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

Mike Rice Suspended for Throwing Balls at Players' Heads

Mike Rice with the rage in his eye

I mean, is there really anything else to be said beyond the headline?

Mike Rice, Rutgers third year head coach, has been suspended for three games and docked $50,000 for whipping balls at his own players’ heads during practice.  This incident happened during his first two years and not this year.  Well, not yet at least.

He will return to the sideline on January 2^nd, in which he and his team won’t have balls thrown at their heads, but it sure may feel like it after Syracuse rolls them at the Carrier Dome for their first Big East game of the season.

Clearly this guy is intense and has anger issues.  And apparently the best way for him to deal with those issues is to use his laser rocket arm to pelt his players with basketballs to the dome.

All you have to do is watch a Scarlet Knights game and keep an eye on him roaming the sideline.  He really is terrifying, but extremely entertaining to monitor because you know a blow-up is only moments away.  You can call it fiery, but his demeanor is more over the top than that.  It’s borderline nuts.

My biggest question is how he went about throwing balls at the heads of his players.  Would he just catch them mid-drill or scrimmage with a ball to the noggin when they were focusing on the game and getting better?  Did he line them up firing squad style and really put the fear into them?   Or, did he go up in the rafters and drop bombs from above?  All seem to be probable scenarios.  If you have any other ideas please leave them in the comments below.

Nevertheless, how did these players continue to play for him?  Seems like he would not only lose respect of the players, but also lose the players as well.  His days at Rutgers could be numbered.

In the meantime, associate head coach, David Cox, will handle the ball throwing coaching duties until Rice returns. 

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Preview: #8 Rutgers Scarlet Knights

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

By:  Shane McCarthy

You have to go all the way back to the 2001-02 season to find the last time Rutgers finished with a .500 record in the Big East.  Last year was another tough season to endure, but fortunately for Rutgers fans - Mike Rice has the Knights on a promising path as he enters his third season as head coach.

Who’s Back:

Eli Carter –G– Soph – 29.8 Min, 13.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.1 apg

Dane Miller –G/F– Senior – 28.8 Min, 7.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.2 apg

Myles Mack –G– Soph – 26.6 Min, 9.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.1 apg

Jerome Seagears –G– Soph – 25.8 Min, 7.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.5 apg

Mike Poole –G/F– Soph – 22.1 Min, 6.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.2 apg

Austin Johnson –C– Senior – 16 Min, 4.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.4 apg

Derrick Randall –F/C– Soph – 11.3 Min, 2.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.1 apg

Malick Kone –G/F– Soph – 9.7 Min, 3.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.4 apg

Kadeem Jack –F/C– Soph – 8.3 Min, 1.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.0 apg

Greg Lewis –F– Soph – 5.9 Min, 0.6 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.3 apg

Incoming Recruits:

Logan Kelly – [Guard] – 6 foot 2, 200

Incoming Transfers:

Wally Judge – [Power Forward] – 6 foot 9, 250

In the class of 2009, Wally was the 15^th ranked player by ESPN and 18^th ranked player by Rivals.com.  He sat out last season at Rutgers after transferring from Kansas St., where it wasn’t working out.  He is extremely athletic and a former McDonald’s All-American, and will provide a sizable body upfront who will be looking to live up to the hype and get Rutgers back to relevance. 

Vincent Garrett – [Guard] – 6 foot 5, 210

Garrett, a junior college transfer from Lee College in Baytown, Texas, brings a scoring touch to Rutgers.  He averaged 16 ppg last year to earn all-region accolades at Lee College.  

Who’s Out:  Gilvydas Biruta 

Outlook:

 

The Big East punishes youth, and the story for Rutgers is very similar to that of St. John’s.  Both teams were incredibly young last year, thrown into the fire, and expectedly struggled to find success.

And the similarity with St. John’s doesn’t end there.  Not only are the Knights expected to have more success due to a year’s experience, but they are getting necessary aid from new comers, and more specifically – an improved front court.

The addition of Wally Judge will likely have the biggest impact.  He's a top 100 recruit who underperformed expectations at Kansas St. and is looking forward to a fresh start.  The Knights lacked physicality in the post, a strength of Judge's.  A change of scenery tends to be beneficial for highly touted recruits, something the Knights are willing to roll the dice on.  Judge's impact alone can be the difference for Rutgers getting to the next level.

Beyond Judge, the Knights will be looking for Randall and Jack to step up in the front court.  As freshmen, they were relatively unproductive.  But with a year's experience, the Knight faithful are hoping they are better prepared for the grueling Big East.

Rutgers is deep at guard, led by Eli Carter.  Expect him to expand on last season's success and lead the Knights in scoring.  Dane Miller has relatively underwhelmed in his 3 seasons thus far, but his size at wing makes him a matchup problem.  Even so, you cannot under estimate senior leadership on the floor.  The rest of the back court will be made up of Mack, Seagears, Poole, Kone and Garrett.  Playing time could turn into a hot-hand situation from game to game.

After two years at the helm, Mike Rice has gotten modest improvements.  This year he will be blessed with a deeper, more skilled squad.  It's been quite some time since Rutgers has been relevant, but year 3 of his tenure is looking promising.

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