Louisville Wins 2012 Big East Tournament Championship

Louisville Vs. Cincinnati Final Score: Cardinals Win Big East Tournament In Slugfest, 50-44

Louisville and Cincinnati met in the Big East Tournament final for a title bout. Instead, the two dog-tired teams played a game that was short on style points and long on satisfaction for the Cardinals, who prevailed in a 50-44 contest.

Louisville's Chris Smith had 15 points, leading all Cardinals scorers, and was assisted by Kyle Kuric, who had 13, and Peyton Siva, who got the most spectacular basket of the night en route to 10 points that cemented him as the Big East Tournament's Most Outstanding Player and made his dad pretty happy.

Cashmere Wright had 16 points for Cincinnati, but the Bearcats had 11 turnovers to just six assists, and struggled from the field (39.2 percent), the three-point line (3-for-14) and the charity stripe (1-for-7), leaving them ill-equipped to keep pace with Louisville.

The game was the lowest-scoring Big East Tournament final ever.

For more on the two teams, head over to Cincinnati Bearcats blog Down The Drive and Louisville Cardinals blog Card Chronicle. For more on the entire tournament, head over to Big East Coast Bias and keep it on our Big East Tournament StoryStream.

ANIMATED: Rick Pitino Tests His Strikeout Move

Louisville Vs. Cincinnati Halftime Score: Cardinals Have 24-14 Lead In Big East Tournament Final

2012 will be the last year of the Big East Tournament in its current format, thanks to a slew of changes to the college athletics landscape driven by football. It's sadly fitting, then, that the Big East Tournament final has looked more like a Big East football game, and that Louisville leads by a football score, 24-14, over Cincinnati at the half.

Louisville's Chris Smith has 10 points to lead all scorers, but he's also the only player with more than five points on the night. Kyle Kuric has those five points, and those two players have combined for six of Louisville's nine made buckets.

Cincinnati's situation is even more dire. The Bearcats have three players with four points each — Yancy Gates, Cashmere Wright, and Dion Dixon — but are shooting a pitiful 24.1 percent from the field.

For more on the two teams, head over to Cincinnati Bearcats blog Down The Drive and Louisville Cardinals blog Card Chronicle. For more on the entire tournament, head over to Big East Coast Bias and keep it on our Big East Tournament StoryStream.

Big East Championship Game Preview: Louisville vs. Cincinnati

For the first time in Big East history, two non-original members will meet inside Madison Square Garden for the conference tournament championship.

Big East Tournament Championship, Cincinnati Vs. Louisville: Game Time, TV Information And More

For the third time in four years, Rick Pitino has guided the Louisville Cardinals to the final of the Big East tournament. They won the 2009 tournament en route to a No. 1 seed and an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, but last season, they were merely another one of Kemba Walker's victims. On Saturday, they face the surprising Cincinnati Bearcats.

Cincinnati has been excellent in their last two games, winning close contests against Georgetown and likely No. 1 seed Syracuse. They have already improved their NCAA Tournament seed by a couple of lines with those two victories, but they'll rise even further if they can win the tournament title. Louisville has been inconsistent this year, but they're getting hot at the right time. They have three wins against quality teams in this tournament already as they had to go through Seton Hall, Marquette and Notre Dame to get here.

Game Date/Time: Saturday, March 10, 9:00 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

You can find a complete Big East Tournament bracket here.

For more on the two teams, head over to Cincinnati Bearcats blog Down The Drive and Louisville Cardinals blog Card Chronicle. For more on the entire tournament, head over to Big East Coast Bias and keep it on our Big East Tournament StoryStream.

Big East Tournament Bracket Update, Louisville Vs. Notre Dame: Cardinals Into Tournament Final With Victory

A combination of bad outside shooting and an athletic Louisville Cardinals team was the ultimate undoing of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who will once again miss out on the Big East Tournament final. Notre Dame played well in the second half, but had no chance to recover from the big lead that Louisville opened up in the first half. The Cardinals' pressure was too much for Notre Dame to handle early, and Louisville held on for a 64-50 victory.

Gorgui Dieng was 8-8 from the field and led all scorers with 16 points. Peyton Siva had a fabulous game for Louisville, racking up 13 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. He wasn't credited with a steal, but played great defensively and helped force a good number of Irish turnovers.

Notre Dame shot 25 percent from the floor in the first half and did well in the second half to push their overall field goal percentage to 35 percent. They were a terrible 2-17 from behind the arc. Meanwhile, Louisville shot 56 percent from the floor and created high-percentage shots throughout the game.

Louisville moves on to face Cincinnati in the Big East final, where the winner will likely get a massive boost in seeding for the NCAA Tournament.

For more on the two teams, head over to Notre Dame Fighting Irish blog One Foot Down and Louisville Cardinals blog Card Chronicle. For more on the entire tournament, head over to Big East Coast Bias and keep it on our Big East Tournament StoryStream.

Big East Tournament Bracket Update: Cincinnati Upsets Syracuse To Reach Finals

The Cincinnati Bearcats might have put the Syracuse Orange's once-assured status as an NCAA tournament No. 1 seed in doubt after stunning the No. 2 ranked Orange, 71-68, in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament. The Bearcats held on after a furious rally, led by Big East Sixth Man of the Year Dion Waiters, and came up just short in the final seconds.

The Bearcats couldn't have come out any hotter in this one, making eight of their first 10 three-point attempts, doubling up the Orange 34-17 more than 10 minutes into the game. Head coach Mick Cronin's players picked apart the patented Syracuse zone with ruthless efficiency, moving the ball around the perimeter, hitting the open three-pointers and using the open spaces in the floor to knock down mid-range jumpers. They compiled 10 assists on their first 11 baskets, which helped them amass a 12 point lead at halftime.

The second half seemed like it was going to be a different story at first, as the Orange, fueled by what might as well have been a home crowd in Madison Square Garden, started to hit some shots and get stops, but they weren't able to close the gap very much, as they were still down 10 with 10 minutes left in the game. Eventually though, the Orange's shots started to fall.

Waiters shot 7-10 from three-point range and tried to almost single-handedly carry the Orange back. He was helped by timely deep shooting from Brandon Triche as well, but after a Waiters three-pointer brought it to within two, Cincinnati's Jaquon Parker made one of two free throws to extend the Bearcats lead to three. Waiters was then fouled before he could get a three-pointer off, made the first free throw on purpose and then made the second despite trying to miss, sealing the Bearcats' upset.

Waiters led all scorers with 28 points, and Sean Kilpatrick and Yancy Gates led the Bearcats with 18 points apiece. The Bearcats shot 10-22 from three-point range in the game, which in the end was simply too much for the Orange to overcome. They'll face the winner of the Notre Dame and Louisville game in the final on Saturday.

For more on the Orange and their loss, visit Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician. For Bearcats reaction to the big win, head to Down The Drive. For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStreamor visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

VIDEO: Big East Basketball Fans Are ... Colorful

Big East Tournament 2012: Bracket And Schedule For Friday's Semifinals

The Big East Tournament is down to four after Thursday's quarterfinals chipped down the field once more. Three of the top four seeds survived to advance to the semifinals, but one team is notably missing despite playing its first game of the tournament on Thursday.

Marquette is the missing team after its loss to Louisville. The Cardinals seem to be peaking at the right time, and are now just two wins away from the auto-bid. They'll face Notre Dame on Friday night after the Irish won an incredibly ugly game over South Florida that we should probably erase from all our memories.

Syracuse also stayed alive with a win on Thursday, moving into the semifinals and, potentially, one step closer to a No. 1 seed. The Orange will face Cincinnati, winners of a double-overtime thriller over Georgetown on Thursday afternoon.

Here is the schedule for Friday's semifinal matchups. The full tournament bracket can be found right here.

7 p.m.: Syracuse vs. Cincinnati on ESPN
9 p.m.: Louisville vs. Notre Dame on ESPN

All times Eastern

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

Notre Dame Vs. USF Final Score: Irish Win Slobberknocker In Overtime, 57-53

Notre Dame's 57-53 win over USF in overtime was anything but pretty. But it got the Irish to their third consecutive Big East Tournament semifinal.

Jerian Grant and Pat Connaughton had 12 points each for the Irish, and Scott Martin added 10 points and 12 rebounds. Notre Dame will move on to a semifinal matchup with Louisville, which upset second-seeded Marquette earlier in the day at Madison Square Garden.

USF got 16 points from Victor Rudd Jr. and 13 from Anthony Collins, but Collins and Jawanza Poland combined for a number of late-game miscues that left the Bulls on the outside looking in of the Big East Tournament semis. The Bulls will have a good chance at an at-large NCAA Tournament berth, but could have used a win over Notre Dame to solidify their chances.

For more on the two teams, check out Notre Dame blog One Foot Down and USF blog Voodoo Five. For more on the 2012 Big East Tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

Big East Tournament Bracket Update: Louisville Knocks Off Marquette To Reach Semifinals

The Louisville Cardinals grabbed nearly every offensive rebound in the world in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament and never trailed the No. 9 Marquette Golden Eagles in an 84-71 victory. Louisville probably moved up a seed or two in the NCAA Tournament with the win, which was powered by point guard Peyton Siva and the long arms of their frontcourt.

The Cardinals came out of the gates on fire, jumping out to a 21-6 lead on the shoulders of Siva and big man Chane Behanan. Defensive stalwart Gorgui Dieng was making it difficult for Marquette to do anything inside, but he went out soon after with foul trouble, when Marquette started to climb back in it.

Marquette began to chip away at the lead in the second half despite foul trouble by Big East Player of the Year Jae Crowder and, well, pretty much everyone. Louisville was in the bonus with 12 minutes left in the game, making it even more difficult for Marquette to come back. The Golden Eagles brought the game to within four points, but couldn't get any closer than that.

The Cardinals pulled down 23 offensive rebounds in all, leading to far too many second-chance points. Seven of Dieng's 10 rebounds were on the offensive glass. Siva, however, was the engine of the Cardinals' attack all game long, finishing with 18 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. Kyle Kuric, despite struggling from the three-point line, led the Cardinals with 20 points. They'll face the winner of Notre Dame and South Florida in the semifinals.

Speaking of struggling from deep, the Golden Eagles shot just 2-13 from distance, but they really lost this one with the turnovers. They had 26 as a team, and point guard Junior Cadougan, largely because of Siva's defense, had eight all by himself. Marquette head coach Buzz Williams is going to be going over the tape of Louisville's press a lot before the NCAA Tournament.

For more on these two teams, visit Louisville blog Card Chronicle, Marquette blog Anonymous Eagle, and Big East Coast Bias. For a complete bracket of the Big East tournament, click here.

ANIMATED: Big East Tournament Logo Fail, Take 2

ANIMATED: Big East Tournament Logo Claims Its Second Victim

ANIMATED: Gorgui Dieng Finds Rick Pitino's Yelling Funny

Big East Tournament 2012, Cincinnati Vs. Georgetown: Bearcats Outlast Hoyas 72-70 In Double Overtime

Led by a monster effort from senior forward Yancy Gates, the No. 4 seed Cincinnati Bearcats outlasted the fifth-seeded Georgetown Hoyas 72-70 in double overtime in a Big East Tournament quarterfinal matchup on Thursday.

It's been an infamously up-and-down season for Gates, who was suspended for five games earlier in the year for his role in Cincinnati's on-court brawl with rival Xavier. Thursday was likely the high point of Gates' year, as he scored a season- and game-high 23 points on 10-of-19 shooting.

Though Gates was the high scorer, it was point guard Cashmere Wright's running bank shot with less than eight seconds to play that proved to be the game-winner. Georgetown's Henry Sims missed a three-pointer at the buzzer on the other end of the floor. The missed shot brought a sour end to what was an otherwise tremendous afternoon for Sims, who finished with a team-best 22 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.

After squandering a late lead in regulation, Cincinnati appeared poised to win the game for a second time on overtime. The Bearcats led by three with 30 seconds to play before a Jason Clark layup cut the lead to one. After Dixon again converted just one of two free-throws, Sims narrowly beat the buzzer with a layup to extend the game by another five minutes.

Georgetown, ranked No. 13 in the latest Associated Press Top 25, was the only nationally ranked Big East team that didn't earn one of the four double-byes in the conference tournament. A loss by the Hoyas in their regular-season finale to the Marquette Golden Eagles allowed Cincinnati to move up and snatch the No. 4 seed.

The prize for the Bearcats is their first ever trip to the Big East Tournament semifinals, where the top-seeded Syracuse Orange waits. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for Friday night at 7 p.m. ET, with ESPN on the coverage.

For more on this game, be sure to check out Down the Drive (Cincinnati) and Casual Hoya (Georgetown).

UConn Vs. Syracuse Final Score: Orange Struggle Early In Second, Recover To Win 58-55

The Connecticut Huskies started the second half brilliantly against the Syracuse Orange after an even first half, but poor shooting late was their ultimate undoing. At one point, UConn had an eight-point lead with just over 12 points remaining, but Syracuse went on a run to take the lead with just over five minutes remaining. UConn couldn't generate offense late, as Syracuse moved on with a 58-55 win.

Syracuse turned the game around with an 8-0 run in the second half, during which James Southerland hit two three-point shots. Their run was almost undone by a hilariously ill-advised 20-foot jumper by Fab Melo, a mistake which earned him an earful from Jim Boeheim and Dion Waiters. Connecticut had plenty of opportunities to come back, but some bad shots by Shabazz Napier -- who was 5-for-17 from the floor -- and a couple of open misses by others.

Incredibly, despite all of their missed opportunities late, UConn were gifted an excellent chance to get back into the game at the end. While down eight points, Napier made a three-pointer while being fouled. He missed the free throw, but Andre Drummond made the put-back for a five-point possession. Southerland made both free throws at the other end, which was followed up by another Drummond bucket. UConn couldn't get a steal on the ensuing inbound pass, as Dion Waiters took it down the floor to run out the clock.

For more on the two teams, check out Connecticut Huskies blog The UConn Blog and Syracuse Orange blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician. For more on the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

Big East Tournament 2012: Cincinnati Vs. Georgetown Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Georgetown Hoyas ended the regular season ranked as the No. 13 team in the country, but were unable to get the coveted double-bye in the 2012 Big East tournament. The reason for that is because their loss to the Cincinnati Bearcats during the regular season gave Cincy the tiebreaker and, with that, the double-bye as the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament.

Georgetown will look to avenge that early-season loss on Thursday afternoon when they tip-off with the Bearcats in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament. The game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. ET, barring an overtime game between Connecticut and Syracuse, and can be watched on ESPN.

Each team ended the regular season with a 12-6 record in the Big East, but Georgetown enters the game with a bit of momentum thanks to Wednesday's 64-52 victory over the Pittsburgh Panthers. Center Henry Sims finished with a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds while Otto Porter scored 20 himself to lead the Hoyas to the quarterfinals.

The Bearcats ended the conference season with wins in seven of their last nine contests, including a win over the then-seventh ranked Marquette Golden Eagles. Cincinnati was led during the regular season by a multitude of players as Sean Kilpatrick, Dion Dixon, Yancy Gates and Cashmere Wright all averaged at least 10 points per game.

The winner of Thursday's game will play the winner of the Syracuse-Connecticut game in the semifinals on Friday.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

Big East Tournament 2012: Connecticut Vs. Syracuse Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The 2012 Big East Tournament is already off to a thrilling start, but the Connecticut Huskies are looking for the first major conference tournament upset when they open play Thursday afternoon. Fresh off of an overtime victory in the second round, Jim Calhoun's Huskies have a date with the top-seeded Syracuse Orange.

Connecticut made a miraculous run through the Big East tourney last season on its way to the NCAA title and is hoping for deja vu all over again this year. A big step in making that happen will take place Thursday when it tips-off against the Orange at noon on ESPN.

The Huskies showed resilience in overtaking West Virginia in overtime on Wednesday, but the Orange represent a more difficult task. On their way to earning the top seed in the Big East and a No. 2 ranking in the country, Syracuse swept the season series -- though they barely escaped Storrs, Conn., with a 71-69 victory on Feb. 25.

It's difficult to project who has the momentum heading into the game considering Connecticut is coming off of an overtime victory to keep their tournament hopes alive, but the Orange are riding a 10-game winning streak themselves. They've had plenty of players step up during their run to the Big East Tournament, but Kris Joseph was their leading scorer during the regular season with 14.1 points per game.

The Huskies were led by their backcourt in Wednesday's win as Shabazz Napier scored a game-high 26 points while Jeremy Lamb added 20 and eight rebounds. Connecticut will rely on both of those players heavily Thursday afternoon, along with freshman Andre Drummond, who scored just seven points and grabbed four rebounds in the second-round game.

The winner of Thursday afternoon's game will play the winner of the Georgetown-Cincinnati game on Friday to determine who goes advances to the tournament finals.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

Big East Tournament 2012: Bracket And Schedule For Day 3

The quarterfinals of the 2012 Big East Tournament begin Thursday afternoon, and that means it is finally time for the top four seeds of the tournament to step onto the court at Madison Square Garden. After receiving double-byes, these teams should be fresh and ready to go.

The first game of the day might just be the best one of the entire tournament, since it pits the No. 1 Syracuse Orange against the Connecticut Huskies. The Orange took both games of the regular season, but they had just a two-point victory on the road in the penultimate game of the Big East schedule.

Below is a complete schedule for Day 3 of the Big East Tournament, as well as an updated bracket:

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals

Noon: Connecticut vs. No. 1 Syracuse (Game 9) - ESPN
2:00 p.m.: Georgetown vs. No. 4 Cincinnati (Game 10) - ESPN
7:00 p.m.: Louisville vs. No. 2 Marquette (Game 11) - ESPN
9:00 p.m.: South Florida vs. No. 3 Notre Dame (Game 12) - ESPN

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

Big East Tournament 2012, South Florida vs. Villanova: Bulls Advance To Quarterfinals With 56-47 Win

Stifling first-half defense and 17 points from freshman guard Anthony Collins led the South Florida Bulls to a 56-47 win over the Villanova Wildcats in the second round of the 2012 Big East Tournament.

The Wildcats entered Wednesday averaging 71 points per game, which ranked fifth in the Big East. The Bulls' defense limited Villanova to just 17 first-half points as the Wildcats were ice cold from the floor all night, shooting just 17-of-51 from the field, and three-of-16 from beyond the arc, in the loss.

Junior guard Maalik Wayns had a team-high 17.9 points per game average entering the night and had a 31.25 shooting percentage from three-point land on the season. On Wednesday night, Wayns was three-of-14 from the floor, missing all seven of his three-point attempts and finishing with just nine points. Junior forward-center Mouphtaou Yarou led the Wildcats with 20 points on eight-of-13 shooting.

In addition to Collins' 17 points, the Bulls got 13 points from forward Victor Rudd., who was also tied for the team-high with six rebounds. Reserve forward Toarlyn Fitzpatrick helped nail down the win with three rebounds and four of his six free throws in the final minute.

With the win, the Bulls improve to 20-12 on the season (12-6 in the Big East) and will face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the No. 3 seed in the Big East Tournament, in the nightcap of the quarterfinal round. The Fighting Irish won their regular season meeting, 60-49 in South Bend Jan. 10. Tip-off is tentatively scheduled for 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York. For news and info on the Villanova Wildcats, head to The Nova Blog. For updates on the South Florida Bulls, check out Voodoo Five.

Big East Tournament 2012, Louisville Vs. Seton Hall: Cardinals Advance To Quarterfinals With 61-55 Win

The Louisville Cardinals held off a late rally by the resilient Seton Hall Pirates to score a 61-55 win and advance to the quarterfinals of the 2012 Big East Tournament.

Junior point guard Peyton Siva had a team-high 14 points with six steals and five rebounds for the Cardinals, who also got 13 points from senior swingman Kyle Kuric. Sophomore center Gorgui Dieng handled the interior, blocking six shots to go along with his team-high 10 rebounds.

The Cardinals limited the Pirates to just 17-of-52 shooting from the field, including three-of-19 from beyond the arc. Louisville head coach Rick Pitino praised the effort of his defense after the game.

"I'm proud of our guys," Pitino told ESPN's Beth Mowins. "They've played awesome defense the whole year. We're a work in progress offensively, but we did a lot of good things going inside to out down the stretch."

Louisville had opened up a 20-14 lead late in the first half before briefly losing the lead after an 8-0 run by the Pirates. The Cardinals stormed out in the second half, leading by as much as 15 points with less than 10 minutes to play before Seton Hall once again rallied to within five with 3:18 to play. Despite Louisville missing seven of their last 10 free-throw attempts, turnovers by Patrik Auda, Jordan Theodore and Herb Pope and missed jumpers kept the Pirates from pulling even.

Theodore led the Pirates with 17 points, while Fuquan Edwin and Pope added 11 points apiece. Pope had a game-high 15 rebounds.

With the win, the Cardinals will play the Marquette Golden Eagles in the quarterfinals. Marquette defeated Louisville 74-63 during their regular season meeting on Jan. 16. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York. For updates on the Seton Hall Pirates, check out South Orange Juice. For updates on the Louisville Cardinals, head to Card Chronicle.

ANIMATED: Peyton Siva's Dunk Causes Dad To Erupt

Big East Tournament 2012, Pittsburgh Vs. Georgetown Final Score: Hoyas Cruise During Second Half, Advance To Quarterfinals

Otto Porter had 14 points in the second half and Henry Sims continued to dominate, as the Georgetown Hoyas defeated the Pittsburgh Panthers to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2012 Big East Tournament. Pitt pulled within two points after going on a quick 5-0 run out of the locker room. They would get no closer, as Georgetown continued to pour on points to lead by as many as 19 on their way to a 64-52 win.

Sims finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds, helping the Hoyas to a massive 33-22 advantage on the boards. Porter contributed six rebounds to go along with his 20 points. Greg Whittington was the only other Hoya to reach double-digits, scoring 11 along with six rebounds of his own.

Ashton Gibbs finished with 14 points to lead the Panthers, but went just 4-for-12 from the field and 2-for-8 from beyond the 3-point arc. As a team, Pitt was held to just 36.7 percent from the floor and 23.8 percent from distance. Lamar Patterson did his part with nine points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. Unfortunately, he had little help from his supporting cast. Hollis Thompson went 1-for-7 from the floor for seven points.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

Big East Tournament 2012, Pittsburgh Vs. Georgetown Score Update: Hoyas Lead 31-23 At Halftime

Wednesday's 2012 Big East Tournament game between the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Georgetown Hoyas has centered on defense through the first 20 minutes. Neither team is lighting up the scoreboard, but the Hoyas hold a 31-23 lead at intermission thanks in large part to the inside presence of Henry Sims.

The 6'10 center leads the team with 11 points to go with his game-leading eight rebounds. He has been a force defensively, altering shots in the paint and helping the Hoyas to a 20-12 rebounding advantage so far. Otto Porter added another six points in the half.

Ashton Gibbs scored all nine of his points consecutively for the Panthers to lead the team going into the locker room. The Panthers led 21-15 at one point, before the Hoyas started chipping their way back into the lead. Nasir Robinson pitched in four points, three rebounds and two assists to the cause. Lamar Patterson was a headache defensively early on, picking up three steals in addition to his three points, three rebounds and three assists. The Panthers committed just three turnovers to seven for the Hoyas.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

Big East Tournament 2012, UConn Vs. West Virginia Final Score: Huskies Outlast Mountaineers In Overtime

The West Virginia Mountaineers went up by as many as 11 points midway through the second half of Wedneday's Big East Tournament game. However, the UConn Huskies outscored the Mountaineers 12-4 over the final 4:20 of regulation to tie the score at 65 apiece and force overtime, before going on to a 71-67 win.

Shabazz Napier was spectacular in the second half, scoring 20 of his 26 points after intermission to lead the Huskies. He fouled out after picking up two quick fouls in the overtime, leaving UConn without one of its only two effective offensive weapons for the game. Jeremy Lamb was the other, scoring 22 points including a 3-pointer with one minute left in OT to put the Huskies up for good.

Forward Kevin Jones did everything he could to help the Mountaineers, scoring 25 on 10-for-21 shooting and hauling in 10 rebounds. He went just 1-for-8 from beyond the 3-point arc, however, where the 'Eers made just 3-of-19 for the game. Darryl Bryant added 20 points, 10 of which came from the free throw line. He made it to the stripe throughout the game, but couldn't get a call with 20 seconds left in overtime and his team down three points when Alex Oriakhi seemingly committed a blocking foul in the lane.

With the win, the Huskies earned a date with the top-seeded Syracuse Orange in the third round of the tournament on Thursday.

For more on this game, be sure to check out The UConn Blog and The Smoking Musket. For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub.

Big East Tournament 2012 Score Update: West Virginia Leads UConn 30-26 At Halftime

A day after finding out that he had not been named Big East Player of the Year, West Virginia’s Kevin Jones is apparently out to prove the league’s voters wrong.

Jones leads all scorers with 13 points and has his eighth-seeded Mountaineers in front of No. 9 Connecticut by a score of 30-26 at halftime.

Jeremy Lamb, who scored 25 points in UConn’s first round victory over DePaul on Tuesday, leads the way for the Huskies with 12 points. None of Lamb’s teammates have scored more than four points.

Connecticut’s 11-of-22 shooting from the field is actually much stronger than West Virginia’s 39.4 percent, but the Huskies are being dominated on the glass to the tune of a 17-9 rebounding advantage for WVU. That advantage has allowed the Mountaineers to attempt 11 more shots than their opponents.

The winner of this game will face regular season champion and top-seeded Syracuse in the quarterfinals at this same time on Thursday.

For more on this game, be sure to check out The UConn Blog and The Smoking Musket.

Big East Tournament 2012: Villanova Vs. South Florida Time, TV Schedule, Bracket And More

The second day of the 2012 Big East Tournament arrives on Wednesday. Wednesday's nightcap will pit the No. 14 Villanova Wildcats against the No. 6 South Florida Bulls. Only one of these teams will be able to advance to the quarterfinals and keep their hopes alive for the conference championship and a 2012 NCAA Tournament bid.

These two teams faced off twice during the 2011-12 Big East regular season and the Bulls handily picked up a win in both games. South Florida defeated Villanova 74-57 in January and 65-51 in February.

The game will tip off at 9:00 p.m. ET and will be televised nationally on ESPN.

The winner of the game will go on to face No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York. For news and info on the Villanova Wildcats, head to The Nova Blog. For updates on the South Florida Bulls, check out Voodoo Five.

Big East Tournament 2012: Seton Hall Vs. Louisville Time, TV Schedule, Bracket And More

The second day of the 2012 Big East Tournament arrives on Wednesday. The seventh game of the tourney will pit the No. 10 seed Seton Hall Pirates against the No. 7 seed Louisville Cardinals in the second round. Only one team will be able to advance to the quarterfinals and keep their hopes alive for the conference championship and a 2012 NCAA Tournament bid.

These two teams faced off once during the 2011-12 Big East regular season. The Cardinals picked up a road win over Seton Hall in January, 60-51.

The game will tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET and will be televised nationally on ESPN.

The winner of the game will go on to face No. 2 Marquette Golden Eagles in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York. For updates on the Seton Hall Pirates, check out South Orange Juice. For updates on the Louisville Cardinals, head to Card Chronicle.

Big East Tournament 2012: Georgetown Vs. Pittsburgh Time, TV Schedule, Bracket And More

The Georgetown Hoyas ended the regular season as the No. 13 team in the country, all but securing them a spot in the NCAA Tournament, but a nice showing in the Big East tournament would surely help when it comes to seeding in said tournament.

The Hoyas will open the Big East tournament against one of the possible sleeper teams when they match up with the Pittsburgh Panthers at Madison Square Garden in a game scheduled for a 2 p.m. tip-off Wednesday on ESPN.

The Panthers, seeded No. 13 in the Big East, rolled over the St. John's Red Storm on Tuesday afternoon for the opportunity to play the Hoyas. Senior guard Ashton Gibbs looked like the Ashton Gibbs everyone expected him to be as he scored 20 points, including four three-pointers, on the way to a 73-59 victory.

Pittsburgh likely won't have as much success against Georgetown on Wednesday, but history shows they have a chance. Pitt picked up a big victory over the Hoyas during the regular season, handing the then Top 10 team a 72-60 loss on Jan. 28. Leading scorers Hollis Thompson and Jason Clark will likely be looking for revenge on Wednesday, though, as they look to avenge one of seven losses they suffered this season.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

Big East Tournament 2012: UConn Vs. West Virginia Time, TV Schedule, Bracket And More

The Connecticut Huskies started off their 2012 Big East Tournament with a win on Tuesday afternoon, but will need to win four games by Saturday to match what last year's counterparts did on their way to the NCAA championship. That journey continues on Wednesday, though, when Jim Calhoun's Huskies take on the West Virginia Mountaineers.

The No. 9 Huskies will meet up with the eighth-seeded West Virginia in Madison Square Garden at noon in a game scheduled to be televised on ESPN.

Connecticut won its first round game against the DePaul Blue Demons on Tuesday rather handily as sophomore wing Jeremy Lamb scored 25 points while adding five rebounds and four assists to help the Huskies to an 81-67 victory. Ryan Boatright came off the bench to score 19 points, too, but his seven assists as the team's backup point guard were equally impressive.

The Mountaineers earned a first round bye in the Big East tournament, making Wednesday afternoon's matchup their first postseason game of the year. They didn't get an easy draw, however, as the Huskies overcame a 10-point second half deficit in January to pull off a 64-57 victory in the two team's only meeting of the season.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

Big East Tournament 2012: Bracket And Schedule For Day 2

The 2012 Big East Tournament will roll into its second round on Wednesday with another four matches and eight more college teams attempting to clinch the conference championship and win an automatic bid into the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

The Connecticut Huskies defeated the DePaul Blue Demons on Tuesday to advance, while the Pittsburgh Panthers upended the St. John's Red Storm. The Seton Hall Pirates easily dispatched the Providence Friars to advance, while the Villanova Wildcats did the same to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

You can find the full schedule for Wednesday's tournament matchups below. All games will air on ESPN.

Wednesday, March 7 - Second Round

Noon ET: No. 9 Connecticut Huskies vs. No. 8 West Virginia Mountaineers (Game 5) - ESPN

2 p.m. ET: No. 13 Pittsburgh Panthers vs. No. 5 Georgetown Hoyas (Game 6) - ESPN

7 p.m. ET: No. 10 Seton Hall Pirates vs. No. 7 Louisville Cardinals (Game 7) - ESPN

9 p.m. ET: No. 14 Villanova Wildcats vs. No. 6 South Florida Bulls (Game 8) - ESPN

Bracket

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

Big East Tournament 2012 Bracket Update: UConn, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, Villanova Advance

There was plenty of action to go around on the first day of the 2012 Big East Tournament. Eight teams squared off with dreams of obtaining the conference championship and entry into the 2012 NCAA Tournament, but only four were able to advance. The others will be heading home or following Wednesday's second round as spectators.

In the game that kicked everything off, the ninth-seeded Connecticut Huskies easily dispatched the No. 16 seed DePaul Blue Demons by a final score of 81-67. Connecticut will advance to the second round on Wednesday to face off against the eighth-seeded West Virginia Mountaineers.

Tuesday's second opening-round contest saw the No. 13 seed Pittsburgh Panthers trounce the No. 12 seed St. John's Red Storm by a final of 73-59. Pittsburgh will take on the No. 5 Georgetown Hoyas in the second round on Wednesday.

The pair of night games began with the No. 10 Seton Hall Pirates squaring off against the No. 15 Providence Friars. Although Providence opened the game by going on a 9-0 run, things quickly went south for them. The Pirates ended up coasting to a 79-47 win. Seton Hall will meet the No. 7 Louisville Cardinals on Wednesday.

In the nightcap, the No. 14 Villanova Wildcats stunned the No. 11 Rutgers Scarlet Knights with a massive second half en route to a 70-49 win. Villanova will take on the No. 6 South Florida Bulls in the second round.

You can find the complete Big East 2012 Tournament bracket by clicking right here.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For all things Big East Conference, you can always stop by Big East Coast Bias.

Rutgers Vs. Villanova Final Score: Wildcats Surprise Scarlet Knights, 70-49, To Advance To Round 2

The No. 14-seeded Villanova Wildcats pulled off a surprising defeat of No. 11 seed the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Tuesday night in the first round of the 2012 Big East Tournament. A huge second half by Villanova ended in a 70-49 win for the Wildcats.

The Scarlet Knights took an early lead and entered halftime with a slim 34-30 lead. After the half, Villanova clamped down on defense and went on an impressive offensive run, resulting in a second half where the Wildcats outscored Rutgers 40-15.

Malik Wayns of Villanova was the leading scorer in the game with 28 points. Check out his highlight reel below.

Villanova now heads to the second round on Thursday where they will take on the No. 6 South Florida Bulls.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, please visit On The Banks. For updates on the Villanova Wildcats, head on over to The Nova Blog.

Rutgers Vs. Villanova Score Update: Sub-.500 Teams Sort Of Playing Like It

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Villanova Wildcats did not have very good seasons in the Big East. Both teams have records that are under .500, both overall and in the conference. Because neither team is fighting for an at-large bid, it felt like there was a chance for a wild and fun basketball game, sort of like the third-place game in any tournament that has a third-place game in any sport. Instead, these look like below-average teams. Rutgers leads 34-30 at halftime.

Neither team is shooting the ball particularly well and it's been a very slow and scrappy affair thus far. Villanova is shooting under 40 percent from the floor while Rutgers has made seven three-point shots and grabbed six offensive rebounds, so it's actually quite admirable that they've been able to keep it so close.

Eli Carter was one bright spot, putting in a great first half performance.

Hopefully the second half produces some better basketball, besides Carter. This is ... uhh ... sloppy.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on these two teams, head over to Rutgers Scarlet Knights blog On The Banks and Villanova Wildcats blog The Nova Blog.

On The Whole, Ticket Prices Down For Most Conference Tournaments

Despite seeing a significant dip in prices, the Big East is still by far the most expensive conference tournament ticket around, according to TiqIQ's data.

Seton Hall Vs. Providence Final Score: Pirates Coast To 79-47 Win

The first five minutes of the Seton Hall Pirates' opening Big East Tournament game were ugly, to say the least. The Providence Friars jumped out to a 9-0 lead as Seton Hall missed their first six shots and turned the ball over three times in that five-minute period. Eventually, they would make a basket and it was all easy from there. The Pirates took the lead with 11:15 remaining in the first half and would never relinquish it as they coasted to a 79-47 win.

Providence kept things interesting in the regular season meeting between these two teams, but couldn't hang with Seton Hall on Tuesday night. The Friars shot just 26 percent from the field as the Pirates expanded their lead at a steady pace throughout the game. Herb Pope and Brandon Mobley were the top scorers for Seton Hall with 16 points each, while five Pirates scored in double figures.

Jordan Theodore had a big game for Seton Hall, tallying 13 points and 13 assists.

This game was a must-win for Seton Hall to keep themselves in the conversation for an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament. It's questionable whether or not they need a win on Wednesday over Louisville to get themselves into the tournament, but this win was massive and keeps their hopes alive.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on the game, be sure to visit our Seton Hall blog, South Orange Juice. For all things Big East Conference, you can always stop by Big East Coast Bias.

Seton Hall Vs. Providence Score Update: Pirates Hold 36-23 Lead At Halftime

The first of two night games in Tuesday's opening round of the 2012 Big East Tournament is underway. The 10th-seeded Seton Hall Pirates are facing off against the No. 15 seed Providence Friars at Madison Square Garden. Through the first half of play, Seton Hall has taken a commanding lead. The Pirates are on top at halftime, 36-23.

Providence went on a surprising 9-0 run in the opening five minutes of play, but the Pirates went ahead just a few minutes later and have led ever since. Seton Hal is playing some solid basketball, including a nice three-point bomb by freshman Brandon Mobley, who leads all scorers at the break with 11 points:

And this terrific dunk from forward Herb Pope:

Pirates guard Jordan Theodore has helped pace Seton Hall to the lead with nine points.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For more on the game, be sure to visit our Seton Hall blog, South Orange Juice. For all things Big East Conference, you can always stop by Big East Coast Bias.

Big East Tournament 2012, Providence Vs. Seton Hall: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

In the first evening session game of the Big East Tournament's first round, the 2012 NCAA Tournament hopes for the 10th-seeded Seton Hall Pirates (19-11, 8-10 Big East) may lie in the balance as the Pirates face a likely must-win matchup against the No. 15-seeded Providence Friars (15-16, 4-14 Big East).

The Pirates seemed to be headed back to the Big Dance for the first time in six years before suffering a stunning blowout loss to conference cellar-dweller DePaul in their regular season finale. It was a defeat that left Seton Hall head coach Kevin Willard both knowing his team's back is against the wall and quoting Keanu Reeves.

"I used the analogy from the movie ‘The Replacements,' " Willard said Monday morning. "It feels like we're in quicksand. We're fighting and fighting and fighting and fighting. It's not like we didn't come out ready. We're fighting and it seems like the more things we tried to do -- the more we tried to fight -- the more we got stuck. And we started sinking."

In order to get themselves unstuck, Seton Hall must first dispatch a Providence team they defeated 66-57 way back on Jan. 7. Sophomore Fuquan Edwin scored a then-career-high 24 points (he'd surpass that total less than a week later in a win over DePaul) and grabbed nine rebounds to help put away the Friars. Edwin (12.6 ppg), along with teammates Herb Pope (15.3 ppg) and Jordan Theodore (16 ppg), is one of three Pirates who enters the postseason averaging double figures.

Providence has four players currently averaging at least 10 points per game, led by junior guard Vincent Council's 16.2 points. Sophomore guard Bryce Cotton averages 14.4 ppg and freshman forward LaDontae Henton chips in 14.3. Sophomore guard Gerard Coleman is fourth at 13.5 ppg.

The winner will face the No. 7-seeded Louisville Cardinals on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. ET.

For more on the game, be sure to visit our Seton Hall blog, South Orange Juice.

St. John's Vs. Pittsburgh, Big East Tournament Final Score: Panthers Advance With 73-59 Victory Over Red Storm

The opening round of the 2012 Big East Tournament kicked off on Tuesday. Two of the 16 teams competing for the conference championship and an automatic bid in the 2012 NCAA Tournament were the St. John's Red Storm, who entered the tournament as the No. 12 seed, and the Pittsburgh Panthers, who came in as the No. 13 seed.

The two teams met in the opening round of competition on Tuesday afternoon. The Panthers jumped out to an early lead and carried a 33-28 advantage into halftime. In the second half, they only extended the lead before eliminating St. John's by a final score of 73-59.

Moe Harkless of the Red Storm led all scorers with 25 points, while D'Angelo Harrison had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds for St John's in a losing effort. On the PIttsburgh side, Ashton Gibbs put up 20 points and Nasir Robinson added another 15.

Pittsburgh will take on the No. 5 Georgetown Hoyas in the second round on Wednesday.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For updates and perspective on the Pittsburgh Panthers, please visit Cardiac Hill. For updates and perspective on the St. John's Red Storm, head on over to Rumble in the Garden.

Big East Tournament 2012, Villanova Vs. Rutgers: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The No. 11-seeded Rutgers Scarlet Knights (14-17, 6-12 Big East) will face the No. 14-seeded Villanova Wildcats (12-18, 5-13 Big East) in the first round of the Big East Tournament on Tuesday evening. Tipoff is slated for 9 p.m. ET; the game can be seen on ESPNU and ESPN3D.

In a game where Villanova led by as many as 18 in the second half, the Wildcats defeated Rutgers 77-71 last week in what was the second-to-last game on each team's regular season schedule. The Scarlet Knights allowed 'Nova to connect on their first nine field goal attempts and race out to a 28-9 lead.

Rutgers rebounded from that loss by knocking off St. John's 61-58 and securing the No. 11 seed. Villanova, conversely, wrapped up its regular season with a 72-68 home loss to Cincinnati.

Junior guard Maalik Wayns is Villanova's unquestioned star, leading the team in scoring at 17.5 points per game. Fellow junior guard Dominic Cheek is a solid second option for Jay Wright, entering the postseason averaging 13.3 points per game. Junior forward/center Mouphtaou Yarou averages 10.9 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds per game, while JayVaughn Pinkston scores 10 points per game.

Rutgers has just one player, freshman guard Eli Carter, scoring in double figures. Carter averages 13.5 points per game. Junior Dane Miller is fourth in scoring with 7.9 points a night and leads the team in rebounding at 6.7 boards per game.

For more on the game, be sure to check out The Nova Blog and On the Banks.

Big East Tournament Bracket Update: Connecticut And Pittsburgh Advance To Second Round

The opening round of the 2012 Big East Tournament kicked off on Tuesday. Sixteen men's basketball teams are competing for the conference championship and an automatic bid for the 2012 NCAA Tournament. The first two games of the tournament are already in the books and two second-round matchups have been set for Wednesday.

In the first game on Tuesday, the ninth-seeded Connecticut Huskies easily dispatched the No. 16 seed DePaul Blue Demons by a final score of 81-67. Connecticut will advance to the second round on Wednesday to face off against the eighth-seeded West Virginia Mountaineers.

Tuesday's second opening-round contest saw the No. 13 seed Pittsburgh Panthers trounce the No. 12 seed St. John's Red Storm by a final of 73-59. Pittsburgh will take on the No. 5 Georgetown Hoyas in the second round on Wednesday.

The last two opening-round games on Tuesday will pit the No. 15 Providence Friars against the No. 10 Seton Hall Pirates at 7 p.m. ET and the nightcap will feature the No. 14 Villanova Wildcats squaring off against the No. 11 Rutgers Scarlet Knights at 9 p.m. ET.

You can find the complete Big East 2012 Tournament bracket by clicking right here.

For complete coverage of the 2012 Big East Tournament, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub. For all things Big East Conference, you can always stop by Big East Coast Bias.

St. John's Vs. Pittsburgh, Big East Tournament Score Update: Panthers Lead 33-28 At Halftime

Pittsburgh closed the first half on a 13-2 run to carry a 33-28 lead into the break against St. John's in the first round of the Big East Tournament.

The Panthers, the tournament's No. 13 seed, are being led in scoring by senior Ashton Gibbs' 15 points. Gibbs is 4-of-9 from the field and 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. Likely Big East Rookie of the Year Moe Harkless leads the way for 12th-seeded St. John's with 13 points.

This is the second meeting between these two teams in less than a week. Pitt hosted the Red Storm last Wednesday and prevailed with a 89-69 blowout victory. Jamie Dixon's teams have won six of their last seven meetings with St. John's.

The winner of this game will face No. 5 Georgetown in the second round on Wednesday afternoon.

For more on this game, be sure to visit Rumble in the Garden (St. John's) and Cardiac Hill (Pittsburgh).

DePaul Vs. UConn Final Score: Big East Tournament Opens With Huskies Win

Connecticut began its quest to repeat as Big East Tournament champion by dispatching of No. 16 seed DePaul 81-67 in the event's opening game.

Jeremy Lamb scored 17 of his game-high 25 points in the first half, as the Huskies carried a 46-33 advantage into the break. That lead ballooned to as many as 22 before DePaul got hot from the outside and chipped away to make the final margin respectable.

The freshmen duo of Ryan Boatwright and Andre Drummond combined for 31 additional points for UConn, which shot 52.5 percent from the field and 8-of-13 (61.5 percent) from three. Cleveland Melvin and Moses Morgan led DePaul in scoring with 19 points apiece.

Connecticut, the defending national champion, moves on to the second round where it will face No. 8 seed West Virginia Wednesday at noon. The Huskies defeated WVU 64-57 back on Jan. 9 in Storrs. A second victory over the Mountaineers would leave UConn feeling far more comfortable about its status heading into Selection Sunday.

This was the second straight time UConn and DePaul squared off in the 9/16 game. A year ago, the Huskies prevailed 97-71 on their way to the Big East title.

For more on this game and Connecticut basketball, be sure to check out The UConn Blog.

DePaul Vs. UConn, Big East Tournament Score Update: Huskies Hold 46-33 Lead

Ninth-seeded Connecticut leads No. 16 DePaul 46-33 at halftime of the first game of the Big East Tournament. The Huskies hit their first seven three-point attempts and are shooting 54.8 percent from the field heading into the break.

All-Big East first team member Jeremy Lamb leads all scorers with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Freshman point guard Ryan Boatright has chipped in 12. DePaul's Worrel Clahar leads the Blue Demons in scoring with eight points.

The winner of this game will face No. 8 West Virginia in the second round Wednesday at noon.

Connecticut (18-12, 8-10), the defending national champion, enters the tournament squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble and desperately needing a couple of wins to feel comfortable about their chances on Selection Sunday.

UConn and DePaul also met in the 9/16 game a year ago, where the Huskies prevailed 97-71 on their way to the Big East championship.

For more on this game and Connecticut basketball, be sure to check out The UConn Blog.

Big East Tournament Odds: Game Schedule And Favorites From Madison Square Garden

The Big East Tournament tips off in Madison Square Garden Tuesday. Get yourself ready for all the week's action with a schedule, early odds, and teams to watch as the week unfolds. All content comes courtesy of SB Nation's partners at OddsShark.com.

2012 Big East Tournament, Pittsburgh Vs. St. John's: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Pittsburgh Panthers and St. John's Red Storm game scheduled for Tuesday afternoon might not be the barn burner everyone was hoping for in the first round of the 2012 Big East Tournament. The two teams will be fighting for their NCAA tournament lives as they attempt to win five games in five nights, however, beginning Tuesday afternoon.

The Panthers and Red Storm will meet for the second time this season when their game gets under way following the conclusion of the earlier game between UConn and DePaul. Tip off is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN2.

Pittsburgh started off the season by winning 11 of their first 12 games, but a bad loss to Wagner in the game before they opened the Big East conference schedule was apparently a sign of things to come. The Panthers, led by senior guard Ashton Gibbs, ended up going 16-15 on the season with a 5-13 record in the Big East.

The Red Storm actually looked like a capable basketball team toward the end of the season, picking up three straight wins -- including one against then-No. 18 Notre Dame -- before adding a 20-point loss to the resume against Pitt on Feb. 29. Moe Harkless and Co. will have their chance at avenging that game on Tuesday afternoon, however, as they fight for an automatic big in the NCAA Tournament.

For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

Big East Tournament 2012 Primer: 5 Days And Streaky Guards

The Big East Tournament gets under way at The Garden on Tuesday. Time to see who might be able to challenge Syracuse for the automatic bid.

2012 Big East Tournament, DePaul Vs. UConn: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The 2012 Big East Tournament will begin with a bang on Tuesday afternoon with the Connecticut Huskies taking on the DePaul Blue Demons at noon in a first round game at Madison Square Garden. The Huskies dominated DePaul during their regular season matchup and will need to do that again if they want to repeat as Big East champs with five games in the next five nights.

The game between Connecticut and DePaul begins a pretty busy opening day Big East tournament schedule. The Huskies and Blue Demons will tip-off at noon ET in a game televised by ESPN2 and will be followed by three other Big East games on the ESPN family of networks before Tuesday is over.

The Huskies are firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble after compiling an 8-10 Big East record to slightly stunt their 18-12 overall record, meaning they'll at least need to win their opening round in the conference tournament to have any hopes at repeating as national champs. If they're going to do that, Jim Calhoun's team will likely need to rely heavily on youngsters Jeremy Lamb, Andre Drummond, Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright.

DePaul likely doesn't have the option of losing in the Big East tournament, however, considering they went just 3-15 in the Big East on the way to a 12-18 overall record. Sophomore forward Cleveland Melvin averaged 17.4 points and 7.3 rebounds this season, but he's the leader of a struggling team as they lost nine straight games before a victory over Seton Hall on Saturday night.

For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

Big East Tournament 2012: Bracket And Day 1 Schedule

The Big East's massive conference tournament kicks off Tuesday with four games between the league's bottom eight teams, but, because the league is so huge, some of these games could have NCAA Tournament implications.

That starts in the first game of the day, when the ninth-seeded Connecticut Huskies take on the 16 seed, the DePaul Blue Demons. The Huskies are the definition of a bubble team — they have a number of good wins, and a number of head-scratching losses — but without a doubt a loss to the Blue Demons, who are coming off a big win against Seton Hall in their regular-season finale, will torpedo their tournament hopes.

The Seton Hall Pirates, the 10th seed, are also on the bubble and need a victory in the tournament's opening round. They take on the Providence Friars, the 15th seed, Tuesday night, and they need to win to fulfill the predictions for them to make the tournament as one of the last at-large teams.

The other two first-round games — St. John's vs. Pitt, Rutgers vs. Villanova — don't have at-large implications, but after Kemba Walker and UConn's run in the tournament last year, it's worth paying attention to every single one of these games.

Schedule

No. 9 UConn vs. No. 16 DePaul, 12 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

No. 12 St. John's vs. No. 13 Pittsburgh, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

No. 10 Seton Hall vs. No. 15 Providence, 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU/ESPN3)

No. 11 Rutgers vs. No. 14 Villanova, 9 p.m. ET (ESPNU/ESPN3)

Bracket

For more on all the teams in the Big East tournament, visit Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York.

Big East Tournament 2012: Bracket, Schedule Announced

The 2012 Big East Tournament bracket was released over the weekend. The Syracuse Orange are the top seed, but the Connecticut Huskies will try to reprise their role as miracle workers when the schedule tips off on Tuesday.