies have been so volatile (they lost to Providence two weeks ago) that no one would be surprised if they got absolutely smoked by Iowa St. 

Notre Dame Fighting Irish – 7 seed

Ceiling:  Win 1 game - The Irish play sound fundamental basketball and when they are hitting their shots they are difficult to beat.  But the problem is – they have not been making shots for about a month now, while Xavier has been playing well.  If Notre Dame finds their touch, they will beat Xavier, but they won’t be able to keep up with Duke in the game thereafter. 

Floor:  Lose first game – As was just stated, given their slow pace of play and lack of inside presence, it is a necessity for them to shoot well.  Xavier has struggled to play up to their talent level since the brawl they were in back in November, but they have been playing better and are the more talented team compared to the Irish.

Cincinnati Bearcats – 6 seed

Ceiling:  Final Four – The Bearcats have looked very good in the last month, even though they laid a dud in the Big East Championship game.  As long as they run their offense through Yancy Gates in the low post, they will be a tough out.  By focusing on Gates, it enables the rest of the team to get open shots and lanes to the basket.  This team just beat Syracuse, the #1 seed in their region, so I think they can handle other obstacles.

Floor:  Win 1 game – I believe Cincinnati will make quick work of Texas in the first round as the Longhorns are an average team across the board.  But a possible second round match-up with Florida St. could prove troublesome.  Not only are the Seminoles an excellent defensive team, but they are shooting the ball extremely well as of late, as displayed last week in which they beat both Duke and North Carolina.   

Louisville Cardinals – 4 seed

Ceiling:  Sweet Sixteen – Louisville has the coach (Rick Pitino) and the point guard (Peyton Siva) that is needed to enjoy success this time of the year; which was on display last week on their run to a Big East Championship.  The Cardinals will be looking to ride that momentum for a few more weeks.

Floor:  Lose first game – Louisville has struggled shooting the ball all year, and besides Marquette in the Big East Tournament, the Cardinals have not had a notable win in about two months.  Davidson is not flashy, but they were good enough to beat Kansas this year.  And let’s not forget Louisville’s early round struggles in recent years. 

Georgetown Hoyas – 3 seed

Ceiling:  Elite Eight – It is no secret that Belmont over Georgetown in the first round has become a pretty popular upset pick.  It’s surely possible, but I have been of the belief that Georgetown will significantly benefit by getting out of the Big East.  Their only non-conference loss was to Kansas, and their defense has vastly improved over the course of the season.  They will no doubt be tested as they are in a tough region, but a meeting with North Carolina would not surprise me. 

Floor:  Lose first game – Not only can Belmont score, but they may have the ideal style of play to handle Georgetown’s effective defense.  They will look to speed up the Hoyas and make them uncomfortable. 

Marquette Golden Eagles – 3 seed

Ceiling:  Final Four – Marquette plays extremely hard on both ends of the court and thrive in transition.  As long as Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom stay out of foul trouble, this team can keep up with anyone.  They have lost two of three, but I believe their first two match-ups are favorable draws before they will have a layoff to prepare for Missouri.  Marquette vs. Missouri would be one of the most entertaining games of the tournament, and I like the fact that the Golden Eagles would be the more physical team. 

Floor:  Sweet Sixteen – I don’t believe there is a match-up that Marquette can’t adjust to, but Missouri’s four guard system may prove to be too much to handle for the Golden Eagles, especially if Mizzou is hitting their 3’s. 

Syracuse Orange – 1 seed

Ceiling:  Final Four – First off, if you are an Orange fan, you have to be absolutely livid at Fab Melo for acting so selfishly throughout the course of the season.  As a student/athlete, it is your responsibility to attend class and complete whatever work/tests that are asked of you.  I was never a D-1 athlete during my tenure in college, but it is my understanding that it is not very hard to attend class/study sessions a few times a month and maintain a gaudy 1.8 GPA.  I understand that he has NBA aspirations, but show your respect/loyalty/commitment to the team you’re currently on.

 Secondly, this team is still talented enough and is in a favorable region to make a Final Four run.  Dion Waiters and Kris Joseph will probably be the best two players on the floor in their first three games.  And speaking of Waiters, it seems obvious that he will be leaving college early to head to the NBA after this year.  If that is the case, I can see him blowing up and singlehandedly taking the Orange to New Orleans for the benefit of his draft position. 

Floor:  Win 1 game – A #16 seed has never beaten a #1 seed and it is not going to happen in this game.  However, if Syracuse lacks the motivation and plays flat against Kansas St. in the second round, they could be beat.  Syracuse struggles in the rebounding department, while Kansas St. excels in it.  Even though Syracuse’s talent should prevail, it could be an ugly game that the Wildcats sneak away with.  

Twitter --> @shane_t_mac

Third Round Games In Two Sentences Each

By Shane McCarthy on March 8, 2012

#9 Connecticut vs. #1 Syracuse

This was the third time these two teams played this season and it was the third time UConn looked as good as Syracuse for long periods of the game.  Powered by Dion Waiters and James Southerland with some supporting help from Shabazz Napier, the Orange were able to grind out the victory.

Final Score:  Syracuse 58 Connecticut 55

#5 Georgetown vs. #4 Cincinnati

For two teams that were very similar on many metrics entering the game, it was only fitting that it took double overtime to decide it.  Yancy Gates went off for 23 points and powered the Bearcats past the Hoyas.

Final Score:  Cincinnati 72 Georgetown 70 2OT

#7 Louisville vs. #2 Marquette

It was the defensive performance by the Louisville Cardinals that paved the way for their relatively easy victory over Marquette.  Marquette, who did not shoot well all night, was never able to get it going and did not have an answer for Peyton Siva at all.

Final Score:  Louisville 84 Marquette 71

#6 South Florida vs. #3 Notre Dame

South Florida played their style of basketball to perfection, slow and ugly, and they had the game in hand until they choked it away in the final moments.  Bad fouls, poor turnovers, missed foul shots and shot clock violations all contributed to their demise, and now they’ll be sweating it out till Sunday.    

Final Score:  Notre Dame 57 South Florida 53 OT

Twitter --> @shane_t_mac

Power Rankings / A Look Back & Ahead 3-4-12

By Shane McCarthy on March 5, 2012

1]  #2 Syracuse Orange (17-1/30-1)

Last week:  WON 58-49 vs Louisville

This week:  #1 seed in Big East Tournament and double bye

Impressive victory over Louisville on Saturday afternoon to close out the regular season.  Something tells me the Orange would like to see Notre Dame in the Big East Tournament to avenge their only loss on the season. 

2]  #9 Marquette Golden Eagles (14-4/25-6)

Last week:  LOST 72-61 @ Cincinnati, WON 83-69 vs Georgetown

This week:  #2 seed in Big East Tournament and double bye

The Golden Eagles had a bit of a slip-up at a desperate Cincinnati team in the middle of the week, but rebounded nicely with a decisive win at home over Georgetown.  Marquette will be looking to keep the momentum rolling into the NCAA Tournament and a showdown with Syracuse would be very entertaining in the BE Tournament.

3]  #14 Georgetown Hoyas (12-6/22-7)

Last week:  WON 59-41 vs Notre Dame, LOST 83-69 @ Marquette

This week:  #5 seed in Big East Tournament and single bye

No shame in losing on Senior night at a really good Marquette team for the Hoyas.  They are better than the #5 seed they got and a team that is more than capable of winning the BE Tournament. 

Yancy Gates and Jaquon Parker

4]  Cincinnati Bearcats (12-6/22-9)

Last week:  WON 72-61 vs Marquette, WON 72-68 @ Villanova

This week:  #4 seed in Big East Tournament and double bye

Excellent week for the Bearcats as they beat a #7 Marquette team and Villanova to creep up to the #4 seed and double bye in the BE Tournament.  Cincinnati is playing much better as of late, and the momentum seems to be building at the right time in the season.  

5]  Louisville Cardinals (10-8/22-9)

Last week:  LOST 58-51 vs South Florida, LOST 58-49 vs Syracuse

This week:  #7 seed in Big East Tournament and single bye

It was a tough week for the Cardinals, as they lost to both South Florida and Syracuse to conclude the regular season.  They have earned a single bye in the BE Tournament and hopefully use that extra day off to get back on track as they have lost four of their last six. 

6]  #23 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (13-5/21-10)

Last week:  LOST 59-41 @ Georgetown, WON 75-69 vs Providence

This week:  #3 seed in Big East Tournament and double bye

The Irish have been struggling a bit as of late, but their win over Providence could help carry some ‘mental’ momentum into the BE Tournament. 

7]  West Virginia Mountaineers (9-9/19-12)

Last week:  WON 92-75 vs DePaul, WON 50-44 @ South Florida

This week:  #8 seed in Big East Tournament and single bye

After going through a rough stretch, the Mountaineers took care of business last week by beating DePaul and South Florida.  Not necessarily impressive wins, but when a team is on the bubble it is important to beat fellow bubble teams (South Florida).  It will be important for Kevin Jones, and the magnificent season he just had, to lead and keep the Mountaineers motivated.    

8]  Connecticut Huskies (8-10/18-12)

Last week:  LOST 72-70 @ Providence, WON 74-65 vs Pittsburgh

This week:  #9 seed in Big East Tournament

With the Huskies loss at Providence during the week, their roller coaster of a season continues.  They probably need to win at least two games in the BE Tournament to feel safe as an at-large candidate.  This #9 seed is a talented bunch, and we all remember what happened last year as a #9 seed.  There is no reason why they can’t do it again. 

9]  South Florida Bulls (12-6/19-12)

Last week:  WON 58-51 @ Louisville, LOST 50-44 vs West Virginia

This week:  #6 seed in Big East Tournament and single bye

Great win for the Bulls’ at-large hopes at Louisville, and even though they earned a first round bye in the BE, they probably need to win at least one game in the tournament to help their case.  Still, they are a fun story to follow.

10]  Pittsburgh Panthers (5-13/16-15)

Last week:  WON 89-69 vs St. John’s, LOST 74-65 @ Connecticut

This week:  #13 seed in Big East Tournament

It has been a disappointing season for the Panthers to say the least.   The potential was there at the beginning of the season, but they have struggled mightily in conference play.  They will have to run the table in the BE Tournament to get into the NCAAs. 

11]  Seton Hall Pirates (8-10/19-11)

Last week:  LOST 86-58 @ DePaul

This week:  #10 seed in Big East Tournament

The last two games for the Pirates have been absolutely horrendous.  After beating Georgetown, the hopes of an at-large bid for Seton Hall skyrocketed.  But two bad losses to finish the season probably mean that the Pirates need to win at least two games in the BE Tournament.   

12]  Villanova Wildcats (5-13/12-18)

Last week:  WON 77-71 @ Rutgers, LOST 72-68 vs Cincinnati

This week:  #14 seed in Big East Tournament

You know it has been a tough season for the Wildcats when their best win in conference is against Seton Hall.  Seton Hall is a quality team this year, but ‘Nova is used to competing for regular season conference championship honors. 

13]  Rutgers Scarlet Knights (6-12/14-17)

Last week:  LOST 77-71 vs Villanova, WON 61-58 vs St. John’s

This week:  #11 seed in Big East Tournament

The Scarlet Knights have proven that they are a tough out at home, but they just are not the same team on the road.  They will be looking to play spoiler in the BE Tournament.

14]  St. John’s Red Storm (6-12/13-18)

Last week:  LOST 89-69 @ Pittsburgh, LOST 61-58 @ Rutgers

This week:  #12 seed in Big East Tournament

The Red Storm have had a tough season as they have not been able to click, but that is expected of a team that is as young as this one.  This team is filled with talent and they are playing as if they have nothing to lose.  Combine that with the fact that the BE Tournament is a home game for them, and you have a team that can play a serious spoiler role. 

15]  Providence Friars (4-14/15-16)

Last week:  WON 72-70 vs Connecticut, LOST 75-69 @ Notre Dame

This week:  #15 seed in Big East Tournament

The Friars stunned UConn last week and they will be looking to spoil Seton Hall’s hopes on Tuesday.

16]  DePaul Blue Demons (3-15/12-18)

Last week:  LOST 92-75 @ West Virginia, WON 86-58 vs Seton Hall

This week:  #16 seed in Big East Tournament

The Blue Demons may have already ruined Seton Hall’s NCAA hopes, now they’ll have the chance to do the same to UConn in the first round of the BE Tournament. 

@shane_t_mac if you are into the Twitter thing