Big East: League tournament returns to New York

NEW YORK — Remember what Frank Sinatra sang about New York?

“If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.’’

Well, it turns out Ol’ Blue Eyes must’ve been a basketball fan.

The 29th annual Big East Tournament returns to the Big Apple this week for its 26th run at Madison Square Garden. The Big East Conference has held its tournament in the same location; in this case the World’s Most Famous Arena, longer than any other conference tournament.

Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim is the only coach in the Big East who remembers when the league held its first three post-season tournaments in Providence, Syracuse and Hartford. Going to New York, he said, took the Big East Tournament to the Sinatra level.

“It’s always been a pretty big tournament,’’ Boeheim said. “Right from the beginning it had a lot of meaning.

“(New York) is a focal point for college basketball and bringing the tournament there just made it more of an event,’’ added Boeheim. “I think the players and coaches like going to New York and the fans love going to New York.’’

And this year more than any other in recent memory, the Big East has more teams coming to New York looking to make it here in order to make it into the NCAA Tournament.

Georgetown and Louisville are the pre-tournament favorites and a tourney title would provide the Hoyas or Cardinals a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a launching pad toward the Final Four.

Notre Dame, Connecticut, Marquette and Pittsburgh are in search of wins to position themselves for a possible Sweet 16 appearance.

West Virginia, Syracuse and Villanova are either barely in or barely out of the NCAA Tournament’s 65-team field. Residents of the NCAA’s bubble looking to improve their resume this week in New York.

The action begins Wednesday with seeds 5 through 12 playing in the first round.

“In the late 80s or early 90s, I don’t think any of us thought it could get bigger or better,’’ Villanova coach Jay Wright said. “I remember as an assistant (to ex-Villanova coach Rollie Massimino), we would all dread to be in that 8-9 game when the 8-9 game was the play-in game and you’d play before the tournament really started.

“Now we’re in the 8-9 game at noon (against Syracuse) and it’s an awesome game,’’ Wright said. “I think it’s a play-in game for the NCAA tournament.’’

Wright may be right. Here’s a rundown of the 12 Big East teams:

No. 1 seed: Georgetown (25–4, 15–3)

First game: The Syracuse/Villanova winner

The skinny: John Thompson III led Georgetown to back-to-back Big East regular season titles. Something his father, shockingly, never did. The Hoyas have won their last five games, including a 55-52 win over Louisville last Saturday to clinch the title. Roy Hibbert, Jonathan Wallace and Jessie Sapp give the Hoyas an unbelievable amount of experience. They are the main reasons why Georgetown went 6-0 in games decided by three points or less. Despite their sterling record, not many people are talking about the Hoyas as a possible Final Four entrant. Look for Georgetown to send out some reminders this weekend.

The odds: The same as John McCain earning the Republication nomination.

No. 2 seed: Louisville (24–7, 14–4)

First game: The Pittsburgh/Cincinnati winner

The skinny: Louisville got off to a rocky start with early season losses to Brigham Young, Dayton and Purdue. Of course, none of those losses look bad now. Then the Cardinals dropped their Big East home opener to Cincinnati. And everyone just stopped talking about Rick Pitino’s club.

Then the Cardinals got whole. David Padgett, thought to be out for the year with a fractured kneecap, returned. Padgett turned in a stellar season, earning All-Big East honors. Louisville had won nine straight games before losing its last regular season game to Georgetown, 55-52, in D.C. The Cardinals have to be considered tournament co-favorites along with the Hoyas.

The odds: The same as Rick Pitino wearing a dark suit to each game in New York.

No. 3 seed: Notre Dame (24–6, 14–4)

First game: The Marquette/Seton Hall winner

The skinny: Notre Dame is all about offense. The Fighting Irish can score in bunches. Luke Harangody was the runaway choice for Big East Player of the Year. Kyle McAlarney, who missed most of last season due to suspension, was named first-team all-league. His long-range shooting exploits turned the famed Touchdown Jesus mosaic on the school’s library into Three-Point Jesus. Mike Brey is the likely Coach of the Year.

The only knock against Notre Dame is that the Irish can give up almost as many points as they score. Big guards give them trouble as do teams with athletic frontcourts; like for instance, Louisville, Georgetown and Connecticut.

The odds: The same as NBC canceling its contract with Notre Dame football.

No. 4 seed: Connecticut (24–7, 13–5)

First game: The West Virginia/Providence winner

The skinny: It took a pair of mid-season suspensions for Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun to finally settle on a rotation that helped the Huskies click. After second-leading scorer Jerome Dyson and back-up guard Doug Wiggins were suspended, UConn won eight straight games. The streak began with a nationally-televised win at Indiana.

Connecticut’s offense became centralized on high-scoring guard A.J. Price, the blue-collar work of Jeff Adrien and the burgeoning game of future NBA lottery pick Hasheem Thabeet.

A semifinal matchup of Connecticut and Georgetown would make even native New Yorkers stop and take notice.

The odds: The same as Hasheem Thabeet entering this year’s NBA draft.

No. 5 seed: West Virginia (22–9, 11–7)

First game: Providence (2 p.m. Wednesday)

The skinny: The Moutaineers have the look of a dangerous team. They’ve won four of their last five games. They’ve only lost three games since Feb. 1 – at Pittsburgh, at Villanova and at Connecticut.

The big key to West Virginia’s late-season resurgence has been junior Joe Alexander. The 6-foot-8 forward was hampered with a groin injury, but he’s fully recovered. He scored 32 points in back-to-back games against Connecticut and Pittsburgh in the last week of the regular season. What also makes West Virginia a darkhorse candidate is the veteran backcourt of Darris Nichols and Alex Ruoff.

The odds: The same as a New York City cabbie taking a WVU fan on a $50 ride from Times Square to Madison Square Garden sometime this week.

No. 6 seed: Marquette (22–8, 11–7)

First game: Seton Hall (9 p.m. Wednesday)

The skinny: The Golden Eagles have some of the best perimeter players in the Big East; if not the country. But Marquette’s frontcourt is mediocre at best and thin. Guards Dominic James and Jerel McNeal and wings Wes Matthews and Lazar Hayward give Marquette a dynamic offense. However, center Ousmane Barro is often overmatched against the Big East’s bevy of talented big men. Reserve forward Dan Fitzgerald is a 3-point specialist who is a weak post defender. Backup center Dwight Burke is a backup for a reason.

So the Golden Eagles can beat almost anyone and lose to almost anyone. Marquette could upset a higher seed, but an extended tournament run is unlikely.

The odds: The same as Isiah Thomas finishing the season as the Knicks’ coach.

No. 7 seed: Pittsburgh (22–9, 10–8)

First game: Cincinnati (7 p.m. Wednesday)

The skinny: The Panthers are a deceptive No. 7 seed. Pittsburgh survived for almost two months without starting point guard Levance Fields, who broke a toe in late January. Fields’ return to the lineup returned backcourt players Ronald Ramon and Keith Benjamin to their natural roles.

The real key to Pitt’s success, however, is the play of power forward Sam Young and freshman center DeJuan Blair. Young is a candidate for the Big East’s Most Improved Player award, while Blair has some support as the Big East’s Rookie of the Year. As long as Pitt receives steady contributions from Young and Blair, the Panthers can challenge any team in New York.

The odds: The same as New York Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner keeping his mouth shut until Opening Day.

No. 8 seed: Villanova (19–11, 9–9)

First game: Syracuse (noon Wednesday)

The skinny: The 4-guard lineup was successful in 2006 when Villanova coach Jay Wright had Randy Foye, Allan Ray and Kyle Lowry. This year, however, Villanova has good but not great guards and the same kind of inside game that eventually doomed the 2006 ‘Cats. Simply put, Villanova is a donut. Sweet on the outside and nothing in the middle.

Scottie Reynolds can be unstoppable when he gets going. Corey Fisher is a young, but solid point guard. Dwayne Anderson steadied the Villanova offense when he became a starter. But Antonio Pena is a year away from consistent contributions and Dante Cunningham is out of position at center.

The odds: The same as Villanova coach Jay Wright showing up in a black suit with brown shoes.

No. 9 seed: Syracuse (22–9, 11–7)

First game: Villanova (noon Wednesday)

The skinny: Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim hasn’t been given enough credit for what he’s done with this year’s Orange. Syracuse lost Andy Rautins to a torn ACL before the season started and then lost starting guard Eric Devendorf to a torn ACL prior to Christmas.

Boeheim’s 7-man rotation consisted of four freshmen, two sophomores and a junior college transfer. No active player had ever started a Big East road game when the Orange opened conference play with back-to-back losses to Cincinnati and West Virginia. Boeheim started three freshmen; something he had never done in his first 31 years as a head coach.

But Boeheim got superb if not consistent play from freshmen Donte Greene and Jonny Flynn. Sophomore center Arinze Onuaku proved to be a load inside. Paul Harris experienced a rebirth with his late-season move from small forward to shooting guard where he’s averaged 18.3 points per game in the Orange’s last 11 games.

Boeheim’s boys are still young; they blew an 11-point lead in the last 3:30 to Pitt at home on March 1, but the Orange could pull off a stunner or two at the Garden.

The odds: The same as Jim Boeheim retiring and joining Bob Knight in the ESPN studio.

No. 10 seed: Cincinnati (13–17, 8–10)

First game: Pittsburgh (7 p.m. Wednesday)

The skinny: No player on the Cincinnati roster has played in the Big East Tournament before.

Think about that. Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin’s collection of underclassmen and junior college transfers went 5-7 in pre-conference play, but somehow won enough games to book a return to New York after last year’s absence.

Sophomore guard Deonta Vaughn might have made the Big East coaches’ all-conference team, but the Bearcats’ difference-maker has been senior forward John Williamson. Williamson led Cincinnati in scoring seven times in the last eight games. Senior center Adam Hrycaniuk, in his one and only season of D-I ball, came on late to lead Cincy in rebounding five times in the last nine games.

The odds: The same as the Royals returning to Cincinnati. (Ask your father.)

No. 11 seed: Seton Hall (17–14, 7–11)

First game: Marquette (9 p.m. Wednesday)

The skinny: The Pirates didn’t just back into the Big East Tournament. They threw the team bus into reverse and drove all the way from Newark into Manhattan.

Seton Hall could have clinched a berth with a win over St. John’s on March 1, but lost on a last-second 3-pointer. Seton Hall could have clinched with a home win over Syracuse on March 4, but trailed by 15 at half and never challenged. That night the Pirates learned that they would play in the conference tournament after St. John’s lost to Notre Dame. Then Seton Hall lost its home finale to in-state rival Rutgers, which had already been eliminated from the chase for a tournament berth, when the Scarlet Knights’ JR Inman hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

The Pirates shouldn’t even bother with a Manhattan hotel.

The odds: The same as Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez ever teaching a calmness through Zen class.

No. 12 seed: Providence (15–15, 6-12)

First game: West Virginia (2 p.m. Wednesday)

The skinny: Providence had lost five in a row and some frustrated PC alums were calling for coach Tim Welsh’s head. Then the Friars won at Cincinnati and followed that up with a homecourt win over UConn for a season sweep of the Huskies. Those wins, plus a little help, got Providence into the Big East field.

A disappointing season can be pinpointed on the loss of starting point guard Sharaud Curry for the entire year.

The odds: The same as Roger Clemens appearing on Moment of Truth.

Rising Team: Louisville

Don’t be fooled by Louisville’s loss to Georgetown on Saturday. Everything went Georgetown’s way and the Hoyas still only won 55-52 as Louisville missed three shots to tie the game in the final 30 seconds. Louisville is still the same team that had won nine in a row before losing to the Hoyas. Rick Pitino’s roster is over-flowing with talent and senior center David Padgett has become the team’s leader and lightning rod.

Falling Team: Seton Hall

Of the 12 teams that made the Big East Tournament, none seem more dysfunctional than Seton Hall. The Pirates are too perimeter-oriented. Their interior defense is horrible. If Jamar Nutter, Brian Laing and Jeremy Hazell aren’t hitting threes, they’ve got no chance. Bobby Gonzalez and his staff have to start recruiting some forwards. And fast.

Player of the Year: Luke Harangody, C, Notre Dame

Harangody isn’t just the Player of the Year, he’s the Big East’s Most Improved Player, too. Harangody averaged just 20 minutes per game as a freshman. This year, he led the Big East in both scoring and rebounding.

Freshman of the Year: Jonny Flynn, G, Syracuse

Yes, Syracuse freshman Donte Greene came in with more hype, averaged more points and could enter this year’s NBA draft. Yes, Pittsburgh’s DeJuan Blair finished third in the Big East in rebounding. And yes, South Florida’s Dominique Jones was the Big East’s third-leading scorer behind only Luke Harangody and Sam Young.

But no freshman meant more to his team than Jonny Flynn.

Flynn started at the point from Day 1. He had to change his role from play-making to scoring threat when Syracuse lost starting two-guard Eric Devendorf to injury in mid-December.

Flynn averaged 16.5 points and 4.7 assists in conference games. He led the Big East in minutes played at a whopping 39.1 per game. He played the entire game in nine of Syracuse’s last 11 games, sitting out less than two minutes total.

They Said It

“I think we’re going to see a payoff in terms of teams getting NCAA bids. I’d like to go to 20 and I’m not kidding.’’ — Notre Dame coach Mike Brey on the Big East’s decision to increase the number of conference games from 16 to 18 this season.

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