Archive: March, 2011
Jonathan Tannenwald, Philly.com
NEW YORK - There was enough of a furore after Villanova lost to South Florida. Now fans on both sides of the Delaware River are upset after Rutgers' controversial loss to St. John's.
Here's my take on the matter, if you haven't read it yet. I would also recommend you read Dick Weiss and Roger Rubin of the New York Daily News, Mike Vaccaro and Steve Serby of the New York Post, Brendan Prunty of the Newark Star-Ledger, Stewart Mandel of SI.com and Ryan Feldman of The Hoops Report.
The uproar has rightly been felt across the Hudson River, too. But it won't be long before fans in Manhattan move on to the spectacular slate of games coming today.
Jonathan Tannenwald, Philly.com
NEW YORK - A sold-out Madison Square Garden and college basketball fans across the nation collectively erupted this afternoon, as the end of the Rutgers-St. John's game was marred by multiple extremely costly refereeing blunders.
With 4.9 seconds left in the game and the score 65-63 in favor of St. John's, Rutgers inbounded the ball. A long pass from the end line came to big man Gilvydas Biruta, who couldn't hold onto the ball under pressure from two St. John's defenders.
Red Storm forward Justin Brownlee got the loose ball. He dribbled to midcourt and then, knowing that time was about to expire, took multiple steps without dribbling the ball.
Jonathan Tannenwald, Philly.com
NEW YORK - If you're a Villanova fan, this day stinks. If you're neutral, this day is going to be chock full of really good basketball.
Here's the schedule for the day. I'll be chatting from courtside throughout the afternoon and evening, so come on in and share your thoughts on the action.
Be sure to check out my video analysis of Villanova's loss with The Inquirer's Joe Juliano from last night, and my story from today on the Rutgers-St. John's refereeing controversy.
Jonathan Tannenwald, Philly.com
South Florida 70, Villanova 69: Joe Juliano | Super 'Nova | Ashley Fox | Mike Kern | Sam Donnellon
NEW YORK - It probably wasn't the best choice of words, all things considered. But things get said in the heat of the moment, especially when that moment follows the biggest comeback from halftime in Big East tournament history. Or the first ever win by a 15-seed since the conference expanded to 16 schools.
"You know, this wasn't in the plan," Villanova coach Jay Wright said after watching his Wildcats blow a 16-point halftime lead and lose to South Florida, 70-69, at Madisonm Square Garden.
Jonathan Tannenwald, Philly.com
NEW YORK - Greetings from Madison Square Garden, where as you know by now I'm live-blogging today's Big East Tournament action.
While we have time between games, here's the latest edition of Crunchy Numbers. Thoughts on what you see here?
|
Team
|
Record
|
Conf.
|
Big 5
| |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Drexel |
21-10
|
11-7
|
2-0
|
99 (98)
|
75 (64)
|
80 (79)
|
92 (92)
|
99 (138)
|
La Salle |
14-17
|
6-10
|
2-1
|
168 (184)
|
178 (178)
|
164 (166)
|
220 (219)
|
168 (139)
|
Penn |
13-14
|
7-6
|
1-3
|
176 (176)
|
164 (181)
|
177 (177)
|
219 (224)
|
176 (171)
|
St. Joe's |
9-21
|
4-12
|
0-4
|
204 (203)
|
192 (195)
|
190 (198)
|
231 (231)
|
204 (62)
|
Temple |
24-6
|
14-2
|
3-1
|
38 (35)
|
29 (29)
|
29 (31)
|
16 (17)
|
38 (75)
|
| Villanova | 21-10
|
9-9
|
4-0
|
23 (26)
|
31 (32)
|
23 (21)
|
46 (44)
|
23 (18)
|
Team |
Top 50 wins |
201+ losses |
Avg. win |
Avg. loss |
2
|
0
|
163
|
41
|
|
6
|
0
|
125
|
40
|
|
3
|
2
|
175
|
95
|
|
3
|
1
|
117
|
53
|
|
1
|
2
|
186
|
106
|
|
1
|
0
|
192
|
47
|
|
0
|
2
|
225
|
123
|
|
0
|
1
|
215
|
102
|
|
0
|
1
|
206
|
90
|
|
0
|
4
|
226
|
118
|
|
1
|
2
|
212
|
92
|
|
0
|
6
|
244
|
172
|
|
0
|
4
|
256
|
138
|
|
0
|
0
|
191
|
95
|
|
0
|
6
|
279
|
151
|
|
0
|
8
|
220
|
188
|
Jonathan Tannenwald, Philly.com
NEW YORK - One of the best weeks of the college basketball season, perhaps the best full-length week of them all, has finally arrived.
Championship Week kicks into high gear today as Madison Square Garden opens its doors once again to the Big East. Fans of all 16 of the conference's schools - yes, even DePaul and South Florida - have made their way to Manhattan for one of the best conference tournaments in the nation.
There will be four games today, including Villanova-South Florida at 7:00 p.m. I'll be chatting live during that game, and posting updates on the rest of the action at the Garden throughout the day.
Jonathan Tannenwald, Philly.com
There are some very upset Villanova fans out there, in case you haven't heard...
1. Temple, 25 points (11 first-place votes)
- "They deserve it and got shafted in the national rankings. A clear dis of Philadelphia basketball, not to be taken lying down." (Patrick Flannery)
2. Villanova, 70 points (2 first-place votes)
- "I take no pride at all in saying 'I told you so' to all the 'Nova fans who gave me grief the months ago when I saw the lack of heart in the players and the fan base of this team. It has now been chronicled by every newspaper and blog in the country." Nick Catrambone)
- "Bold prediction: This week I won't be the only voter to put Villanova dead last." (Brian Ewart)
Jonathan Tannenwald, Philly.com
Now that it's March, I'd like to take a bit of a different approach towards our weekly stats roundup.
Specifically, I'd like to tell Villanova fans to back away from the ledge and breathe. Despite the mass outbreak of paranoid hysteria on Lancaster Ave., I find it very hard to believe that the Wildcats could miss the NCAA Tournament.
Villanova just has too many quality wins. Despite the Wildcats' ugly losing streak and even uglier brand of basketball being played at the moment, the team's non-conference schedule is almost certainly going to carry the 'Cats into the Big Dance.
|
Team
|
Record
|
Conf.
|
Big 5
| |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Drexel |
20-9
|
11-7
|
2-0
|
98 (99)
|
64 (70)
|
79 (86)
|
92 (99)
|
138 (134)
|
La Salle |
13-16
|
5-9
|
2-1
|
184 (188)
|
178 (183)
|
166 (169)
|
219 (222)
|
139 (147)
|
Penn |
12-13
|
6-5
|
1-3
|
176 (169)
|
181 (155)
|
177 (170)
|
224 (214)
|
171 (149)
|
St. Joe's |
8-20
|
3-11
|
0-4
|
203 (202)
|
195 (198)
|
198 (199)
|
231 (230)
|
62 (54)
|
Temple |
22-6
|
12-2
|
2-1
|
35 (34)
|
29 (t32)
|
31 (30)
|
17 (17)
|
75 (86)
|
| Villanova | 21-9
|
9-8
|
4-0
|
26 (16)
|
32 (28)
|
21 (17)
|
44 (30)
|
18 (21)
|
Team |
Top 50 wins |
201+ losses |
Avg. win |
Avg. loss |
6
|
0
|
128
|
42
|
|
2
|
0
|
163
|
43
|
|
2
|
2
|
172
|
95
|
|
3
|
1
|
119
|
53
|
|
1
|
0
|
194
|
39
|
|
1
|
1
|
182
|
112
|
|
0
|
2
|
226
|
121
|
|
0
|
4
|
215
|
126
|
|
0
|
0
|
218
|
106
|
|
0
|
1
|
200
|
94
|
|
1
|
2
|
218
|
96
|
|
0
|
6
|
247
|
178
|
|
0
|
4
|
266
|
139
|
|
0
|
0
|
185
|
97
|
|
0
|
5
|
283
|
152
|
|
0
|
7
|
220
|
179
|
Team |
Top 50 wins |
201+ losses |
Avg. win |
Avg. loss |
6
|
0
|
103
|
33
|
|
3
|
1
|
132
|
77
|
|
5
|
0
|
129
|
50
|
|
2
|
0
|
151
|
79
|
|
3
|
0
|
155
|
39
|
|
3
|
0
|
152
|
56
|
|
4
|
0
|
151
|
30
|
|
2
|
0
|
163
|
43
|
|
4
|
0
|
142
|
51
|
|
0
|
0
|
168
|
56
|
|
6
|
0
|
128
|
42
|
|
4
|
0
|
142
|
81
|
|
6
|
1
|
102
|
70
|
|
3
|
0
|
158
|
20
|
|
3
|
0
|
154
|
53
|
|
0
|
0
|
158
|
65
|
3
|
1
|
121
|
65
|
1
|
0
|
136
|
70
|
4
|
0
|
166
|
17
|
3
|
0
|
120
|
35
|
0
|
0
|
180
|
86
|
Reach Jonathan at jtannenwald@phillynews.com or 215-854-2330.
