SB Nation - Mike Rosario

The Shotgun/Throwdown: Wednesday (12/23/09) Edition

WVUIE97 — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:31:20 -0000

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information and a few distractions. Today we're being brought to you by Březňák in honor of today's Miss Throwdown.

It's the Day Before the Day Before Christmas and not a creature was stirring, except me...trolling the net for content below. The men are back in action tonight against a formidable #15 Ole Miss team. There will be an edition tomorrow and maybe something small on Christmas as well (I'm gonna play that one by ear and see what's happening). Something tells me I'm supposed to do something of importance on here a bit later today, but I'm not sure what it is. I'm sure it'll come to me. Think...think... The tips, suggestions and requests have been great, but more is always better. Let's get going....

What You May Have Missed:

WVU Football Season Honors - BlueGoldNews.com

All-Decade Varsity Sports Teams - MSNsportsNET.Com

Gator Bowl Report for Wednesday - WVMETRONEWS.COM

Gold and Blue Report for Wednesday - WVMETRONEWS.COM

Finally, a Good playoff/bowl simulation - SI.com/FanNation

Mountaineers in the NFL - WVIllustrated.com

Costly kick in the teeth to bowl teams - SignOnSanDiego.com
Thanks to JP Fanshawe for the find.

News of Note (FB):

Devine, Sanders share WVU offensive honor - Charleston Gazette

Catching up with Big East, Herd bosses - Charleston Gazette
Vingle's Notebook

Gator Bowl closing in on record ticket sales - Charleston Daily Mail

Big Sunday for Brown - Times West Virginian
Hertzel Column

Stewart: WVU underdog in Gator Bowl - Times West Virginian

News of Note (BB):

Huggins to Nation - WVIllustrated.com
Huggs gives the best interviews, talks, etc. Video inside.

WVU coach says team lacking focus and intensity - Charleston Daily Mail

Ole Miss Preview - MSNsportsNET.Com

Preview: Ole Miss - BlueGoldNews.com

No. 6 WVU hosts No. 15 Ole Miss - Times West Virginian

No. 6 vs No. 15 at the Coliseum - WVIllustrated.com

WVU ready for Ole Miss pressure - Charleston Gazette

Mississippi to challenge WVU tonight - Parkersburg News and Sentinel

Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, Duke No. 1 seeds in Bracket Watch - SI.com

An in-depth look at the decade in college basketball - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

WVU Upends UMBC - MSNsportsNET.Com
79-45

Women's Basketball: WVU Up Two Spots in Rankings - MSNsportsNET.Com

Recruiting:

Troy Gloster Leads Stars - WVIllustrated.com

What's On Tap:

Mississippi Rebels vs. West Virginia Mountaineers - ESPN
Tonight at 7:30 from the Coliseum on ESPN2. The line has us by 11.

Harvard Crimson vs. Georgetown Hoyas - ESPN
Noon today from the Phone Booth in DC. Hoyas are giving 13.5.

Delaware Fightin Blue Hens vs. Villanova Wildcats - ESPN
Tonight at 7 from the Pavilion in Philly. Villanova is giving 29.

Around the League (and Beyond):

Nikita Mescheriakov latest Georgetown Hoyas player to transfer - SI.com (AP)

No. 11 Connecticut beats Maine 71-54 - SI.com

Syracuse men's basketball pounds Oakland (Mich.) - syracuse.com
92-60

Cincinnati Bearcats recover for victory over Winthrop - Cincinnati Enquirer
74-57

Strong plans to tap Sanford's mind to bring spread offense to Louisville football - Courier-Journal

Brown sparks Pitt's 74-49 win against Ohio - PPG

Rutgers men's basketball cruises past St. Peter's, 66-42, behind Mike Rosario and Hamady Ndiaye - Star Ledger

Leavitt enthused over JuCo recruits - Tampa Tribune

Videos of Interest:

Thanks to JP Fanshawe for the find again.

Video of (Dis)Interest:

Lutz sent me this one.

And a Christmas Classic Clip:

Christmas Babes Gallery of the Day:

via www.gunaxin.com

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is a gorgeous model of Czech background. She claims they're real, but I contend they fail the "shape changing when laying flat on the back" test. Still magnificent, nonetheless, she can keep me warm anytime. Here's Denise Milani.

via www.zastavki.com

Březňák image via www.restaurace-tivoli.cz

Block Party

ibleedscarlet — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:26:23 -0000

More photos » by Tim Larsen - AP

With Greg Echenique out for the season, Rutgers Center Hamady Ndiaye will have added pressure placed upon him.

Browse more photos »

With the football season officially over, and the bleakness of winter setting in, what do Rutgers fans have to look forward to?

Basketball of course!

The Rutgers basketball team is off to a 9-2 start, as most would expect with their awful non-conference schedule and penchant for playing home games. But Rutgers has played a Top 25 Florida team tough, and beat a pesky Rider team which in years past would have probably lost to.

The bad news, if you haven't heard by now, is that sophomore center, Greg Echenique, is out for the season after suffering a detached retina. Echenique will lobby for a medical redshirt, and should be ready to return to the floor next season for the Knights.

With the loss of Echenique, there's a large hole to fill in the center of the paint. And surprisingly, Rutgers if filling it quite well. In last night's victory 66-42 over St. Peter's, Rutgers recorded a school record 18 blocks, paced by 10 alone from senior center Hamady Ndiaye. Like I said when I watched this team playing down in Atlantic City, Ndiaye brings an excitement to this team down in the post not seen since the likes of Herve Lamizana's time on the banks.

Mike Rosario also had a big game as he recorded his career high with 28 points. Though Rosario is the true catalyst for this team, for Rutgers to have any success in the Big East they must find a reliable #2 and #3 scorer. Rosario had 28, and Ndiaye chipped in with 15, but no other Knight scored more than 5 points (which surely will not cut it in the Big East). Better teams will focus on making Rosario give the ball up and forcing other Knights like Patrick Johnson and Johnathon Mitchell to score.

The schedule turns tougher next week as Rutgers travels to Chapel Hill on Monday to take on #10 North Carolina on ESPN, followed by the start of Big East play against a revived Cincinnati team on January 2nd, and then travel to Morgantown on the 6th. If Rutgers can somehow win 1 of those 3, they'll be in decent shape heading into the heart of conference play.

Poll

How many Big East Games will Rutgers Men's Basketball win this season?

Rutgers Bitten by Gators, Boynton

ibleedscarlet — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:09:48 -0000

More photos » by Tim Larsen - AP

26 days ago: Rutgers' Austin Johnson (21) tries to shoot between Florida's Kenny Boynton (1) and Erik Murphy, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Atlantic City, N.J. on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Tim Larsen)

Browse more photos »

After 20 full minutes of play in the final game of the Legends Classic in Atlantic City, Rutgers was thinking Championship. Then Kenny Boynton took over.

Boynton, a freshman guard took it to the Scarlet Knights in the 2nd half of Florida's 73-58 victory over Rutgers in the Championship game of the Legends Classic at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Boynton had a game high 19 points, as Florida jumped off to it's best start (6-0) since the 2006-2007 season.

Rutgers was led in scoring by Mike Rosario who had 14 points (he was also named to the All-Tournament Team), but struggled in the 2nd half as the Gators pulled away. Though Rosario led the team in points, it was Hamady Ndiaye who led the team on the floor, as the senior played inspired basketball swatting anything in his range and throwing down monster dunks which allowed Rutgers to hang around in the 2nd half.

This was my first time seeing Rutgers this season in person, and I came away impressed. After beating UMass on Friday night, my expectation was that they would get run out of the gym by a stronger and more athletic UF team. But to my pleasant surprise, Rutgers actually played with, and at times, outplayed the Gators in the first half. Though they trailed by 5 at the half, most of that deficit could be attributed to the hot shooting of the Gators from beyond the 3 point line, and some fortunate bounces that went the Gators way.

As expected, the Gators pulled away in the 2nd half. Florida is a more complete and talented team than Rutgers, and they wore down the Scarlet Knights down low in the final period. When Rutgers tried to defend inside, Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker knocked down open jumpers, and when they defended on the perimeter, Florida dumped it down low to Vernon Macklin who provided some rim-shaking highlights.

I was very impressed with Hamady Ndiaye who provided highlights with his high intensity defensive style, and Ndiaye could be seen talking to the younger Knights and giving them the confidence that they need. He truly was the best Scarlet Knight player on the court Saturday night, despite the fact that he only played 17 minutes.

Rosario started off hot, scoring 11 first half points, but was bottled up by the aggressive zone defense that Florida employed in the 2nd half. He was visibly frustrated and forced many shots that weren't there down the stretch. Rosario needs to trust his teammates a bit more and give Patrick Jackson and Johnathon Mitchell more opportunities by drawing double teams. Center Gregory Echenique was largely ineffective recording 0 points in 21 minutes, and providing porous defense. There was a span in the 2nd half where Florida dumped the ball down low 3 or 4 consecutive times and Macklin was able to exploit Echenique for easy Florida points. For some reason he has shown an inability to catch the ball down low, and is becoming a liability down in the post.

Though they weren't able to pull the big upset, I was pleased with what I saw from Rutgers. The team played hard till the end against a superior team, and for a while looked like they had a chance. If they continue to play like they did against Florida, Rutgers should be able to win more than a few games in the Big East.

Rutgers next plays on Thursday night against Princeton at the RAC.

BtB 2009-10 Big East Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:19:46 -0000

The Big East had a BIG season last year, but not quite the monster year many predicted. At the end of the year, the conference only qualified eight teams for the NCAAs, instead the nine or ten many had predicted. Louisville earned the tournament's overall number one seed, while UConn and Pitt joined them on the top line. The Huskies were the only one of this group to make it to Detroit, but the 3 seed in the East region, Villanova, knocked off the Panthers to join Connecticut at Ford Field.

Graduation and the NBA Draft sapped some of the star power from the conference during the offseason, and teams like Pitt and Marquette, look to be in rebuilding mode because of it. Louisville, whose summer included personnel losses and revelations about Rick Pitino's personal life, will be a contender but not quite the power of last year. UConn and Syracuse also lost significant personnel, but have some exciting recruits coming in to fill the voids. Two teams who fell flat last year, Georgetown and Notre Dame could be back, while Cincinnati, St. John's, and Seton Hall may be waking from a long slumber.

But the two teams who appear to be head and shoulders above the rest are the two who lost the least, Villanova and West Virginia. They'll start with the biggest targets on their backs, and they'll take plenty of shots in the early season, particularly in tournament play. Both play in loaded fields this November, the Wildcats in Puerto Rico; the Mountaineers in Anaheim.

More on all 16 teams in the largest league in the land after the jump.

Here's a recap of last year's Big East standings.

Big East Conference Standings

(updated 4.5.2009 at 12:15 AM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Louisville Cardinals	16	2	31	6
Connecticut Huskies	15	3	31	5
Pittsburgh Panthers	15	3	31	5
Villanova Wildcats	13	5	30	8
Marquette Golden Eagles	12	6	25	10
Syracuse Orange	11	7	28	10
West Virginia Mountaineers	10	8	23	12
Providence Friars	10	8	19	14
Notre Dame Fighting Irish	8	10	21	15
Cincinnati Bearcats	8	10	18	14
Seton Hall Pirates	7	11	17	15
Georgetown Hoyas	7	11	16	15
St. John's Red Storm	6	12	16	18
South Florida Bulls	4	14	9	22
Rutgers Scarlet Knights	2	16	11	21
DePaul Blue Demons	0	18	9	24

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order. If a team name appears in red, click it to go to that schools SBNation site, your source for more in depth analysis.

DePaul (last NCAA: 2004) The Blue Demons defeated a league opponent once only last season, bursting Cincinnati's bubble in the first round of the Big East tournament. The pressure is definitely on Jerry Wainwright at the moment, but this team doesn't look like it will improve much. The foundation is good, even with swingman Dar Tucker's departure for the professional game, as 6-10 Mac Koshwal is a beast inside for Wainwright, as he averaged over 12 points and nearly 10 boards a game last year, and Will Walker averaged nearly 15 points a game in the backcourt. But the rest of the squad lacks scoring punch and experience. Ohio State transfer Eric Wallace, Oregon State transfer Eric Wallace, and returnees Devin Hill (3.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg) and Mario Stula (1.7 ppg) will have to produce more to make up for the loss of Tucker, while Jabari Currie (5.3 ppg, 1.8 apg) and Jeremiah Kelly (4.3 ppg, 2.4 apg) will need to help Walker out more in the backcourt. DePaul will play Northern Iowa in the Paradise Jam, then East Carolina or Tennessee in their second game. They'll also head to Tampa to take on Mississippi State in the Big East/SEC Invitational.

Providence (last NCAA: 2004) The Friars won 10 Big East games in Keno Davis' first season at the helm, but ended up in the NIT. Providence's schedule is a big reason for their failure, as they defeated Cincinnati and Rutgers twice, and were swept by Villanova, making their victory total a bit suspect. Providence should drop significantly this season, as they lost four starters off an already disappointing team. Senior point guard Sharaud Curry (11.7 ppg, 4.2 apg) is the lone returning starter, so at least the offense will be in good hands. Production will have to come from 6-5 wing Marshon Brooks (10.6 ppg) and 6-4 Brian McKenzie (4.6 ppg), along with JC transfer Kyle Wright and freshman Duke Mondy, both of whom lit it up at their previous level of competition. 6-9 JC transfer Russ Permenter and 6-8 freshmen Kadeem Bates and James Still will join two redshirt freshmen, 6-6 Jamine Peterson and 6-8 Bilal Dixon, on an all new frontline. How quickly that group can adjust to the rigors of the Big East will determine how well PC can do this season. The Friars don't participate in a tournament this year, but they travel to Alabama and host former Big East member Boston College.

South Florida (last NCAA: 1992) The Bulls should be better this year, but the question is whether that will show up in the standings. Stan Heath returns three starters from a team that won only four Big East contests a season ago, including guard Dominique Jones (18.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.9 apg) and 6-10 forward Augustus Gilchrist (10.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg). Both of those players will receive significant help in their particular units, as Ohio State transfer Anthony Crater will take some of the playmaking pressure off Jones (as will a bigger role for senior Chris Howard, who averaged over 4 assists a game last year) and 6-11 JC transfer Jarrid Famous will combine with Gilchrist to form one of the more intimidating frontlines in the conference. 6-4 guard Mike Mercer (8.5 ppg, 33.3% from 3) returns to the team for his final season after head coach Stan Heath booted him in January for disciplinary issues. USF's freshmen, heavy on guards and wings, includes Joe Dumars' son, Jordan. The Bulls will play in the Charleston Classic before Thanksgiving, where they'll play Davidson on Day 1. A matchup with either La Salle or South Carolina awaits on Day 2. USF will also face San Diego and San Francisco in Las Vegas before Christmas.

Rutgers (last NCAA: 1991) The Scarlet Knights once again struggled in the Big East, winning only two games in the conference in '08-09. Fred Hill's team should face another tough year despite the return of 6-3 sophomore guard Mike Rosario (16.2 ppg) and an improving frontline featuring imposing shotblocker 6-9 Gregory Echenique (8.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.4 bpg) and 6-11 center Hamady Ndiaye (5.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg). 6-7 Jonathan Mitchell, a transfer from Florida, and 6-6 sophomore Patrick Jackson, a rarely used freshman, are expected to contribute as well. While Rutgers is set at shooting guard thanks to Rosario, JC transfer James Beatty will likely replace Anthony Farmer at the point, though junior Mike Coburn (4 ppg, 2.1 apg), last year's backup, will see plenty of time there as well. The Scarlet Knights will make the short trip to Atlantic City, where they'll face UMass in the semifinals of the Legends Classic. They'll play either Florida or Michigan State on the following evening. A December 28 trip to North Carolina also looms large.

Marquette (last NCAA: 2009) The Golden Eagles appear due for a fall in Buzz Williams' second year at the helm. Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews, and Dominic James, Marquette's starting backcourt of a season ago, have all graduated. And while 6-6 F Lazar Hayward (16.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg) is back, that's a lot of production Williams will have to replace. Jimmy Butler (5.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg), another 6-6 forward, should move from the sixth man role to the starting lineup, but he needs to show more offensive consistency. Two-time Wisconsin HS Player of the Year Jeronne Maymon, yet another 6-6 forward, will be expected to contribute immediately, as will 6-7 shot blocking machine Erik Williams. Marquette's all-new backcourt features two JC All-Americans, 6-3 Dwight Buycks and 6-1 Darius Johnson-Odom, and 6-1 Canadian freshman Junior Cadougan, the heir apparent to James. Maurice Acker (2.8 ppg, 1.8 apg), who replaced James when he went out with a broken foot, is also back for the Golden Eagles. Marquette plays in the Old Spice Classic this year, where they open with Xavier. They'll then play either Michigan or Creighton in what has to be called that tournament's Midwestern half of the bracket.

Pittsburgh (last NCAA: 2009) The Panthers will be in full rebuilding mode this season, as Jamie Dixon lost four starters from a season ago. However, the one starter who is back, senior guard Jermaine Dixon (8.4 ppg, 2 apg), is out until November thanks to a broken foot. Reserves Gilbert Brown (5.4 ppg), Brad Wanamaker (5.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg), and Ashton Gibbs (4.3 ppg, 43.9% from 3) will have to take on a greater role, but replacing Levance Fields at the point is the biggest issue for Pitt. Ultimately, Gibbs and Centenary transfer Chase Adams (14.6 ppg, 4.5 apg) will have to shoulder the load. The frontcourt was decimated thanks to the departure of DeJuan Blair, Sam Young, and Tyrell Biggs. 6-10 center Gary McGhee (1.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg in roughly 6 minutes per game) will see a lot more time this season, as will 6-6 swingman Gilbert Brown (5.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg), but 6-9 freshman Dante Taylor, a McDonald's All-American, could become the most exciting frontcourt player for the Panthers this season. Pitt will travel to Kansas City for the CBE Classic, where they'll open against Wichita State. Big 12 power Texas or now-perennially-rebuilding Iowa awaits on the second night.

Seton Hall (last NCAA: 2006) Bobby Gonzalez not only brings back four starters from a season ago, led by offensive force Jeremy Hazell (22.7 ppg), he has several transfers coming in to provide much needed depth. The Pirates' solid backcourt, featuring Hazell, starting point guard Eugene Harvey (12.5 ppg, 4.5 apg), and backup PG Jordan Theodore (5.9 ppg, 2 apg) receives a major reinforcement in the form of Missouri transfer Keon Lawrence (11 ppg, 2.3 apg in '07-08). An emerging frontline, featuring 6-6 Robert Mitchell (14.7 ppg, 8 rpg) and 6-9 John Garcia (8 ppg, 7 rpg), will be even better thanks to the presence of 6-8 New Mexico State transfer Herb Pope, who averaged more than 11 points and almost 7 boards a game in his single season in Las Cruces. Melvyn Oliver, a 6-11 sophomore who weighs in at an immovable 340 pounds and 6-6 Memphis transfer Jeff Robinson will also see some minutes. Seton Hall won't participate in a tournament this year, but they'll still get some time in the sun. They'll travel to Cancun to take on Virginia Tech on the second day of 2010.

St. John's (last NCAA: 2002) Last season, Norm Roberts' Red Storm won 16 games, 6 in the Big East, during a campaign that was plagued by injuries. St. John's hasn't quite been able to shake the injury bug yet, as their best player, 6-7 senior F Anthony Mason, Jr. (14 ppg, 4.3 rpg) will be out until at least late November with a hamstring injury. He only played three games last season thanks to a torn tendon in his right foot. When he returns, he'll join 6-6 junior D.J. Kennedy (13 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and 6-8 junior Sean Evans (10.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg) to form a quality frontcourt. 6-3 junior Paris Horne, who led the Red Storm in scoring a season ago (14.6 ppg), and 5-9 PG Malik Boothe (6.4 ppg, 4.4 apg) will anchor the backcourt, with sophomore Quincy Roberts (5 ppg) and freshman PG Malik Stith, as the supporting cast. St. John's will participate in the Philly Hoop Group Classic over Thanksgiving weekend at the Palestra, where they'll face Siena and Temple.

Notre Dame (last NCAA: 2008) The Fighting Irish have a chance of improving on last year's disappointing 21-win NIT campaign thanks to the return of 6-8 Luke Harangody (23.3 ppg, 11.8 rpg), a player who has numerous school and conference records within reach. In the backcourt, point guard Tory Jackson (10.6 ppg, 4.9 apg) returns, but perimeter sharpshooters Kyle McAlarney (15 ppg) and Ryan Ayers (11.1 ppg) will be sorely missed. Mississippi State transfer Ben Hansbrough, brother of Tyler, will be called on to make up some of that production, though he's just as likely to score inside, as he can really drive to the basket. Unfortunately, another player who would've fit in immediately, 6-8 Purdue transfer Scott Martin, will miss the year with a knee injury. That means 6-8 junior Tyrone Nash (3 ppg, 3.6 rpg) will have to take on a greater role. Ultimately, a lack of depth will keep the Irish from rising too high in the standings, but they should be competitive for an NCAA bid. Notre Dame will participate in the Chicago Invitational Challenge, where they open with Northwestern. The second day the Irish will face either Iowa State or Saint Louis.

Cincinnati (last NCAA: 2005) Thanks to four returning starters and a couple of key newcomers, Mick Cronin's team should be able to improve on last year's 18 wins (8 in the conference), and with the losses other Big East teams suffered, they should get back to the Dance. The Bearcats' strength will be their backcourt, led by all-Big East pick Deonta Vaughn (15.3 ppg, 4.7 apg). He'll receive more help than he had last year, as PG Cashmere Wright is back after missing all of last year with a knee injury and Larry Davis (6.8 ppg) also returns from an ankle injury. 6-9 Yancy Gates (10.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg), who was one of the league's top freshmen last season anchors the frontcourt, which will also feature 6-11 Oklahoma State transfer Ibrahima Thomas (8.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg) when the fall semester ends. However, the arrival of 6-6 New Yorker Lance Stephenson gives the Bearcats a second legit star. New York State's all-time leading scorer averaged nearly 29 points a contest last year, so he should provide an instant boost to a team that was weak on the offensive end last season. Cincy will play in Maui this November, where they open with Vanderbilt. If they win that, a semifinal with Maryland would likely await.

Georgetown (last NCAA: 2008) The Hoyas were touted as a Final Four team by some last year, but struggled with consistency throughout the season. DaJuan Summers left early for the NBA, which is a major blow, and Jesse Sapp, the senior point guard and defensive specialist who saw a lot more action than anticipated last year, graduated, but John Thompson III has plenty of talent returning to improve on last season's 16-15 mark. Chris Wright (12.5 ppg, 3.8 apg) is back to run the point after showing well in his first league campaign. He missed all of the previous conference season with an ankle injury. At the 2 spot, Austin Freeman (11.4 ppg, 2 apg) will be expected to improve his production in Summers' absence. The frontcourt is anchored by conference Newcomer of the Year Greg Monroe (12.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg), but those expected to start alongside him, sophomore PF Henry Sims and freshman SF Hollis Thompson are relatively inexperienced. That means reserve Julian Vaughn (1.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg), who was expected to contribute more in his first year after transferring from Florida State, and occasional starter Nikita Mescheriakov (2.7 ppg, 1.5 rpg) may see quite a bit more time than anticipated. The Hoyas won't participate in a tournament this season, but they will head west to take on Washington in the Wooden Classic (not UCLA, which would make sense) and up to New York to face Butler in the Jimmy V Classic.

Louisville (last NCAA: 2009) Rick Pitino was the center of a lot of unwanted attention this offseason thanks to some well-publicized off the court issues. On the court, the Cards the news was also negative, as the team's two leading scorers and rebounders from last season, Earl Clark and Terrence Williams, are now in the NBA. The cupboard is far from bare for Pitino, however. He has a backcourt led by seniors Edgar Sosa (7.3 ppg, 2.3 apg) and Jerry Smith, a gifted shooter who averaged almost 8 points a game while shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc. Junior Preston Knowles shot even better from outside, 43 percent, as the sixth man last year. The Cards will need their production, along with that of 6-4 freshman sharpshooter Mike Marra and McDonald's All-American PG Peyton Siva, to replace some of the production that left with Clark and Williams. The frontcourt should be a strength, thanks to the return of 6-9 Samardo Samuels (11.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg), though he'll need to be more consistent. Samuels will be challenged by having to do more of the dirty work on the glass, as he was only the third leading rebounder on last year's team. 6-9 sophomore Terrence Jennings should also provide more punch this season, as he averaged 4.2 ppg and 2.9 rpg in only about 12 minutes worth of action as a freshman. Tony Delk, a 6-4 swingman, who averaged less than a bucket a game last year, should also see more time. Besides the traditional game with Kentucky, Louisville will play Arkansas in the Hall of Fame Showcase in St. Louis before they play home games against three mid-major opponents in the same event.

Syracuse (last NCAA: 2009) The Orange lost their three leading scorers--NBA first rounder Jonny Flynn, his Niagara Falls High School teammate Paul Harris, and Eric Devendorf--off a squad that reached the Sweet 16. But don't expect Jim Boeheim's squad to fall too far down the Big East pecking order. Two regular frontcourt starters--6-9 C Arinze Onuaku (10.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.4 bpg) and 6-9 F Rick Jackson (8.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg)-return, as does part-time starter Andy Rautins (10.5 ppg, 36.6% from 3). The newcomers are even more intriguing. 6-7 F Wesley Johnson, who averaged over 12 points and almost 8 boards as a freshman and 12+ points and 4 boards as a sophomore at Iowa State, will fill Harris' spot in the frontcourt. 6-4 freshman Brandon Triche will replace Flynn at the point. The Orange have some talent on the bench, as 6-1 sophomore guard Scoop Jardine returns after sitting out last year injured, 6-7 sophomore Kris Joseph will provide some depth up front, but he'll have to be more consistent than he was as a freshman. 6-8 freshman James Southerland should see some time off the bench because of his ability to shoot. Syracuse makes the short trip to New York City for the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, where they'll face California in the semifinals, then either Ohio State or North Carolina. They'll travel to Tampa to take on Florida in the Big East/SEC Invitational and host Memphis in the Dome.

Connecticut (last NCAA: 2009) Jim Calhoun lost three starters off a Final Four team, Hasheem Thabeet, A.J. Price, and Jeff Adrien, but don't expect UConn to fall too far. PG Kemba Walker (8.9 ppg, 2.8 apg) got a lot of experience off the bench in '08-09 and will be ready to fill Price's shoes at the 1 spot. Freshman Darius Smith should also see some time at the point and maybe even at the 2 spot, thanks to his scoring ability. Jerome Dyson (13.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.1 apg) returns from a torn meniscus to provide more toughness to the backcourt. In the frontcourt, SF Stanley Robinson (8.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg) needs to show more consistency, while 6-9 senior Gavin Edwards steps into a starting role for the first time. Calhoun has some impact youngsters on his frontline, including 6-10 Ater Majok and high school teammates Alex Oriakhi and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel. If the younger frontcourt produces as the season goes on, UConn could go on another long March run. Of course, the ongoing investigation surrounding Josh Nochimson could still lead to some distractions during the season. Schedule-wise, the Huskies will host the North regional of the NIT Season Tip-Off. That should result in the first of two trips to MSG for them, as they also face Kentucky in the Big East/SEC Invitational.

West Virginia (last NCAA: 2009) The Mountaineers bring back the bulk of a team that disappointingly lost to Dayton in the first round of last year's NCAAs. Bob Huggins' frontcourt features two players who will challenge for national honors this year, 6-7 senior Da'Sean Butler (17.1 ppg. 5.9 rpg) and 6-9 sophomore Devin Ebanks (10.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg)-a player who really came on in the second half of last season. PF Wellington Smith (5.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg), a 6-7 senior, should up his performance now that he's recovered from a stress fracture in his leg, while 6-8 sophomore Kevin Jones (6.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg) is another solid reserve player for the Mountaineers. The backcourt will be new as JC transfer Casey Mitchell will be the starting shooting guard and Alex Ruoff's replacement at point guard is a real question mark. Darryl Bryant (9.8 ppg, 2.7 apg), Ruoff's heir apparent, was suspended by Huggins over the summer. Joe Mazzulla (5.6 ppg, 3.7 apg), another player who had to deal with off the court issues last year, is another option. His minutes depend on how well he's recovered from the severe shoulder injury he suffered early last season. The Mountaineers will play in the 76 Classic in Anaheim, where they'll open with Long Beach State. A matchup with either Clemson or Texas A&M awaits on the day after Thanksgiving.

Villanova (last NCAA: 2009) Leading scorer Dante Cunningham (16.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and swingman Dwayne Anderson (9 ppg, 6.2 rpg) may be gone from last year's Final Four team, but there's enough quality on the roster to ensure that the Wildcats remain near the top of the league. Sixth man Corey Fisher (10.8 ppg, 2.8 apg) should move over to the point full-time, while senior Scottie Reynolds (15.2 ppg, 3.4 apg) will continue to help with the playmaking, even in a more offensive role. The frontcourt corps of 6-5 Corey Stokes (9.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg), 6-5 Reggie Redding (7.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg), and 6-8 Antonio Pena (5.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg) will be joined by several newcomers. 6-11 redshirt Maurice Sutton, 6-6 Duke transfer Taylor King, and 6-7 freshman Isaiah Armwood will see considerable minutes, while 6-10 Mouphtaou Yarou, a high school teammate of Armwood, will give the Wildcats an inside dimension they haven't had in years. Nova will play in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off before Thanksgiving. They'll open with George Mason before facing either Dayton or Georgia Tech on the second day.

The Wildcats will hold the Big East's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. There will undoubtedly be a few of their conference brethren joining them.

To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-Big East team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-Big East Team

Player of the Year: Luke Harangody, 6-8 F, Sr. (Notre Dame)

Remainder of the Team
Da'Sean Butler, 6-7 F. Sr. (West Virginia)
Devin Ebanks, 6-9 F, So. (West Virginia)
Greg Monroe, 6-11 F, So. (Georgetown)
Scottie Reynolds, 6-2 G, Sr. (Villanova)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the Big East this season?

Cincinnati

7 votes

Connecticut

9 votes

DePaul

1 votes

Georgetown

24 votes

Louisville

13 votes

Marquette

0 votes

Notre Dame

1 votes

Pittsburgh

6 votes

Providence

0 votes

Rutgers

2 votes

St. John's

1 votes

Seton Hall

1 votes

South Florida

0 votes

Syracuse

10 votes

Villanova

18 votes

West Virginia

19 votes

112 votes | Poll has closed

Getting the Point

ibleedscarlet — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:38:10 -0000

Mike Rosario will have a new running mate in 2009

We interrupt our Most Anticipated Games of 2009 countdown to bring you some Rutgers related news.

Fred Hill and the Rutgers basketball team have signed PG James Beatty for the 2009-2010 basketball season. Beatty was the Knights top recruiting target for this year, and should make an immediate impact in the backcourt.

Beatty is a 6'2 PG, who will join Rutgers from Miami Dade Junior College after leading them to a 26-3 record and a #3 national ranking last season. He was rated among the Top 40 Junior College players after last season. Beatty will have 2 years of eligibility left after he reaches the Banks.

Beatty came to Rutgers because he feels that the team will be able to succeed right away:

"Every team that I've gone to, a year or two before I got there, their won-loss record wasn't as pretty as it was when I was there with the program," he said. "So I am very familiar with this type of situation. Rutgers was a young team last year and a lot of guys got experience. I'm coming in with experience. The players I've talked to are hungry and want to win. With that mentality, I think we have a good shot to win some games this year."

Beatty led the Miami Dade offense to a 91 point per game clip last season, and hopefully his up-tempo style will help envigorate a sputtering Rutgers offense. Hopefully with the maturation of Echenique and Rosario, Rutgers can become more competitive in the Big East, and give the top half of the league a run for their money.

Way Too Early Preview of the Big East

Hire Esherick — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:49:58 -0000

If the pre-season polls are any indication, no one has any idea what to expect from the Big East in the upcoming season. Andy Katz has Georgetown ranked in the top 20 in the nation whereas Adam Zagoria thinks Georgetown will barely crack the top 10 in the Big East. NBE Basketball Report picks Georgetown as 6th in the Big East while this yahoo picks Duke as #2 in the country (that has nothing to do with Georgetown or the Big East but I felt the need to mention it). So I have decided to join in on the madness.

If you hadn't figured out by my previous posts, I think freshmen are overrated. They get all the hype at the beginning of the season, but by the end it is the upperclassmen that carry the team. And I am not talking about Conference USA or Pac-10 freshmen, where the competition is the equivalent of a badminton team, I am talking about the Big East, real basketball. Freshmen do not lead Big East teams to the top of the standings. Take this nugget as evidence; since the 2005-06 season when the Big East expanded to 16 teams, the highest regular season finish for a team that also had the Big East Rookie of the Year was 6th (Marquette in 2006). The average finish for the team of the Big East Rookie of the Year has been 8th. With this in mind, I offer my Big East rankings for the 2009-10 season.

1. Villanova - Scottie Reynolds returns and Corey Fisher will have a breakout year. Nevermind the fact that they have three five-star recruits and All-American transfer Taylor King.

2. West Virginia - Da'Sean Butler and Devin Ebanks are best combo in Big East.

3. Connecticut - lost a ton, but still have a lot. Kemba Walker, Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson keep Uconn near the top.

4. Louisville - they are here because I don't have the stomach to put Georgetown as fourth. And Samardo Samuels and Terrence Jennings are still there.

5. Georgetown - inexperienced bench, talented starting five. People say the season depends on Hollis Thompson, I say it depends on Henry Sims; his ability to take pressure off of Greg Monroe will be the key to the season.

6. Pittsburgh - the cockroach of the Big East, never goes away.

7. Syracuse - nothing will make up for the loss of Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf. Expect Andy Rautins to miss a few games while visiting BFF Cheddar Bob in Slovenia.

8. Cincinnati - brings back essentially the same team in a much weaker conference.

9. Seton Hall - see above.

10. St. John's - lost no one. This would be the best finish for Norm Roberts, who was hired at the same time as JT3. How he has kept his job is nothing short of a miracle.

11. Notre Dame - the return of Luke Harangody means nothing, the overrated Brey will be on the hot seat after another disappointing finish.

12. Rutgers - Mike Rosario has a breakout season.

13. Marquette - lost its three best players, nothing will fill the void.

14. South Florida - lost best player, Jesus Verdejo, who also happens to have the greatest name ever. Nothing hits the spot better than Jesus Wine.

15. Providence - lost five of the eight main players from last year's overachieving team.

16. DePaul - lost the only good player from an 0-18 team. Expect negative wins from this squad this season.

Good talk.

Rutgers Offense Dismal in Loss to Syracuse

ibleedscarlet — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 04:57:40 -0000

The New Mascot of the Rutgers University Men's Basketball team....

With 15:39 to play in the second half of Rutger's game against #25 Syracuse the score was SU 29-RU 28, and a possible upset was brewing. Then as quickly as that thought crossed the minds of the RU faithful, it was gone.

Syracuse used a 14-0 run to quiet the Knights, and outscored RU 41-12 from that point forward in a 70-40 victory tonight at the Carrier Dome. The 40 point total marks the Knights lowest offensive production of the year, and their lowest scoring total since a 62-40 loss at South Florida on January 24, 2007.

Here's a breakdown of the (ugly) stats from the game:

Rutgers	Stats	Syracuse
40	Points	70
25.4%	FG%	54.9%
66.7%	FT %	57.1%
14	Offensive Rebounds	10
13	Defensive Rebounds	25
16.7%	3-Point %	31.6%
9	Steals	12

Obviously the stats tell it all. When you shoot 25.4% from the floor, and let the other team hit over half of their shots you stand NO chance to win. The scary thing is that Syracuse shot only 30% in the first half!!! How is it possible to let a team that shot 30% in the 1st half to finish at 54% for the game??? When Rutgers shot near 25% in the 1st half I figured they would adjust against the Orange defense and shoot a little better in the 2nd half. Clearly I was wrong, since they actually shot worse! 25.4%??! What a joke!

Rutgers was led in scoring by Mike Rosario with 16 points on 6-21 shooting. He was the only Knight to score in double figures. Hamady N'Diaye grabbed 9 boards for the Knights, and contributed 8 points as well, but that's about all the positives there were for Rutgers in this game. It wasn't just the starters who were ineffective, as the bench was non-existant getting outscored 30-1 by the Syracuse reserves.

Paul Harris scored 18 points, and Andy Rautins chipped in with 11 as the Orange improved to 10-7 in Big East play (22-8 overall).

With the loss Rutgers drops to 1-16 in the Big East (10-20 overall). The Knights next game will be a Sunday matinee at the RAC against South Florida. The tip is scheduled for 2:00, and the game will be covered by ESPN 360.

***Note: Barring a bizarre scenario (2 Depaul Wins coupled with a RU loss Sunday), Rutgers will be the #15 seed in the Big East Tournament. If this holds true, Rutgers will play on Tuesday, March 10th against the #10 seed at 7PM at Madison Square Garden***

Poll

Who would you like to see RU play in the 1st Round of the Men's Big East Basketball Tournament?

Cincinnati

0 votes

Georgetown

1 votes

Notre Dame

1 votes

Seton Hall

2 votes

St. John's

5 votes

9 votes | Poll has closed

Almost A Knight To Forget: Notre Dame Survives Mike Rosario, Rutgers 70-65

CW — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:16:01 -0000

It was very ugly, got very pretty, and then very interesting, but the Irish keep their tournament hopes alive by eking one out against a woeful Rutgers team that really came to play. More analysis coming tomorrow (hey, there's Idol, Lost, Real World and the Top Chef finale tonight), but a few key points:

Great adjustments in the second half for Luke Harangody. With Rutgers committing to playing behind him, Harangody realized he needed to be patient, taking his time to either deliver a nice post move or whip it to an open shooter. I didn't count up his second half rebounds, but I'm pretty sure he collected a double-double after the break. It was a nice warm-up for round four against Mount Thabeet, and another great effort from the reigning Big East Player of the Year.
Welcome back, Tory. If Tory is back to the level we know he can play and Jonathan Peoples continues a very nice stretch of play, there's some potential for an effective three guard line-up against smaller teams. Peoples banging around inside (five boards tonight) is a great complement to K-Mac's shooting. Not sure what buttons were pushed before the Providence game, but I like it.
Mike Brey must continue to get Ty Nash minutes. I know he may be tempted to fall back on his veterans, but he has to resist that urge.
Three big-time defensive plays by Ryan Ayers in that key stretch of the second half along with some good passing. It's good to see him contributing even if the threes aren't dropping.
This should go without saying, but Mike Rosario might have a future in this game.

Halfway home Big East awards

Mike Rutherford — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:20:42 -0000

Today marks the unofficial - unofficial as in I'm calling it unofficial - midway point of the Big East season.

On a day of such unofficial splendor, I thought it was only fitting that we hand out some halfway home Big East awards.

Player of the Half Year: Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

It'd be hard to give this award to a guy on a 3-7 team if it were phrased "Most Valuable Player," but it isn't, and 'Gody's stats are up fairly significantly from a year in which he ran away with the award. I still think the race here is wide open, but as of right now Bad Hair-on-Gody is still my pick.

Coach of the Half Year: Buzz Williams, Marquette

Should be unanimous

Freshman of the Half Year: Mike Rosario, Rutgers

Really a toss-up between Rosario and Greg Monroe at this point, and even though I noted the difference between "Player of the Year" and "Most Valuable Player" earlier, I have to admit that I would be leaning towards Monroe if Georgetown hadn't struggled so much recently.

First Team All-Big East Half Year

Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut
Terrence Williams, Louisville
Jerel McNeal, Marquette
DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh

Second Team All-Big East Half Year

Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall
Wesley Matthews, Marquette
Sam Young, Pittsburgh
Jonny Flynn, Syracuse
Da'Sean Butler, West Virginia

Third Team All-Big East Half Year

Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati
Earl Clark, Louisville
Jeff Adrien, Connecticut
Dante Cunningham, Villanova
Dominique Jones, South Florida

Damn, there are a lot of good players in this league.

Feel free to toss out your midway awards in the comments section.

Louisville 78, Rutgers 59

Mike Rutherford — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:14:34 -0000

I'm not going to try and sell you on the notion that Louisville's win over Rutgers Wednesday night was as important or as satisfying as its three prior victories, but I do believe it was every bit as encouraging.

After Rick Pitino's team somehow managed to escape from a hellacious stretch unscathed, the common belief was that it would be difficult for the head coach to get his team up for a tilt with one of the three remaining winless teams in the Big East. What happened was that the Cardinals came out playing every bit as hard as they did against the three ranked foes and their arch-rival. What happened was that U of L used its much ballyhooed defense to trigger a remarkable 23-0 run to put the game out of reach early on. What happened was that Louisville's star player and senior co-captain went at Rutgers the same way he went at Pittsburgh, an act of leadership his teammates couldn't help but mimic.

It didn't induce the same screams, celebrations or hour-later exclamations that the 'Nova, Notre Dame and Pitt victories did, but I loved this win.

No point in beating around the shrub: Terrence Williams is playing like a guy fully capable of leading his team to a national championship. The effort, defense and rebounding have always been there, but all of the sudden he can hit the open outside shot with some consistency, he's making free-throws, and he's completely cut the five-foot fadeaway out of his repertoire and is finishing strong once he gets into the lane.

T-Will is simply playing out of his gourd right now, and it's scary to think about just how good this team could be if he can somehow keep this up. I don't think we can bank on the outside shooting being there night in and night out, but if he can do all the other things as well as be the guy on the floor that his teammates can look to in brief moments of despair, then he can carry this team to Detroit.

Also, if he doesn't hurt his hand on the rim. Seriously, it's cool, but take it easy.

It's become quite obvious that Pitino is using Andre McGee and Preston Knowles the same way a baseball manager uses a talented reliever: he's having them throw everything they have at opponents for four or five minutes, and then he's pulling them regardless of how well or poorly they performed so they'll be able to go full tilt the next time the team needs a jolt.

It's gotten to the point where I'm not even trying to hide my excitement every time I see Knowles and McGee getting ready to check into a game. I've become that annoying grade school basketball coach who was obsessed with defense and keeping your hands up when the other team shot free-throws.

This team, and that guard duo in particular, have made watching defense fun.

Also making watching defense fun: Terrence Jennings. The official stats say he has 19 blocks, I say he has 3,002. When you see an opposing big man grab the ball in the post and show no signs of wanting to kick it out, everyone wearing red knows what's going to happen five seconds before it does.

His effort, his energy and his understanding of what to do on both ends of the floor is up significantly since the first month of the season, and he's become a guy who has really helped this team during its current stretch of success.

Also, he's made three straight free-throws. Let the shaking begin, JJ Redick.

During the first seven minutes of the game, Edgar Sosa appeared to be playing with the completely pass-first mentality of a true point guard. And for the first time since he's been a Cardinal, it felt natural. Though Louisville committed 17 turnovers, not one was attributed to the starting point guard, who finished the night with a team-high four assists.

The most encouraging thing about Sosa's play in recent weeks - to me anyway - is the drastic increase in his effort level. Even when he wasn't playing particularly well against Pitt, his shoulders never dropped and he never regressed to his customary loafing, he just kept playing and ended up making a huge assist to Samuels in the closing minutes. And even though he's apparently never going to be anywhere near the defender his three backcourt mates are, he really is trying, and that's something you couldn't say at any prior point in his collegiate career.

Is Good Edgar through renting and ready to buy? Stranger things have happened.

So Andre McGee gets a T for arguing a bad call in the same manner you see at least once in 95% of college basketball games, but the officials say it's OK for Hamady N'Diaye to have to be restrained by teammates from running out on the court to protest a call? No, these guys are totally consistent. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go stay seven feet away from a point guard so I don't get called for a foul five seconds before I body slam a center in the paint knowing full well that it won't draw a whistle.

Jackasses.

80-59 would have been so much cooler. Steiden would have made it happen.

I loved how Pitino said earlier this week that the team gets energized when it watches itself pressing during film sessions. It made me appreciate this T-Will quote even more:

"We're on a roll right now. We just want to keep it up," Williams said. "We don't want to get too big-headed, just stick with our defensive schemes. Our trap is the main thing that works. Our guards are just dogs on the ball."

These guys all seem to feed off each other so much. When you're on the bench or in the back of the press and you see McGee and Knowles harassing opposing ballhandlers with that type of intensity, you can't help but be inspired to ratchet your own intensity level up a notch.

Have you ever heard an announcing duo so completely dedicated to not talking about the game they're being paid to call? Blind people have to hate ESPNU even more than people who don't have ESPNU.

Fact: The basketball team held Rutgers to less points than the football team did.

Fact: The basketball team could hold the Rutgers football team to less points in a game of football than the football team did.

I'm not really sure how a gym that sees the home team lose as often as the RAC does develops such a widespread "difficult place to play" reputation. It's like saying no high school team in the Louisville area wants to go to Walden on a Tuesday night.

Another great effort (literally) from Samardo, but my man, you simply can't dribble that much that close to the basket and expect things to work out well for you. He got away with it a couple of times against the Scarlet Knights, but he won't against just about anybody else remaining on the schedule.

On a more positive note, he did set the record for most pictures taken of a Louisville player dunking in one season.

Seriously, T-Will dunks 37 times and there isn't a respectable action shot of him to be found, but there are multiple Samardo dunking pictures from games in which he didn't even play.

U of L is 5-0 in the Big East with three road wins and home victories over Notre Dame and Pittsburgh. It just feels good to say.

Before Big East play started, I think all of us would have taken a final record of 13-5 in the league. Well, assuming (I'm fully aware of the dangers) that this team is capable of handling South Florida, Providence, Cincinnati, Seton Hall, St. John's and Depaul, that would leave just two wins to come out of the Syracuse, Connecticut, Notre Dame, West Virginia, West Virginia, Georgetown, Marquette group in order to hit 13.

This team is going to lose games before the end of the regular season, I think we've all accepted that, but it's put itself in prime position to head to Madison Square Garden with a fairly sparkling league record.

Almost Dunking Marques Maybin: 11-0

Everybody else: 2-3

Hero.

Preston Knowles: exists

Hero.

It was great to see Sosa and Earl Clark play so loose and so well in New Jersey, considering the fact that they've always seemed to press when the team has traveled to the Northeast.

Rutgers shouldn't be this bad. Rosario's talent is easy to identify, as is Echenique's, but there's no excuse for guys like J.R. Inman and Corey Chandler to be playing as poorly as they are. I really like Fred Hill - the man punked out Bobby Gonzalez - but if this team hasn't made significant strides by the end of the season, and isn't at least competing for a single-digit finish in the league next year, then it might already be time for the program to start thinking about taking things in another direction.

A Big East program located smack in the middle of so much amateur talent should not be a perennial doormat.

I'm not worried about Jerry Smith. He's one guy who won't let a scoring slump affect his effort level. There's going to be a game soon where a team leaves him alone for five or six big outside shots, and he's going to knock them down. The man's fine.

I think we're probably up against it on Sunday, but I'm still just so excited about this team right now. We're back to where we were a year ago when the time between games starts to feel like an eternity. Tip inside the Carrier Dome can't get here soon enough.

Three-week Big East Co-Champions.

I will buy that shirt.