Day 3: Big East Tournament

by James Finneral

Yesterday consisted of two great games featuring teams that should get into the NCAA Tournament. Coming into the semi finals people expected some intense match-ups and these games did not disappoint.

#1 Villanova vs. #4 Providence:

This game featured the Co MVPs of the Big East in Ryan Arcidiacono and Kris Dunn. Kris Dunn looked like the real MVP in this game and lead the way for Providence with 22 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds. Unfortunately for the Frairs basketball is a team sport and their team did not play their best. In the early going Providence's defense was pitiful allowing many layups. Luckily for them Villanova did not take full advantage of the defensive lapses and only lead by 5 at halftime. In the second half the Friars came to life. Although a lot of their points were scored by Kris Dunn, the Friars team looked more energized and focused on the defensive end. For Villanova Daniel Ochefu, Darrun Hilliard and Josh Hart all played well and combined for 45 of the Wildcat's 63 points. The saying "big time players step up in big time games" cannot be emphasized enough in this game. Although Arcidiacono only scored 6 points, he stepped up when his team needed him to. The game was tied with three seconds to go and Arcidiacono drew a foul on Ben Bentil of Providence. Just like big time players should Arcidiacono knocked down both his free throws and won the Wildcats the game after a half court heave from LaDontae Henton. The final score ended up being 63-61 and Villanova is back in the Big East Championship after being knocked out early last year. Villanova played hard all game and deserved to win this one. They are just one game away from one of their main goals and they need to stay focussed and finish the drill.

#2 Georgetown vs. #6 Xavier:

Xavier proved to the nation last night that they are very worthy of a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Big Matt Stainbrook had his way down low and was the key for the Musketeer's offense. When Georgetown double teamed Stainbrook it opened opportunities for shooters to have good looks at the hoop. With their offense flowing Xavier was up by 9 points at halftime. In the early second half Xavier dominated and was up by as much as 21, but then the let their guard down. Georgetown started knocking down jump shot after jump shot and made it a very close game down the stretch. It all came down to free throws in the end and although Xavier missed a couple they were still able to make enough to win the game. For Georgetown Jabril Tarwick had 19 points and Isaac Copeland had 15 points and 7 rebounds. It was a valiant effort by Georgetown, but they dug themselves into too deep a hole in the early second half. Stainbrook lead all scorers with 20 points and he also grabbed 9 rebounds. Xavier advances to face the number one seeded Villanova Wildcats for the Big East Championship. Xavier seems to be hitting their stride at the right time and have a chance to knock off the Wildcats if they play their best.    
                                                                                  

Day 2: Big East Tournament

by James Finneral

The second round is where the real action starts in the Big East Tournament. All of the top teams in the conference are featured in the four games. This is the time where we figure out which teams are contenders and which teams are pretenders.

#1 Villanova vs. #9 Marquette:

Marquette was not ready to face the number four team in the nation last night. They were not able to match up with Villanova the first two times they faced off in the regular season and last night was no different. The Wildcats came out firing three pointers and they kept falling. Josh Hart came off the bench to knock down four three-pointers in the first half to add in to his 20 overall. Hart lead all scorers in the game and that is probably why he won the Big East Sixth Man of the Year Award. The contribution from Hart had Villanova up big at the half. In the second half Darrun Hilliard and Dylan Ennis put the game away with easy buckets. Kris Jenkins dropped 9 off the bench, all from three pointers in the second half. The real highlight for Villanova was their defense. They were able to hold a Marquette team that scored 78 the other night, to 49. This Wildcats team is the most talented in the Big East and if someone wants to beat them, they will have to be ready to go.

#4 Providence vs. #5 St. Johns:   

The unpredictability of March is unreal. The Providence vs. St. Johns matchup was supposed to be a high quality competition with tournament hopes on the line. March has surprised us once again as the Friars beat down the Red Storm. The game featured the top two scorers in the Big East in LaDontae Henton and D'Angelo Harrison, but Henton proved to be more of a factor. Henton shot 7-14 from the field and finished with 20 points to go with 12 rebounds. With an overall great team effort the Friars went into the locker room up by 13 at half. In the second half St. Johns was never able to go on a big run so they could not come back. Co Big East Player of the Year and Providence point guard, Kris Dunn showed once again that he is the real deal. Dunn had a double-double with 17 points and 11 assists including some highlight reel plays. He is a big time player and it will be hard for any point guard to match up with him in this tournament. Rysheed Jordan played well for St Johns, but no one else on the team stepped up and the final score was 74-57. Providence advances to face the Villanova Wildcats who they can beat if they play their best basketball.

#2 Georgetown vs. #10 Creighton:

This game was supposed to be a cake walk for Georgetown, but Creighton showed up to play. In the first half the Creighton defense did not look up to par allowing many layups and fouling a lot. Luckily for Creighton, Georgetown made a couple of mistakes which allowed the Blue Jays to stick around. At the half Georgetown was up 31-25. In the second half it was the D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera show. Smith-Rivera was been one of the best players in the entire Big East. The rest of his team was not capitalizing on the offensive end so Smith-Rivera took it into his own hands. He scored 16 points in the second half and ended with a total of 25, which lead all scorers. James Milliken lead the Blue Jays charge again with 17 and they ended up beating Georgetown by 1 in the second half, but that was not enough. The final score was 60-55. This Georgetown team definitely showed that anyone can beat them and if they don't play their best, they might lose to Xavier who defeated a solid Butler team.

#3 Butler vs. #6 Xavier:   

This was easily the best game of the tournament thus far. Butler started the game up 8-0, but Xavier showed tremendous resilience with a balanced offensive attack. Three pointers were falling and they could score in the paint as well. After some back and forth play, the Musketeers went into the locker room up 30-28. The second half is where it got interesting as both teams held each other to under 30 points. Andrew Chrabascz lead Butler down the stretch coming up with buckets to help the Bulldogs take the lead towards the end of the game. With about two and a half minutes to go Trevon Bluiett knocked down a three that tied the game and neither team scored for the rest of regulation. Bluiett and Jalen Reynolds played well during overtime taking it to the rim and knocking down foul shots. The Butler offense just was not able to get going in OT and they ended up falling to the Musketeers by a final score of 67-61. Xavier has a talented roster that can be a threat to the Georgetown Hoyas in the next round.



The tournament is starting to heat up and I have feeling that there will be some epic showdowns to come.

Day 1: Big East Tournament

by James Finneral

It was a great first day at Madison Square Garden for the 2015 Big East Tournament. With two upsets in the first day of the tournament it is certainly obvious that we are in March.

#8 Seton Hall vs. #9 Marquette: 

Coming into the game people thought that this 8 vs. 9 matchup would come down to the wire, but that was absolutely not the case. A tough Golden Eagles team under first year coach Steve Wojciechowski smacked down a hungry Seton Hall club. Marquette was in control for the entire game. They were able to score from the paint with the power of their big 6'11" center, Luke Fischer who finished with 14 points and 7 rebounds. No one on Seton Hall could stop senior sharp shooter, Matt Carlino. Carlino has been the best player for the Golden Eagles this year and has shot lights out from behind the arch. Last night was no different. Carlino knocked down 8 three pointers which was a large part of his 26 points. After a first half beat down Seton Hall tried to battle back, but the Golden Eagles would have nothing of it. They still beat Seton Hall by 9 in the second half which totalled to a final score of 78-56. Seton Hall freshman, Isaiah Whitehead played well and looks to have a promising future. As for the Golden Eagles they advance to take on the number one seed in the Big East, the Villanova Wildcats. It will be a tough game, but anything can happen in March.

#7 DePaul vs. #10 Creighton: 

This was another game that was not very exciting. The theme of the game was unexpected heroes. Creighton has not been the same team since Doug McDermott left, but they are still playing with some heart. In the first half the teams were evenly matched in terms of offensive efficiency. The only reason this happened was because of Creighton junior guard, James Milliken. Milliken is a starter for the Blue Jays, but has never been their main guy, but he was last night. Milliken finished with 22 points, most of which he had in the first half. He did his part to keep Creighton in the game and his teammates responded in a big way. In the second half the DePaul defense fell apart allowing many layups and stupid fouls. There offense could not pick up the slack and the Blue Devils ended up losing by a final score of 78-63. The were solid efforts by DePaul players, Billy Garret Jr. and Jamee Crocket, but it just was not enough. Creighton received a great spark from Devin Brooks off the bench who finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Milliken and Brooks are the reason why Creighton won and it will be interesting to watch them play moving forward.

If the first day was filled with this much upsets I cannot wait for the rest of the tournament.

A Down Year for the Orange

by James Finneral

With early losses to mediocre teams it did not seem like the Orange would be big hitters in the NCAA this year. They had plenty of talent, but could not seem to pull out victories in big games. The struggles continued when freshman power forward, Chris McCullough went down with a knee injury which sidelined him for the rest of the year. McCullough has NBA potential and was just starting to get used to the program when he went down. Losing McCullough's presence down low was painful because the Orange could not just rely on Rakeem Christmas to match up with the tough ACC front-courts. Then the Orange lost to teams like Miami and Clemson. They still battled towards the end of the season defeating teams like #12 Louisville and  #9 Notre Dame. These late efforts were not enough to put the Orange inside the top 25 and they finished with 18-13 record. This is one of the worst records in recent years for Syracuse, but that was only the beginning of their problems.

The NCAA issued a nine game suspension for legendary Syracuse head coach, Jim Boeheim due to many rule infractions over the years. The NCAA believes that, "it's head mens basketball coach failed to monitor his program". Due to the many violations Syracuse will lose three scholarships per year for four years totaling to twelve overall. The Orange are also forced to remove the wins from the seasons where the violations took place which included 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012. This takes away 108 wins from Boeheim's grand total bringing him significantly down the list of the winningest coaches in college basketball history. Not that it matters with their record, but the Orange also self imposed a post-season ban which means they will not even compete in the ACC tournament. It is depressing to see the year end this way and these violations are going to hurt the Syracuse program in years to come.  

Who's Your MVP?

by James Finneral

Before this year most people believed it would be a two man race between LeBron James and Kevin Durant for the NBA's Most Valuable Player. Given  Durant's injuries and LeBron's adjustment to Cleveland the MVP throne is now open. LeBron has played well this year, but he is on the outside of the MVP conversation. Here are a couple guys that I think are the frontrunners to take home the MVP this year.

3rd Place: James Harden, SG, Houston Rockets: 

James Harden could be the best pure scorer in the NBA. He can take it to the rim and can shoot from anywhere on the floor. Ever since he was traded to the Houston Rockets Harden has taken on the role of being the best player on his team. This year the burden has been even greater on him because powerhouse center Dwight Howard has missed quite a few games for Houston. Harden has responded greatly to the larger work load. This season he has averaged just about 27 points. Something that impresses me more about Harden this year is that he is averaging 7 assists and 5 rebounds. For a guy that is considered to be a scorer and a guy who takes a lot of shots, it is amazing that Harden can average 7 assists. He is leading the Rockets To the playoffs and having a career year and that is why James Harden is a huge candidate for MVP.   

2nd Place: Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors:

The past few years Stephen Curry proved he could play, but this year he has gone above and beyond is one of the frontrunners to win the MVP. Curry is known for his incredible shooting especially from three point range. So far this season Curry has lived up to his reputation shooting 48% from the field and 41% from three. Curry has also developed great point guard skills. He can score at will, but he will often look to dish it to his teammates as well. This year Curry is averaging close to 24 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds. It is amazing that Curry is able to keep up these numbers on such a talented team. Possibly the most impressive thing about Curry is his effectiveness as a leader on the court. He is always keeping the game in control and he has lead this Warriors team to the best record in the extremely tough Western Conference. Curry has turned the Warriors franchise around and could very well being having the best season in the NBA. 

1st Place: Russell Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder:

I know that many people may disagree with me, but I believe that Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder deserves this year's MVP. For my argument I'll start off with the numbers. During this historic run he is putting up, Westbrook has taken over as the NBA's leading scorer with 27 points, trailed by James Harden with 26.9. People take shots at Westbrook for being a ball hog, but the guy averages 8 assists per night. Westbrook is also aggressive on the glass averaging 7 rebounds. Westbrook is also currently on a four game triple-double streak which has only recently been done by Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. That is some nice company to say the least. The statistics are MVP caliber, but what is even more impressive is how his performance is effecting his team. When Kevin Durant went down again people were unsure if the Thunder could make it to the playoffs. Westbrook doesn't care if he has to do it without Durant or with an indented face he is going to lead this team to the playoffs. Much like Harden, Westbrook has responded to the greater burden and the masked man deserves to be rewarded for his hard work. 

Honorable Mentions: 

LeBron James, SF, Cle

Chris Paul, PG, LAC

Anthony Davis, PF, NO

Predicted East All Star Starting Lineup

by James Finneral

It is that time of year again where fans are voting for their favorite players to make it to this year's All Star game at Madison Square Garden in New York. As anyone who follows the NBA knows the fans determine who the starters for the game are. This method has proven to cause corruption or example when Kobe Bryant was voted a starter in last year's game, but then declined and gave his spot to James Harden of Houston. This article will give a prediction on what the rosters will be based on the performance of the players so far.

Eastern All Star Team:

Starters:

PG: John Wall (Was):
In a conference full of talented point guards John Wall stands out amongst the rest and truly deserves to start in this game. Wall takes on the roll of a true point guard who thinks about his teammates first even when he has the ability to score. He has a league leading 10 assists per game to go along with 17 points. More importantly Wall has dug the Washington Wizards out of the hole they have been in for so long. When Washington drafted him first overall in 2010 they where expecting a franchise player and he has exceeded all expectations and is now the best point guard in the Eastern Conference.

SG: Dwyane Wade (Mia): 
Even though the East is not stacked with shooting guards Dwyane Wade is still and All Star caliber player in the NBA. Playing 11 years in the NBA must take a toll on you and it has not shown in Wade. He still averages 23 points and 5 assists. Wade has stepped up after the departure of LeBron James and kept the Heat in playoff contention. He is a timeless player who is consistent year in and year out.

SF: LeBron James (Cle):
Not surprisingly LeBron James currently leads all players in All Star votes. Although right now he is not the outright frontrunner for the MVP right now he is still a dominant force in the league. LeBron does it all averaging 25 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds a night. He has a nice combination of shooting and driving making it easy for him to draw double teams and pass it out. LeBron is currently out with a knee injury and is projected to return to action next week. He is easily an All Star player and could definitely contend for another MVP.

PF: Carmelo Anthony (NY):
Carmelo Anthony may be a small forward and on a terrible team, but he is still worthy of a starting role on this East team. Anthony is another injured player hoping to come back next week. He is playing on the worst team in the East, but he is trying to stay positive. Anthony is a pure scorer averaging 23 points a night with 6 rebounds. Honestly if he plays for the rest of the season his averages will improve. He is popular enough to make it and he is good enough to make it.

C: Pau Gasol (Chi):
Although he is listed as a power forward, Pau Gasol has the ability to play center and is one of the best big men in the league. Gasol is having a career year with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks a night. More importantly he has been a difference maker for the Chicago Bulls this season. He gives Chicago one of the best front-courts and also attracts double teams to give the ball to Derrick Rose or Jimmy Butler. Gasol has been a great addition to the Bulls as well as the Eastern Conference.

This Year's Orange and a Look Ahead

by James Finneral

After such a great start to the 2013-2014 season Syracuse was eliminated by Dayton fairly early in the NCAA Tournament. This year Syracuse is a brand new team losing many seniors and adding two freshman to their starting five.

So far this has not been the start the Orange were hoping for, losing to the two ranked teams they have played in Michigan and Villanova. They have also lost to California and St. Johns who are two solid non ranked teams. Syracuse's wins have been against sub par teams aside from the Iowa Hawkeyes who recently defeated Ohio State. Overall the Orange stand at a record of 10-4 and do not have an easy road ahead of them. Here is a look at some of the players on this years team.

PG: Kaleb Joseph, Fr:
Kaleb Joseph was one of the high profile recruits that the Orange brought in this year. They hoped to keep up the trend of developing young point guards into NBA caliber players. Joseph is extremely athletic and can score from both inside and outside. Thus far he has done a solid job for the Orange averaging 7 points and 5 assists. As the season continues Syracuse hopes that Joseph can be a leader and a floor general for this team much like Tyler Ennis last year.

SG: Trevor Cooney, Jr:
Trevor Cooney has worked his way up the ranks at Syracuse and is now a leader of this team who needs to perform well in order for the Orange to compete. Cooney is purely a shooter who shoots nearly 40% from beyond the three point arch. He is now the second leading scorer on the team averaging 13 points a game. Cooney is going to have keep his production up to help the Orange fight their way back in the tough ACC.

SF: Michael Gbinije, Jr:
Michael Gbinije, a former Duke Blue Devil is taking on a major role for Syracuse this season. This year Gbinije starts at the small forward and is depended upon to score and rebound the basketball. He is debatably the most athletic player for the Orange this year and can score from three point range as well as get to the basket. He is an X factor for the Orange and they need him to improve throughout the season.

PF: Chris McCullough, Fr:
It was evident from when he committed to Syracuse that Chris McCullough was going to be a major part of this year's team. At 6'10", 220 lbs McCullough is a force in the post, but his athleticism makes him even more of a threat. So far he has been great for the Orange averaging nearly 11 points and 7 rebounds. With McCullough alongside Rakeem Christmas the Orange have one of the best front-courts they have had in a while.

C: Rakeem Christmas, Sr:
As a four year senior Rakeem Christmas understands the system that Jim Boeheim runs at Syracuse. This year all of his hard work is finally paying off. After never averaging more than 6 points in his previous three seasons, Christmas is averaging 17 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks a game making him one of the top players in the ACC. He has dominated on both ends of the floor and leads the team in points and rebounds. If he keeps up the good work Christmas will cause havoc to just about every front-court the Orange face.

SF: Tyler Roberson, So:
Roberson comes off the bench for the Orange and effectively scores and rebounds the ball averaging 7 points and 5 rebounds. He is a great relief for Gbinije.

SF: B.J. Johnson, So: 
Johnson has the build of a small forward, but he can also play at the shooting guard. He is an exceptional shooter who can come into the game and give the Orange a spark.

G: Ron Patterson, So:
Patterson is an extremely athletic player who can get himself open shots off the dribble. He is an even better defender and can lock down guards in the ACC.


Looking ahead Syracuse has games against the likes of Duke, Louisville, Notre Dame, Virginia and UNC. Although these games will be tough they are not out of reach for the Orange. They have plenty of talent on their roster they just have to gel. I believe the Orange will pick up some quality wins in the ACC and may creep into the top 25. Syracuse is a NCAA tournament caliber team and are just as good as last year's team that was undefeated at this point. It is a tough road ahead and the will of this Orange team will be tested.