Day 1 is in the books at the Garden and we had some surprises and some results that went pretty much as predicted. Here is a quick look back at Day 1 at the Garden.
DePaul Saves Money Booking Business Man Special On Airfare
The Blue Demons flew into town for their 12 NOON meeting, the meeting lasted just over 2 over and they went straight back to the airport to return home. UCONN looked good, they got scoring from all over, including the 26 that Kemba Walker led the way with. They rebounded, they got to the rim and they advanced to today against Georgetown.
Rutgers claims NJ State Championship in OT
Rutgers wins the rubber match with state rival Seton Hall in the first OT game of the week in NYC. Rutgers jumped out to a big lead, then coughed it up by halftime. The second half and OT were both very competitive but the Scarlet Knights did just enough to advance.
Villanova now on Bubble Watch
Nova blew a 16 point halftime lead and lost to lowly South Florida. Nova was outscored 37-20 in the 2nd half and have now lost 5 in a row and 10 of their last 15. This is a team that was ranked as high as 6th in the nation and started the season 16-1. This is the second straight year they have had a end of year collapse. Last year it ended in the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament. This year Jay Wright and Co. may be luckily to get that far.
STAT OF THE DAY:
Since expanding the tournament in 1985 NO TEAM has every made the tournament losing 5 in a row entering Selection Sunday. Jay Wright and Villanova will be sitting on pins and needles Sunday.
Marquette Gets Tourney Clinching Win
Most people felt that the Golden Eagles were in the NCAA Tournament as long as they didn't have a bad loss in the Big East Tournament. Well, it is kind of tough to have a "bad loss" to ranked teams so the only chance of that happening was last night to Providence. They passed that test and should now be comfortably in the Big Dance.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Big East Tournament LIVE
Feel free to share your thoughts on the game, email The Rant at TheReitmeyerRant@hotmail.com or you can follow my twitter for thoughts and updates, http://twitter.com/#!/kevinreitmeyer
We are underway!
12:17pm- DePaul is now 1-12 from the field! Amazingly they are only down 5.
12:21pm- DePaul on a little run and actually making shots. Down by only 1 now with 11 minutes to go in 1st half.
Love the video that ESPN just showed of DePaul beating Providence earlier this year. The players looked like they wanted to storm the court after their first win in something like 25 straight Big East losses.
By the way, I selected UCONN to win by 15+ in this game in ESPN's Streak for the Cash Contest. My thought was if UCONN can't beat DePaul by that much that they should automatically be eliminated from eligibility for the NCAA Tournament and put into the NIT.
DePaul is 2-54 in the last 3 season against Big East teams. So I ask this question. What conference could DePaul win? Not win a game, win the conference. Are there any?
12:42pm- Announcer just said that DePaul won't change their style. That may be a reason that they have 1 win this year!
12:48pm- UCONN 26 points in the paint, DePaul 22 TOTAL points.
HALFTIME: UCONN - 45, DePaul - 28
Wow, DePaul is bad!
COMMENT FROM FACEBOOK:
if we started a FB Group to have Doris Burke removed from ever calling another NCAA Mens game again, how many ppl would join the group by the end of today? I'm thinking atleast 10,000
I think that is a pretty safe bet! I'd join!
It only took about 10 minutes, the group has been created! JOIN HERE!
1:20pm- 12 point game, UCONN looks like they spent halftime prepping for Georgetown tomorrow already.
1:23pm- Doris Burke is hitting on Kemba Walker I think. This right after the other announcer just commented about the "rich basketball tradition at DePaul." Any chance these are the 3rd tier teams from ESPN only being used today? I sure hope so!
1:32pm- DePaul making a run... Allowing Kemba Walker to make UCONN a 1-man team and knocking down shots on their offensive end. Lead down to 10.
1:37pm- DePaul pressure creating problems, down to single digits now.... Well, it was. Kemba strikes again!
1:41pm- Lead down to 7 now. DePaul hasn't giving up yet. As these fantastic announcers have mentioned a few hundred times, this team believes in Oliver Purnell.
1:52pm- Oliver Purnell trying to use the Mock Turtleneck ala fellow midwest coach Mike Brey to lead his team to victories. It looks just as ridiculous on Purnell as it does Brey.
1:58pm- UCONN looking to end a 6 game losing streak in the BET. Lots due to Alex Oriakhi deciding to show up. He has 15 rebounds, DePaul as a team has 20. That is bad news for the Huskies tomorrow though. Oriakhi hasn't put 2 games together all season.
GAME 1 FINAL
UCONN - 97
DePaul - 71
Yes, DePaul is that bad!
That may be all for today, heading to work now. I may be back in time for some games in the night session!
We are underway!
12:17pm- DePaul is now 1-12 from the field! Amazingly they are only down 5.
12:21pm- DePaul on a little run and actually making shots. Down by only 1 now with 11 minutes to go in 1st half.
Love the video that ESPN just showed of DePaul beating Providence earlier this year. The players looked like they wanted to storm the court after their first win in something like 25 straight Big East losses.
By the way, I selected UCONN to win by 15+ in this game in ESPN's Streak for the Cash Contest. My thought was if UCONN can't beat DePaul by that much that they should automatically be eliminated from eligibility for the NCAA Tournament and put into the NIT.
DePaul is 2-54 in the last 3 season against Big East teams. So I ask this question. What conference could DePaul win? Not win a game, win the conference. Are there any?
12:42pm- Announcer just said that DePaul won't change their style. That may be a reason that they have 1 win this year!
12:48pm- UCONN 26 points in the paint, DePaul 22 TOTAL points.
HALFTIME: UCONN - 45, DePaul - 28
Wow, DePaul is bad!
COMMENT FROM FACEBOOK:
if we started a FB Group to have Doris Burke removed from ever calling another NCAA Mens game again, how many ppl would join the group by the end of today? I'm thinking atleast 10,000
I think that is a pretty safe bet! I'd join!
It only took about 10 minutes, the group has been created! JOIN HERE!
1:20pm- 12 point game, UCONN looks like they spent halftime prepping for Georgetown tomorrow already.
1:23pm- Doris Burke is hitting on Kemba Walker I think. This right after the other announcer just commented about the "rich basketball tradition at DePaul." Any chance these are the 3rd tier teams from ESPN only being used today? I sure hope so!
1:32pm- DePaul making a run... Allowing Kemba Walker to make UCONN a 1-man team and knocking down shots on their offensive end. Lead down to 10.
1:37pm- DePaul pressure creating problems, down to single digits now.... Well, it was. Kemba strikes again!
1:41pm- Lead down to 7 now. DePaul hasn't giving up yet. As these fantastic announcers have mentioned a few hundred times, this team believes in Oliver Purnell.
1:52pm- Oliver Purnell trying to use the Mock Turtleneck ala fellow midwest coach Mike Brey to lead his team to victories. It looks just as ridiculous on Purnell as it does Brey.
1:58pm- UCONN looking to end a 6 game losing streak in the BET. Lots due to Alex Oriakhi deciding to show up. He has 15 rebounds, DePaul as a team has 20. That is bad news for the Huskies tomorrow though. Oriakhi hasn't put 2 games together all season.
GAME 1 FINAL
UCONN - 97
DePaul - 71
Yes, DePaul is that bad!
That may be all for today, heading to work now. I may be back in time for some games in the night session!
Big East Tournament Live Stream
Unfortunately I was unable to attend the Big East Tournament this year, like I have each of the past 12 years. Instead I will be live blogging my thoughts throughout the games as I watch them. I will not be able to be doing this the entire tournament, due to my work schedule (the same reason I couldn't make it to NYC this year), but if I am watching games I will be on my computer talking about them. Check out my Twitter account to for up to the minute thoughts of what is going on in New York.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Big East Tournament Preview
We are on to tournament play. The Big East Tournament kicks off Tuesday in New York City. Let‘s take a look at the final regular season standings as well as the match-ups for New York.
FINAL STANDINGS:
Pitt Panthers 15-3
Notre Dame Fighting Irish 14-4
Louisville Cardinals 12-6
Syracuse Orange 12-6
St. John’s Red Storm 12-6
West Virginia Mountaineers 11-7
Cincinnati Bearcats 11-7
Georgetown Hoyas 10-8
UCONN Huskies 9-9
Villanova Wildcats 9-9
Marquette Golden Eagles 9-9
Seton Hall Pirates 7-11
Rutgers Scarlet Knights 5-13
Providence Friars 4-14
South Florida Bulls 3-15
DePaul Blue Demons 1-17
BET SCHEDULE:
TUESDAY
March 8th:
NOON
9 – Connecticut
Vs
16 - DePaul
2:00
12 – Seton Hall
Vs
13 – Rutgers
7:00
10 – Villanova
Vs
15 – South Florida
9:00
11 – Marquette
Vs
14 – Providence
WEDNESDAY
March 9th:
NOON
8 – Georgetown
Vs
Tuesday NOON winner
2:00
5 - St. John’s
Vs
Tuesday 2:00 winner
7:00
7 – Cincinnati
Vs
Tuesday 7:00 winner
9:00
6 – West Virginia
Vs
Tuesday 9:00 winner
THURSDAY
March 10th:
NOON
1 - Pitt
Vs
Wednesday NOON winner
2:00
4 – Syracuse
Vs
Wednesday 2:00 winner
7:00
2 – Notre Dame
Vs
Wednesday 7:00 winner
9:00
3 – Louisville
Vs
Wednesday 9:00 winner
BET MATCH-UPS:
Here are some match-ups or possible match-ups that could be very interesting games this week in New York.
TUESDAY:
Marquette vs Providence, 9:00 PM
This is an interesting match-up because Providence has the talent to play with every team in the conference and Marquette has struggled to close out this season. I think Marquette is comfortably in the NCAA Tournament, primarily because the field/bubble is so weak this year, but if I were the Golden Eagles, I would not want to leave it in question with the selection committee. A win and Marquette is 100% in, no questions asked. A loss and they should still be in, but you never know.
Seton Hall vs Rutgers, 2:00 PM
This game really doesn’t mean much as far as the NCAA Tournament, but it is 2 rivals playing for a 3rd time this season. The 2 teams split the season series. What is maybe more interesting is the possible 2nd and 3rd round games if Seton Hall wins. The winner would go on to play St. John’s, a team that the Hall just beat Thursday by 14. The winner of that game would get Syracuse, a team that Seton Hall beat by 22 earlier this year. With Jeremy Hazell healthy for the Pirates and some favorable match-ups they are a team that might be able to make a splash in NYC.
WEDNESDAY: (possible match-ups)
Connecticut vs Georgetown, NOON
How strong is the Big East? Both of these two teams were ranked in the top 10 at some point this season, and when they played 3 weeks ago Georgetown was ranked 9th and UCONN 12th. Now they are playing as the 8th and 9th seeds in the Big East Tournament. No word yet on if Chris Wright will be back from his broken hand yet, if not they could be in a lot of trouble. The Hoyas finished the season losing their last 3 games with Wright running the point. UCONN won that meeting between these 2 teams, it was the only time they met this season.
Seton Hall vs St. John’s, 2:00 PM
As mentioned above I think this game could be a very intense game between two teams that just had a very hard fought game the last week of the regular season. St. John’s had their head coach get 2 technical fouls and ejected, then one of their players committed a flagrant foul and was also ejected. There is certainly no love lost between these two teams and it would be fun to see them matched up in New York. St. John’s has not lost in Madison Square Garden since losing to Syracuse on January 12th.
Villanova vs Cincinnati, 7:00 PM
Who would have guessed that of these two teams, Cincy would be the one with the bye in the Opening Round? Both of these teams are in the NCAA Tournament, Nova has been falling fast in seeding and a win for Cincy certainly wouldn’t hurt, but neither of these two teams will have anything to worry about come Selection Sunday. This is going to be a game for the winner to get some momentum going leading into the Big Dance.
Providence or Marquette vs West Virginia, 9:00 PM
This is the game to miss on Wednesday, and luckily it is the last game of the day and session so you can hit the sack early and rest up before another big day Thursday. To be honest none of these 3 teams have impressed me one bit this season. It is kind of crazy that one of these 3 are guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals.
THURSDAY: (possible match-ups)
UCONN/Georgetown winner vs Pitt, NOON
This match-up has been the Championship game in the Big East Tournament 5 times in the last 9 years. Pitt has played UCONN 3 times and Georgetown twice in that span. This is what you get in the Big East, Pitt wins the conference, being in 1st place everyday of conference play and in the 1st round of the Big East Tournament they will be playing a team that has been ranked pretty much all season.
Seton Hall/St. John’s vs Syracuse, 2:00 PM
This game could be the best attended game in an afternoon session in Big East Tournament history. Syracuse claims to be New York’s college team and St. John’s in NYC and this years team has taken the city by storm. St. John’s was in position to have a bye to this round and hold the #4 spot until Seton Hall upset them on Thursday. Syracuse took advantage of that slip up and now gets the double bye.
Villanova/Cincinnati vs Notre Dame, 7:00 PM
This will be a fun match-up no matter if it is Cincinnati or Villanova. Those teams both play a more athletic style of game that really fits their teams. Both are longer teams and have some really good athletes all over the court. Notre Dame is the opposite. They don’t have the athletes of most teams in the conference, but they have the toughness and discipline that not many teams in the conference have. And they can shoot, just ask Villanova about the game last week when ND made 20 of 32 from long range.
West Virginia vs Louisville, 9:00 PM
Louisville is by far the better team, but then again they just lost to the Mountaineers in Morgantown on Saturday. I think that once again the nap cap is the worst game on the schedule Thursday as it is Wednesday.
PREDICTION:
I like Pitt beating Louisville in the Championship Saturday night, giving Pitt their 8th championship game appearance in the past 11 years and 3rd title.
FINAL STANDINGS:
Pitt Panthers 15-3
Notre Dame Fighting Irish 14-4
Louisville Cardinals 12-6
Syracuse Orange 12-6
St. John’s Red Storm 12-6
West Virginia Mountaineers 11-7
Cincinnati Bearcats 11-7
Georgetown Hoyas 10-8
UCONN Huskies 9-9
Villanova Wildcats 9-9
Marquette Golden Eagles 9-9
Seton Hall Pirates 7-11
Rutgers Scarlet Knights 5-13
Providence Friars 4-14
South Florida Bulls 3-15
DePaul Blue Demons 1-17
BET SCHEDULE:
TUESDAY
March 8th:
NOON
9 – Connecticut
Vs
16 - DePaul
2:00
12 – Seton Hall
Vs
13 – Rutgers
7:00
10 – Villanova
Vs
15 – South Florida
9:00
11 – Marquette
Vs
14 – Providence
WEDNESDAY
March 9th:
NOON
8 – Georgetown
Vs
Tuesday NOON winner
2:00
5 - St. John’s
Vs
Tuesday 2:00 winner
7:00
7 – Cincinnati
Vs
Tuesday 7:00 winner
9:00
6 – West Virginia
Vs
Tuesday 9:00 winner
THURSDAY
March 10th:
NOON
1 - Pitt
Vs
Wednesday NOON winner
2:00
4 – Syracuse
Vs
Wednesday 2:00 winner
7:00
2 – Notre Dame
Vs
Wednesday 7:00 winner
9:00
3 – Louisville
Vs
Wednesday 9:00 winner
BET MATCH-UPS:
Here are some match-ups or possible match-ups that could be very interesting games this week in New York.
TUESDAY:
Marquette vs Providence, 9:00 PM
This is an interesting match-up because Providence has the talent to play with every team in the conference and Marquette has struggled to close out this season. I think Marquette is comfortably in the NCAA Tournament, primarily because the field/bubble is so weak this year, but if I were the Golden Eagles, I would not want to leave it in question with the selection committee. A win and Marquette is 100% in, no questions asked. A loss and they should still be in, but you never know.
Seton Hall vs Rutgers, 2:00 PM
This game really doesn’t mean much as far as the NCAA Tournament, but it is 2 rivals playing for a 3rd time this season. The 2 teams split the season series. What is maybe more interesting is the possible 2nd and 3rd round games if Seton Hall wins. The winner would go on to play St. John’s, a team that the Hall just beat Thursday by 14. The winner of that game would get Syracuse, a team that Seton Hall beat by 22 earlier this year. With Jeremy Hazell healthy for the Pirates and some favorable match-ups they are a team that might be able to make a splash in NYC.
WEDNESDAY: (possible match-ups)
Connecticut vs Georgetown, NOON
How strong is the Big East? Both of these two teams were ranked in the top 10 at some point this season, and when they played 3 weeks ago Georgetown was ranked 9th and UCONN 12th. Now they are playing as the 8th and 9th seeds in the Big East Tournament. No word yet on if Chris Wright will be back from his broken hand yet, if not they could be in a lot of trouble. The Hoyas finished the season losing their last 3 games with Wright running the point. UCONN won that meeting between these 2 teams, it was the only time they met this season.
Seton Hall vs St. John’s, 2:00 PM
As mentioned above I think this game could be a very intense game between two teams that just had a very hard fought game the last week of the regular season. St. John’s had their head coach get 2 technical fouls and ejected, then one of their players committed a flagrant foul and was also ejected. There is certainly no love lost between these two teams and it would be fun to see them matched up in New York. St. John’s has not lost in Madison Square Garden since losing to Syracuse on January 12th.
Villanova vs Cincinnati, 7:00 PM
Who would have guessed that of these two teams, Cincy would be the one with the bye in the Opening Round? Both of these teams are in the NCAA Tournament, Nova has been falling fast in seeding and a win for Cincy certainly wouldn’t hurt, but neither of these two teams will have anything to worry about come Selection Sunday. This is going to be a game for the winner to get some momentum going leading into the Big Dance.
Providence or Marquette vs West Virginia, 9:00 PM
This is the game to miss on Wednesday, and luckily it is the last game of the day and session so you can hit the sack early and rest up before another big day Thursday. To be honest none of these 3 teams have impressed me one bit this season. It is kind of crazy that one of these 3 are guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals.
THURSDAY: (possible match-ups)
UCONN/Georgetown winner vs Pitt, NOON
This match-up has been the Championship game in the Big East Tournament 5 times in the last 9 years. Pitt has played UCONN 3 times and Georgetown twice in that span. This is what you get in the Big East, Pitt wins the conference, being in 1st place everyday of conference play and in the 1st round of the Big East Tournament they will be playing a team that has been ranked pretty much all season.
Seton Hall/St. John’s vs Syracuse, 2:00 PM
This game could be the best attended game in an afternoon session in Big East Tournament history. Syracuse claims to be New York’s college team and St. John’s in NYC and this years team has taken the city by storm. St. John’s was in position to have a bye to this round and hold the #4 spot until Seton Hall upset them on Thursday. Syracuse took advantage of that slip up and now gets the double bye.
Villanova/Cincinnati vs Notre Dame, 7:00 PM
This will be a fun match-up no matter if it is Cincinnati or Villanova. Those teams both play a more athletic style of game that really fits their teams. Both are longer teams and have some really good athletes all over the court. Notre Dame is the opposite. They don’t have the athletes of most teams in the conference, but they have the toughness and discipline that not many teams in the conference have. And they can shoot, just ask Villanova about the game last week when ND made 20 of 32 from long range.
West Virginia vs Louisville, 9:00 PM
Louisville is by far the better team, but then again they just lost to the Mountaineers in Morgantown on Saturday. I think that once again the nap cap is the worst game on the schedule Thursday as it is Wednesday.
PREDICTION:
I like Pitt beating Louisville in the Championship Saturday night, giving Pitt their 8th championship game appearance in the past 11 years and 3rd title.
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