Big East Preview: #13 Seton Hall Pirates

Previewing all 15 teams in the Big East from #15 to #1

By:  Shane McCarthy

After being so close to making the NCAA Tournament last year, will the Pirates be able to overcome key losses to make it back to the big dance for the first time since 2006?

Who’s Back:

Fuquan Edwin –G/ F– Junior – 33.6 Min, 12.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.3 apg

Aaron Cosby –G– Soph – 29.9 Min, 7.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.4 apg

Patrick Auda –F– Junior – 24.0 Min, 6.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.1 apg

Brandon Mobley –F– Soph – 20.3 Min, 6.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.1 apg

Haralds Karlis –G– Soph – 16.6 Min, 3.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.6 apg

Aaron Geramipoor –C– Junior – 9.2 Min, 1.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.1 apg

Freddie Wilson –G– Soph – 8.1 Min, 1.8 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.7 apg 

Kevin Johnson –C– Soph – sat out last year

Incoming Recruits:

Tom Maayan  - [Point Guard] – 6 foot 1, 180

Incoming Transfers:

Brian Oliver – [Guard/Forward] – 6 foot 6, 226

Former swingman at Georgia Tech, Oliver transferred to Seton Hall and sat out last year, leaving him two years of eligibility with the Pirates.  He is a scorer, who has been known to light up the stat sheet in a big way from time to time. 

Gene Teague – [Center] – 6 foot 9, 290

Teague also sat out last year after transferring from Southern Illinois and will have two years of eligibility remaining.  He has been credited for contributing to the success of Herb Pope last season as he provided a big athletic body to practice against on a daily basis.  With Pope now gone, the Pirates need him to fill that void, and Coach Willard has high expectations for him.  

Kyle Smyth – [Shooting Guard] – 6 foot 4, 185

A graduate transfer from Iona, Smyth will be eligible immediately to provide guard and scoring depth.

Who’s Out:  Jordan Theodore, Herb Pope

 Outlook:

Seton Hall was likely a win away from the NCAA Tournament last season.  A bad loss at DePaul (86-58 on March 3rd) essentially forced the Pirates to get a quality win in the Big East Tournament.  They beat Providence in the first round, but then lost to the eventual Big East Tournament champions, Louisville, in the second round; landing them in the NIT.

This year the Pirates will try to make that leap without their two most important players from a year ago – Jordan Theodore and Herb Pope – who were both lost to graduation. 

Without any highly touted recruits (only one incoming recruit), the Pirates will have to fill the void with transfers. 

Enter Brian Oliver and Gene Teague, each who sat out last year and will have two years of eligibility remaining. 

Oliver, who can bang it down low or play on the perimeter, can score from any spot on the floor and can very well be the leading scorer on the Pirates come the end of the season. 

Teague is a true center who provides a low-post presence that Seton Hall hasn't had in years.  He could evolve into the focal point in which the offense revolves around. 

And it is not like this team isn't returning any experience from last year. 

Fuquan Edwin returns to provide upperclassmen leadership along with being the most talented player on the Pirates.  Aaron Cosby (whose season may be delayed a few weeks due to a knee injury), Patrick Auda and Brandon Mobley, who all played in more than half the minutes in games they appeared in last season, all return.

The 2012-13 Seton Hall Pirates are probably not the 13^th best team in the Big East this year.  I fully expect that this team can be just as good, if not better, than the next four or five teams I have ranked ahead of them. 

But the problem is – I expect them to struggle for a while trying to find their identity without Theodore and Pope.  And it sounds like Cosby (the heir to the Theodore role) could potentially be out for an extended period of time. 

I hope the Pirates prove me wrong.  And if they do – the jump to the NCAA Tournament is not out of the question.  

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

NCAA National Championship Game: Kansas vs. Kentucky

Anthony Davis doing some celebrating

Breaking it down into 10 phases

By Shane McCarthy on April 3, 2012

1^st Half

20 Minutes

The game began with Kansas winning an awkward tip followed up by Tyshawn Taylor making a contested layup to put the Jayhawks on the board first.  On Kentucky’s first possession, Jeff Withey put a Terrence Jones shot in the seats which was then followed up by a Terrence Jones airball.  Not a great start for Jones.  Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was fouled hard going up for an aggressive layup by Elijah Johnson and yelled ‘oh shit’ loud enough to be picked up by the camera’s microphone.  Thomas Robinson was playing hard under the basket, but you can tell he has his work set out for him all game.  Marquis Teague starts hot as he hits a few shots.

Score:  Tied 7-7

16 Minutes

Taylor attempts to throw up an alley-oop to Withey which was easily snatched from thin air by Davis.  This exchange creates a furious pace to ensue for the next few possessions.   Teague is finding gapping lanes to the basket as Kansas focuses much of their attention on Davis.  Withey then makes a nice move to draw a foul and converts a three point play.  Seconds later he puts a Doron Lamb shot 25 rows deep on the other end of the court.

Score:  Kentucky 19-14

12 Minutes

With Thomas Robinson already having one foul, Terrence Jones takes advantage of his cautiousness by calling for the ball down low and converting an easy bucket.  Kansas is slowly fading away as Davis goes to work on the defensive end and MKG goes to work on the offensive end. 

Score:  Kentucky 28-19

8 Minutes

Kansas continues to be very inefficient on the offensive end which is allowing to Kentucky to capitalize on a bunch of run outs, pushing the floor and getting easy points in transition.  This is being exasperated by the fact that the Jayhawks cannot pound the ball inside.  Robinson is playing hard, but every one of his shots is heavily challenged and Davis has already blocked him a few times. 

Score:  Kentucky 34-21

4 Minutes

Davis takes a shot to the face which knocks loose his contact.  It takes him approximately three minutes on the bench to put it back in.  Obviously he does not use a mirror to do this because he has clearly never used a mirror in his life.  As the game chugs along the body language of the Jayhawks is awful and Withey could not look more terrified when receiving the ball in the lane.  He actually got the ball and put it up as quickly as possible at one point without even looking at the rim, in fear of Davis’ presence.  He missed the shot.

Score:  Kentucky 41 – 27

Halftime

20 Minutes

Both teams come out of the half with the mindset to play ferocious defense.  This is exemplified by the fact that only five points were scored in the first four minutes of the half.  Clearly Kansas realizes at this point that they need to start knocking down long-range shots to get back in it.

Score:  Kentucky 43-30

16 Minutes

Up until this point Anthony Davis did not have a single point in the game, but his presence was being more than felt on the defensive end of the court.  Well that drought came to an end when he got to the foul line for his first points of the game.  After Davis forces two straight turnovers, as if he had not already done enough, Kansas forces three straight turnovers of their own, but Taylor kills the momentum as he takes a pull up two with his teammates at the other end of the floor.  Robinson was able to throw down his signature dunk in which he attempted to rip down the entire structure during this time.

Score:  Kentucky 48-36

12 Minutes

At this point in the game it seemed as if Kentucky had eased up and stopped playing as aggressive as they had been.  Kansas was not able to take advantage of this on the scoreboard at this point, but you can tell they were not only getting desperate, but gaining some confidence out there.  Elijah Johnson drained a three that looked as if it could get things rolling for the Jayhawks.

Score:  Kentucky 56-44

8 Minutes

OK, maybe they weren’t beginning to gain confidence.  Travis Releford got a wide open look at a three that he airballed and that was followed up by Johnson taking a three that got nothing but backboard.  But, not so fast, as Taylor hits his first three pointer of the tournament, Withey blocks Davis, and Taylor gets an old school three point play in transition off of Withey’s block at the other end. 

Score:  Kentucky 59-50

4 Minutes

Kansas cuts Kentucky’s lead to five as Johnson converts a three and Robinson makes four straight free throws.  But Kentucky was too much for the Jayhawks as they stiffened up their defensive play and made their free throws down the stretch.  Teague whips the ball into the air and confetti falls.

Final score:  67-59

And yes, a fully armed Syracuse Orange team would have been fun to see play against the Wildcats.  Oh well.

@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

The South Florida Bulls Right Now

By Shane McCarthy on March 7, 2012


Resume:


RPI:  44
SOS:  27
BPI:   59
Kenpom:  67
Sagarin:  69
LRMC:  73
Solid wins (RPI):  @Louisville(28), Seton Hall(54), Cincinnati(68)
Bad losses (RPI):  neutral court vs. Penn St.(157), @Auburn(138)
Notable tidbits:  0-5 vs. RPI top 25 teams, nine of their 12 Big East wins were against teams with 12 or more losses, 7-3 in their last six games and have held opponents to under 60 points in nine straight.


No matter what your feelings are for the plethora of metrics out there, they are here to stay and they all say the same thing about the South Florida Bulls - they are a mediocre team that is floating on the bubble.

Finishing 12-6 in the Big East seems impressive, until of course you look more closely.  They played Pittsburgh, Villanova and Providence each twice, who went a combined 14-40 in the conference.  Now, this is by no means the fault of South Florida, as they did not make the schedule nor is it their fault that Nova and Pitt had exceptionally poor years compared to their recent history.  But the hypothetical fact of the matter is... if Nova and Pitt have normal Nova and Pitt seasons, USF probably does not go 4-0 against them.  But, in the end, these victories do not count as 'good' wins anyway.

The Big East has had a down year relative to its history that South Florida to their credit was able to benefit from, but what about their non-conference slate of games.  Is South Florida more accomplished outside the conference compared to say, Seton Hall?  Does not look like it.  USF's best non-conference win is against Cleveland St. and that's about it; while Seton Hall beat VCU, St. Joseph's and Dayton.

It is not that USF is a bad team, because they have improved as the year has gone on, especially on the defensive end.  They take pride in themselves being disciplined, playing physical, and being the tougher team on the court.  Their slow paced offense may not be very efficient, but it actually helps them on defense.  Opponents become frustrated after devoting their attention to 35 seconds of defense which can lead to out of control, impatient possessions on the offensive end.  In a way, they force their opponents to play the same slow and ugly style that they are comfortable with.

Tomorrow the Bulls will get Notre Dame in the third round of the Big East Tournament.  In their only meeting this year they lost 60-49 at Notre Dame two months ago.  The Fighting Irish play this same slow-paced tempo that USF runs, but they are a much better shooting team than USF and they do not turn the ball over nearly as much.

In the end, I will be rooting for South Florida because I want them to make the NCAA Tournament and I actually do think they can beat Notre Dame.  The Fighting Irish have not shot the ball particularly well of late and they do not have the big bodies down low to match the toughness of the Bulls.  This could end up being a very ugly game with bricks galore being chucked around.  For South Florida, this will be their biggest game of the season because it is about 'who did you play and who did you beat' and now is the time for USF to prove that they can beat someone.  Beating Notre Dame tomorrow night would be their second best win of the year.

Twitter --> @shane_t_mac

Breaking Down Seton Hall vs. Providence

The Pirates sailed past Providence in Round 1

By Shane McCarthy on March 6, 2012

Let's breakdown Seton Hall vs. Providence into ten four-minute segments and see what went down.

1st Half

20 Minute Mark:

It is tough to play much worse to start the game than these two teams managed to do in the first four minutes.  The sloppy play was filled with moving screens, passes into teammates' backs, and two travelling violations before a point was even scored.  It took 2 minutes and 37 seconds before Providence broke the scoreless drought and they actually prevented Seton Hall from scoring in the first four minutes of the game.  Score: 6-0 Providence.  At this points, the Friars were on pace to win the game 48-0.

16 Minute Mark:

Providence continued to use their speed to push the pace of the game to go up 9-0.  At this point, Seton Hall had not even come close to scoring.  But that did not last as Fuquan Edwin drained a three for the Pirate's first points five minutes into the game.  This got the ball rolling as they hit two more three pointers (Brandon Mobley and Aaron Cosby) and quickly got the Pirates back in the game.  Score: 11-11 Tie

12 Minute Mark:
What once looked like a shut-out in the making, eventually began to spiral out of control for Providence.  After the Pirates converted an old-school three point play, the Friars put together this dandy of a possession:  air-ball, but the Friars come up with it under the basket, the put-back hits the bottom edge of the backboard and comes back down in the shooters face, he then kicks it out, but only for that player to immediately travel with the ball.  Not exactly a high quality possession.  Providence's next possession ended with another air-ball and the one after that ended with another travelling violation.  This entire sequence seemed to deject the Friars as they practically quit on defense and watched Seton Hall stay hot with all the open looks they were getting.  Score:  21-14 Seton Hall


8 Minute Mark:
At this point the Friars were approximately 0 of a trillion from three, and it actually looked like they were attempting to bank their long jumpers in.  That did not work.  In the meantime, Jordan Theodore and Mobley gave them a shooting lesson at the other end.  Score:  30-16 Seton Hall


4 Minute Mark:
The law of averages eventually prevails as Providence finally makes a three, ending a stretch in which they missed 14 of 15 shots from the floor.  Score:  36-23 Seton Hall

Halftime

2nd Half

20 Minute Mark:

The Friars seemed to have made the necessary adjustments that needed to be made as they came out of halftime running actual offensive sets, moving the ball, getting open looks at the basket, and actually causing problems for the defense.  The two teams traded multiple baskets, before LaDontae Henton of Providence picked up three fouls in about a minute.  This managed to suck the wind out of the sails for the Friars and the Pirates pounced on the opportunity.  This stretch was capped off by a pick-n-roll to perfection between Theodore and Herb Pope that resulted in a three point play.  Score:  47-30 Seton Hall

16 Minute Mark:

The sloppy play by Providence endures, and Theodore continues to carve up the Friars.  He got his 10th and 11th assists on an alley-oop to Pope and then a behind the back pass in the lane to Pope for a bucket.  To end this segment of the game, Seton Hall fouled Bryce Cotton attempting a three pointer which resulted in him converting all three free throws.  Score:  56-35 Seton Hall

12 Minute Mark:

Jordan Theodore, a senior who has never been to the NCAA Tournament, continues to play desperate and hungry as you would expect.  He facilitates the offense, single-handedly breaks the press, and even manages to draw a charging violation with a beautiful flop.  You can tell that he wants to absolutely pummel the Friars to eliminate the bubble talk.  Score:  62-38 Seton Hall

8 Minute Mark:

At this point, the game was so out of hand that they decided to interview Rick Pitino with the camera on him while the game was going on.  Coach Pitino confirms that Seton Hall should be off the bubble with this win and he will be ready to put a hit on them tomorrow.  Score:  74-42 Seton Hall

4 Minute Mark:

With about two minutes remaining in the game, Seton Hall decided to put in their best bench-warmer, the Hammer, Peter Dill.  Peter has logged seven minutes on the season and has two total points.  But Peter does have a role on this team, and does he ever contribute.  Many have probably seen this, but it is worth another look...

Final Score:  79-47 Seton Hall

Twitter --> shane_t_mac

Previewing the Big East Tournament

By Shane McCarthy on March 5, 2012

In prime position to benefit the most:  South Florida

Neither Rutgers nor Villanova will be an easy out for USF, but if they can get by that second round game, they will get a Notre Dame team that has been a bit off lately.  When looking at possible 'good' wins that would boost their at-large hopes for the NCAA Tournament, Notre Dame seems the most feasible right now. 

Opportunity to prove their worth:  UConn, Seton Hall

Will UConn play like a rat trapped in a corner or will they quit the first time they find themselves down four at halftime?  UConn and West Virginia might already be safe for an at-large bid, but when they meet in the second round - both should play that game like they are far from it.  And if UConn does make it to the quarters, will they be able to take down Syracuse?  In each of their meetings this year the games were very close or tied with a few minutes left, but UConn could not find a way to prevail in either.  You would think that would build confidence and enthusiasm, but this team has not shown either all season long.  However, I want to remain optimistic and believe talent can prevail.  Maybe Coach Calhoun can be the leader they need from the bench, since no one in uniform has yet to step up. 

Seton Hall let a very good season turn into a train wreck with losses to Rutgers and DePaul to finish the season resulting in a missed opportunity for a first round bye.  This leads me to believe that Providence will be no cake-walk for them.  But if they can get out of the opening round, they will get a Louisville team that has been shooting the ball very poorly. 

Toughest draw with most to lose:  Cincinnati

Cincinnati finished strong by beating Marquette and Villanova, but their overall resume is very odd to say the least.  They lack a number of 'good' wins to offset their 'terrible' losses to Presbyterian and Marshall at home in the beginning of the year, but they have played well enough in the BE to earn a double bye.  The Bearcats will most likely see Georgetown in the quarterfinals, a tough matchup for sure. 

Easiest draw:  Marquette

Led by Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette has emerged as one of the best teams in the country.  Is there a team that can stop them from getting to the championship game?  Seems doubtful.  

Teams with nothing to lose and capable of playing spoiler:  Villanova, St. John's, Providence, Pittsburgh

Villanova – Maalik Wayns and the Wildcats are more than capable of getting hot and winning multiple games, and they are in the bracket to make it happen.

St. John’s – The fact that the BE Tournament is a home game for the Red Storm is enough to give them some sort of advantage.  Combine that with the talent of this team and the fact that they don’t know any better, and you have a team that could make a run.

Providence – The Friars were good enough to beat UConn last week and there is no reason why they can’t totally destroy Seton Hall’s season in the first round. 

Pittsburgh – Tray Woodall and Ashton Gibbs are good enough on their own to win a few games for the Panthers.  At the very least, their first round game with St. John’s should be entertaining. 

Favorites:  Syracuse, Marquette

The regular season conference champions, Syracuse Orange, lost one game all year and that was without Fab Melo, Defensive Player of the Year in the conference.  This team just ‘knows’ how to win, making them one of the best teams in the country.

Marquette’s relentless attack makes them a threat to anyone, and this team has gotten a lot better since they saw Syracuse two months ago. 

Championship game to most look forward to:  Syracuse vs. Marquette, Syracuse vs. Notre Dame

Syracuse vs. Marquette would be the most exciting for sure.  But, watching Notre Dame prove that their win over the Orange was no fluke, would be equally entertaining.  

Twitter -->  @shane_t_mac

Previewing the Big East Player of the Year

By Shane McCarthy on March 2, 2012

Next week, before the Big East Tournament tips off at Madison Square Garden, the award for the most outstanding basketball player in the Big East Conference will be handed out. The award, currently held by the former Notre Dame guard Ben Hansbrough (who has since taken his talents and finances to the economic rattled European Union) will be going to a first time recipient as no former conqueror of this title remains in the conference or the NCAA for that matter.

It seems pretty obvious that there are only a select few that deserve to be in this discussion, but nonetheless, when the head coaches of the conference cast their ballot – they have a tough decision on their hands.

Here are the four players that deserve to be on the ballot accompanied with some key statistics…

Jae Crowder (Marquette Golden Eagles) – Of my four candidates, Jae Crowder is easily the most consistent, most well-rounded, and has the best hair. Even though Marquette has been able to creep into the top 10, this team still seems to be undervalued by the public, and Crowder epitomizes this. He does not specialize in any one aspect when on the court, which is to his benefit, because the fact that he excels at all portions of the game, it makes him a complete player and a match-up problem for opposing defenses. He is an extremely intelligent player who has a great knowledge of the game and he is able to use this to his advantage. He’s undersized but is able to play bigger than he is, and this allows him to out muscle opposing players down low (both offensively and defensively) or step out and guard the perimeter on defense and drain threes in peoples’ faces on offense. Crowder probably was not in this discussion until about two weeks ago, but he really cemented himself in the talks with his play at West Virginia last week when he had a huge game while some of his key teammates were suspended for a half. His ‘will’ to get it done and his persistent drive to out-work his opponent has helped lead Marquette to a 24-6 record with one game remaining in the regular season.

Darius Johnson-Odom (Marquette Golden Eagles) – Johnson-Odom is the most talented player on Marquette, more so than Crowder, and it is his play that opens up the offense and allows them to play at a fast pace. Marquette’s game style is to step up and bring it as hard as possible at their opponent , wreaking havoc, but always seem to be in control and comfortable. DJO has been terrific all year, when he is actually on the floor and not suspended that is, as he is not only a great scorer, but also a great leader. DJO and Dion Waiters of Syracuse are very similar players in terms of style and build. Both are strong bodied guards who are above average shooters, but excellent slashers to the basket. DJO just happens to get more playing time than Waiters as his supporting cast is not as deep, thus being more relied upon each and every game compared to Dion. Johnson-Odom is the main reason why Marquette is one of the best teams in transition and his presence on the floor is critical to Marquette’s success. Unlike other players around the country that post similar numbers, DJO’s statistics have done this team a lot of good this year.

Kevin Jones (West Virginia Mountaineers) – Jones had been the front-runner all season and it looked as if he was going to run away as Big East Player of the Year. That was until recently. Caught in a 3-7 slide, the Mountaineers have struggled mightily in the last month and they are at risk of not making the NCAA Tournament. While team success is obviously going to play a role in the decision-making, it is hard to argue with the production Jones has put forth over the entirety of the season. He leads the conference in both points per game and rebounds per game, which really is an amazing feat when you think how deep and talented the Big East Conference is. What is even more impressive is that he is not your prototypical dominant big man, a la DaJuan Blair of a few years ago, who is bigger, stronger and more talented than everyone else on the court and having the statistics come easy each and every night. His work ethic and tenacity are really exemplified in the fact that he also leads the conference in offensive rebounds. Jones, a senior and terrific leader, has been great all year long without much talent around him. A typical Kevin Jones game combined with a win at South Florida on Saturday (a must win as the Bulls are a competing bubble team) would vastly improve his chances of taking home the award.

Jordan Theodore (Seton Hall Pirates) – Jordan Theodore probably won’t receive a single vote for Big East Player of the Year, but I think he deserves to be considered and I for one will at least give him recognition. Slated to finish 12th in the conference based on preseason rankings, Theodore has led the Pirates to an 8-9 conference record (19-10 overall) which is currently 8th, with a very winnable, and must win game, at DePaul on Saturday. A win means they get a first round bye in the Big East Tournament starting next Tuesday and keeps hope alive for a NCAA Tournament berth. Theodore, a prototypical point guard and engine of this team who distributes the ball well (second in the conference in assists per game) has been forced to shoot more than usual this season as there is a lack of talent surrounding him. Still, he is a hard working player who leads by example and sets the tone for this team to get the best out of his teammates in each game. Without Theodore, the Pirates are probably a .500 team and not a team that is 10 games over .500. Odds are is that he is not going to win the award, but he has had an excellent season and his play has directly related to the success of Seton Hall, and should therefore at least be considered.

My Worthless Prediction – If you would have told me before the season that a Big East team was going to lose one total game combined between non-conference and conference play - I would have pointed out two or three teams capable of doing such a thing and picked the best player on each of those teams as my prediction for Big East Player of the Year. Well, that is not the case because the deep, talented and best team in the conference Syracuse Orange, play 10 guys in almost every game without one player standing out any more than the others. In essence, they cannibalize each other because they do have players capable of winning this award, but they have bought into Jim Boeheim’s style of play, which is great team basketball. That is just fine for the Orange though, as they have bigger aspirations than winning individual accomplishments.

OK, now for my prediction. Six times in Big East history there have been co-winners of the Big East Player of the Year award. I believe this year will be the seventh, but I also believe this will be the first time in the history of the award that those players are on the same team. With no disrespect to Kevin Jones who has had a tremendous season being one of two players in the conference to average a double-double (the other being Herb Pope), but Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom have Marquette playing at such a high level that they have become one of the best and most feared teams in the country. We will have to wait until next week to see what the Big East coaches decide on, but I’m going with the two guys who are directly responsible for their team’s outstanding success.

@shane_t_mac

Power Rankings / A Look Back & Ahead 2-27-12



Dion Waiters and Cuse out-dueled UConn on Saturday

Gearing up for the conference tournament

By Shane McCarthy on February 27, 2012

1.     #2 Syracuse Orange (29-1 / 16-1)

Last week:  WON 56-48 vs South Florida, WON 71-69 @ Connecticut

This week:  Sat, March 3 vs Louisville

The only semi-negative thing you can say about the Orange is that they have trouble putting together 40 minutes of the good basketball that they are capable of playing, but this team is 29-1, #2 in the country, have not lost with Fab Melo in the lineup, and always find a way to win.  Being so deep and talented, there are only a handful of teams that can matchup with them barring an off-shooting night.

2.     #7 Marquette Golden Eagles (24-5 / 13-3)

Last week:  WON 82-65 vs Rutgers, WON 61-60 @ West Virginia

This week:  Wed, Feb 29 @ Cincinnati; Sat, March 3 vs Georgetown

Part of me wants to power rank Marquette #1, but that's difficult to warrant without an Orange loss.  They are playing at a very high level right now, as was on display Friday night when the Golden Eagles beat West Virginia without DJO, Blue and Cadougan playing the first half.  I would like to see this team get another shot at Syracuse in the Big East Tournament.        

3.     #12 Georgetown Hoyas (21-6 / 11-5)

Last week:  LOSS 73-55 @ Seton Hall, WON 67-46 vs Villanova

This week:  Mon, Feb 27 vs Notre Dame, Sat, March 3 @ Marquette

The Hoyas slipped up at a desperate Seton Hall team in the middle of the week, but they recovered nicely with a decisive win at home over Villanova on Saturday.  They aren’t the most talented team offensively, but they wreak havoc on the defensive end.   They will be a tough team to prep for on short notice.

4.     #18 Louisville Cardinals (22-7 / 10-6)

Last week:  LOSS 60-56 @ Cincinnati, WON 57-54 vs Pittsburgh

This week:  Wed, Feb 29 vs South Florida; Sat, March 3 @ Syracuse

The Cardinals haven’t been playing their best basketball as of late, but they are still a talented team that can stay on the floor with anyone.  They get a desperate South Florida team and another shot at Syracuse this week to garner some momentum heading into the Big East Tournament.

5.     #19 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (20-9 / 12-4)

Last week:  WON 71-44 vs West Virginia, LOSS 61-58 @ St. John’s

This week:  Mon, Feb 27 @ Georgetown; Fri, March 2 vs Providence

After reeling off nine straight victories, the Irish faltered at St. John’s over the weekend.  As poorly as they shot the ball and as little involved that Jack Cooley was, it was encouraging that they only lost by three.  They are in for a tough game at Georgetown on Monday night, but they are more than capable of winning.

6.     Connecticut Huskies (17-11 / 7-9)

Last week:  WON 73-70 OT @ Villanova, LOSS 71-69 vs Syracuse

This week:  Tue, Feb 28 @ Providence; Sat, March 3 vs Pittsburgh

Tough loss at home to Syracuse, but it was encouraging to see them come back from 17 down in the second half.  They could be the most talented team in the conference if they could display more cohesiveness and showed some controlled urgency on the court.   I do not think anyone would be surprised if the Huskies won the Big East Tournament in two weeks.  Maybe the return of Coach Calhoun will bring the spark they need.

7.     Cincinnati Bearcats (20-9 / 10-6)

Last week:  WON 60-56 vs Louisville, LOSS 46-45 @ South Florida

This week:  Wed, Feb 29 vs Marquette; Sat, March 3 @ Villanova

After Sunday’s loss at South Florida, the Bearcats are probably back on the bubble.  Cincinnati is a tough team to figure out as they have been incredibly inconsistent all year long.  They have a tough matchup in Marquette this week, but a win will put them firmly back in the tournament.

8.     West Virginia Mountaineers (17-12 / 7-9)

Last week:  LOSS 71-44 @ Notre Dame, LOSS 61-60 vs Marquette

This week:  Tue, Feb 28 vs DePaul; Sat, March 3 @ South Florida

Very tough loss at home on Friday night to a short-staked Marquette team.  Coach Huggins should probably put a limit on the number of shots Truck Bryant is allowed to take per game.  Once he sees a few go through the bucket, he’ll shoot a trillion times if he could.  They have two favorable matchups this week to get back on the right track, but they have work to do.

9.     South Florida Bulls (18-11 / 11-5)

Last week:  LOSS 56-48 @ Syracuse, WON 46-45 vs Cincinnati

This week:  Wed, Feb 29 @ Louisville; Sat, March 3 vs West Virginia

Well, for the first half of the first half it looked as if South Florida was going to take down Syracuse, but come to find out, winning the first 10 minutes of a basketball game is worthless unless you win all 40.  Their bounce-back win [and their first notable win at that], over Cincinnati had the feel of a tournament game as both teams knew the importance of it.  More work is probably needed by the Bulls and they will get that chance at Louisville this week. 

10.  Seton Hall Pirates (19-10 / 8-9)

Last week:  WON 73-55 vs Georgetown, LOSS 77-72 OT vs Rutgers

This week:  Sat, March 3 @ DePaul

All that Seton Hall needed to do after getting that noteworthy win over Georgetown, was not take a bad loss; which meant not losing at home to Rutgers.  Of course, however, that is exactly what they did.  DePaul is an absolute must win this week and a win in the Big East Tournament may be a necessity at this point.    

11.  Pittsburgh Panthers (15-14 / 4-12)

Last week:  LOSS 57-54 @ Louisville

This week:  Wed, Feb 29 vs St. John’s; Sat, March 3 @ Connecticut

The disaster season for Pitt continues as they have now lost five in a row.  I’m not sure what they were thinking when they were down three at L’ville with 13 seconds left going for a two, fouling, and ultimately giving themselves less time to tie the game with a three point desperation heave.  Nonetheless, this team is still putting up a fight and possesses talent.  It’s highly unlikely, but I suppose they could somehow pull it together in time for the Big East Tournament.

12.  St. John’s Red Storm (13-16 / 6-10)

Last week:  WON 79-72 vs DePaul, WON 61-58 vs Notre Dame

This week:  Wed, Feb 29 @ Pittsburgh; Sat, Feb 3 @ Rutgers

St. John’s is a fun team to watch right now as they have been playing better basketball as of late, taking down UCLA and Notre Dame in the past two weeks.  Moe Harkless has to be the frontrunner for Big East Rookie of the Year and he has his team poised for an upset in the Big East Tournament. 

13.  Rutgers Scarlet Knights (13-16 / 5-11)

Last week:  LOSS 82-65 @ Marquette, WON 77-72 OT @ Seton Hall

This week:  Thu, March 1 vs Villanova; Sat, March 3 vs St. John’s

Rutgers played spoiler role at Seton Hall over the weekend and their season finale matchup with St. John’s this week should be a fun one.  Both teams are talented, just raw, but it makes for entertaining basketball.

14.  Villanova Wildcats (11-17 / 4-12)

Last week:  LOSS 73-70 OT vs Connecticut, LOSS 67-46 vs Georgetown

This week:  Thu, March 1 @ Rutgers; Sat, March 3 vs Cincinnati

You know you are having a rough season when one of your starters, JayVaughn Pinkston, comes down on a ball after dunking in warm-ups and turns his ankle.  It’s almost over Villanova, two more weeks.

15.   Providence Friars (14-15 / 3-13)

Last week:  WON 73-71 @ DePaul

This week:  Tue, Feb 28 vs Connecticut; Fri, March 2 @ Notre Dame

Providence handled DePaul to get out of the Big East basement on Saturday.  For a team that is 3-13 - you have to appreciate the little things. 

16.   DePaul Blue Demons (11-17 / 2-14)

Last week:  LOSS 79-72 @ St. John’s, LOSS 73-71 vs Providence

This week:  Tue, Feb 28 @ West Virginia; Sat, March 3 vs Seton Hall

The Blue Demons have lost 13 of their last 14.  Not really much else to say besides that they have been competitive in their last three games.  

@shane_t_mac

Notre Dame, A Bunch of Over-Achievers?

Led by Jack Cooley, the Fighting Irish are 9-1 in their last 10 games

The Irish went from disaster to dominanting

By Shane McCarthy on February 26, 2012

Entering the 2011-2012 season, the Irish were a team without a lot of experience, very little depth, and when Tim Abromaitis was lost for the year six games in due to injury, a team that lacked a star quality player to lean on. 

When Notre Dame finished their non-conference portion of their season, they were 8-5, and they didn’t have one notable win in the eight they possessed.  They got blown out by Missouri and Gonzaga and also lost to Georgia, Maryland and Indiana.  Unfortunately, wins against Sam Houston State and Maine did not prove that this team was any good. 

The Irish started Big East Conference play with more of the same.  At 3-3, they managed to beat Pittsburgh and Louisville, but it was still widely expected that the Fighting Irish were bound to finish as a bottom dweller in the Big East and receive a NIT bid. 

Now in late February, it’s amazing to see how this team turned it around.  At 12-4 in conference and 20-9 overall, could they be the biggest surprise of the year or have they just been over-achieving?

After a difficult loss at Rutgers on January 16, Notre Dame went on to win nine straight conference games, the most in school history.  The streak started when they caught a then #1 Syracuse team flat and directionless as they were playing their first of three games without Fab Melo.  There is no telling if Notre Dame can pull off that win with Melo in the lineup, but that was not their problem as they took advantage of the situation. 

That victory over the Orange may have been the spark that ignited the run, but it was also the fact that the Irish became the anti-Connecticut team.  While UConn possesses boatloads of talent with no team chemistry, Notre Dame makes up for their lack of talent with great chemistry and smart play. 

Jack Cooley, a role player last year, kept his big body, but fine-tuned it from goofy to talented, and is now winning Big East Player of the Week awards.  Combine his skills with great guard play from Jerian Grant and Eric Atkins, two white guys that can shoot and play tough defense in Pat Connaughton and Alex Dragicevich, and you have a solid team that is well-rounded. 

Now the Big East has not played as tough this year as in years past, but it is still a deep conference with no sure-things.  The argument can be made however, that Notre Dame was able to take advantage of a soft patch in their schedule.  With or without Fab Melo, Syracuse is a high quality win given their depth and talent, but they were also able to catch imploding UConn and West Virginia teams.   Their decisive win against Marquette was impressive, but they were also able to get Seton Hall, Rutgers, DePaul and Villanova in that stretch.   Nothing spectacular, but in the end - wins are wins.  

So what changed?  In short, nothing that shows up in the box score changed much.  They increased their assists per game from 14.3 in their first 19 games to 15.4 in the last 10, but their turnovers went up from 9.9 to 10.2.  Their FG%, 3PT% and rebounds per game all have also remained fairly constant.  They did however stiffen up their defense and reduced their opponents FG% from 42% to 38%. 

Notre Dame does rely on the three point shot often and if they don’t shoot well, they don’t have enough inside presence to win games.   This was on display yesterday at St. Johns as the Red Storm did an admirable job of reducing Cooley’s touches and forced the Irish to take a lot of long shots.  The Irish didn’t shoot well, 4 of 31 from three, and ended up losing the game by three points.

Some may say that they were fortunate to even be in the game with St. Johns at the end, but I see that as a positive.  They shot the ball terribly, Cooley never got going, and they still had an open look at the buzzer to send it to overtime.  Most teams would have lost by 15+.

So, what did change then?  The Irish have turned their early season struggles into success by changing their attitude.  Lead by the reigning National Coach of the Year, Mike Brey, this team believes they should be having this type of success.   They are definitely not the most athletic or talented team, but as long as they keep working hard and do not become relaxed, there is no reason why this team can’t continue to enjoy success. 

So, have they over-achieved?  Maybe, but this team earned it through hard work and buying into each other.  The Fighting Irish went from a NIT bid at best six weeks ago to possibly a five or six seed in the NCAA Tournament.  My guess is they get one win before going out in the round of 32, but it is hard to bet against a team that believes they should be winning.    

@shane_t_mac

Marquette is Rolling

Buzz has his team playing some good basketball

The Golden Eagles are ready for March

By Shane McCarthy on February 25, 2012

Sports are supposed to be fun, but really the only way a team and their fans can have fun is with victories.  That’s why when Mr. Sunshine on my god damn shoulders, John Denver, started playing over the loud speakers, Coach Buzz Williams was simply enjoying the moment when he decided to two-step around the court after Marquette’s 61-60 win at West Virginia on Friday night.    

Buzz was not only dancing because of his team’s hard fought victory, in which three starters (Darius Johnson-Odom, Vander Blue, and Junior Cadougan) were all suspended for the first half; he was also dancing because his team is really really good. 

The Golden Eagles have won 12 of their last 13 games, with their lone loss coming at Notre Dame; a game in which they struggled defensively as they were still trying to adjust to the loss of Davante Gardner and the Fighting Irish poured in 11 three-pointers. 

Game in and game out, Marquette’s style is to ‘step up and bring it’.  They drive the speed of the game as they are comfortable with an up-tempo pace, constantly keeping pressure on their opponents.  Being that they are aggressive by nature, it is important that they are able to complement that style with lock-down, aggressive defense.  This allows them to make comebacks when they are trailing on the scoreboard.

As fast and aggressive that Marquette is, they are still able to be controlled and comfortable in their offensive sets.  Their offense is filled with a lot of movement and energy, high screens, low screens, ball reversals, making it very difficult on the defenders. For the most part, almost everyone touches the ball before a shot is taken, unless something really good presents itself early in the possession.  This is the exact opposite of how Truck Bryant orchestrates the West Virginia offense; as he will jack the first open look het gets once he crosses half-court. 

Marquette is certainly not the biggest team in the Big East, and obviously the country, but they are extremely talented at playing small and clever.  No one on the court is better at playing like this than Jae Crowder. 

Not only does Crowder have great knowledge of the game, but he has the ‘will’ to get it done at all times.  He plays bigger than he is, defends all positions extremely well, and knows how to play in and out very well – both defensively and offensively.  It doesn’t matter how tired he is or how much his dreads weigh him down, he is always the hardest working player on the court and he complements the effort with great instincts. 

Crowder’s production and presence on the court allows Darius Johnson-Odom, arguably their best player, to play more freely as he knows that he does not have to do it all on his own.  Complement these two with Vander Blue, Jamil Wilson, Junior Cadougan, and Todd Mayo and you got yourself a team that can stay on the floor with anyone.  And once Gardner makes it back, they will have a big guy to matchup with other talented bigs in the NCAA Tournament. 

Marquette is 13-3 in conference play and 24-5 overall, with their only bad loss coming back in December when they lost at LSU.  After the game Crowder said “We're going to handle it like men, go back, look at the things we did wrong and fix it. Hopefully guys step up to the plate and fix the problem."  The Golden Eagles continue to improve and they have numerous guys that can step up, including Crowder and DJO who can single handedly take over games.  A Final Four appearance should not be out of the question for this team. 

@shane_t_mac