Big East

Realignment Talk Dominates Big East Media Day

October 20, 2011 by Jaden Daly Leave a Comment

Since last month’s bombshell announcement that Pittsburgh and Syracuse would be defecting to the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big East realignment and the future of college basketball as we know it has dominated the sport’s headlines, almost daily.

At the 2011 Big East Media Day in Manhattan, realignment was not just the topic du jour; it was the story.

Louisville head coach Rick Pitino, who is no stranger to being openly outspoken about the state of the Big East, got the ball rolling by mentioning the tactical error former Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese made in the most recent Big East expansion.

“If any mistake was made, it was not having the foresight years ago to bring in people with football and basketball,” said Pitino in reference to the addition of Marquette and DePaul. “Ten years ago, we just thought basketball, basketball, basketball.”

Pitino was only just getting started, however, as he went on to lay out his true feelings regarding the decisions of Pittsburgh and Syracuse to jump ship. “I have no problem with them leaving,” said the brutally honest Pitino. “My problem is they made a decision in 36 to 48 hours. This was not a football decision, this was a basketball decision to strengthen the ACC.”

Notre Dame head man Mike Brey, the conference’s reigning Coach of the Year, was confident that his Fighting Irish program would find a home if the Big East disintegrates, but at the same time wanted to stay where he stands.

“We’ve got a strong identity after five years of figuring it out,” Brey said. “As proud as I am of being the coach at Notre Dame, I’m as proud of coaching in the Big East.”

Brey did exude confidence when he said Notre Dame would “land on its feet” wherever the school decided to seek affiliation, and also provided one of the quotes of the day regarding the entire situation.

“You know how you’re listed ‘day-to-day’? Leagues are listed day-to-day now.”

Reigning national champion Connecticut has been the topic of speculation, as well, after reports linked UConn to the ACC, but head coach Jim Calhoun insisted his team was in the Big East for the foreseeable future.

“We’re in the best basketball conference in America,” remarked an emphatic Calhoun. “That’s where we want to play, and that’s what we look forward to doing.”

Calhoun also served up a dose of truth when approached about the role of gridiron success manipulating the massive shuffle. “It’s cleats, helmets and shoulder pads that are affecting us more than any of us would like,” Calhoun said, bluntly.

Cincinnati’s Mick Cronin, who brought the Bearcats back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six years, offered this piece of candor when it was his turn to face realignment questions.

“You’ve got a whole lot of people that probably never felt so powerless in their life,” said Cronin. “We need it to solidify sooner rather than later.”

Villanova’s Jay Wright spoke from the heart in regard to coaching brethren Jamie Dixon and Jim Boeheim leaving the conference that their programs have been members of for over thirty years. “Jamie made his name in the Big East,” stated Wright. “If you make your name in the Big East, you’re a hell of a coach. Jim Boeheim, to me, is the Big East. We’re missing a lot with these guys.”

Perhaps the most refreshing analysis regarding the widespread conference movement came from the man who is just walking into the fire.

After five seasons as the head coach at Fairfield, Ed Cooley was not timid or shy in his first Big East media day at the helm of Providence College, delighting those who came to his table to get a glimpse of this year’s Friars team with his impactful sound bites and positive bravado. When realignment was brought up to Cooley, he first said that the issue was something his institution had no control over, then had this to say:

“It is a little wild, but that’s what makes it great. I think we all need wild in our life. It keeps it spicy.”

At the rate things are going, the bottle of preseason hot sauce that is spicing up Big East basketball, without a game even being played yet, is a long way from empty.

Hardy Named to All-Big East First Team

March 6, 2011 by Daniel Martin Leave a Comment

Dave Krupinski of JohnnyJungle.com is the biggest fan of the big east. Check out the new naughty Volvo S60 as Volvo searches for the Biggest Fan.

In a season full of team achievements, the individual honors are beginning to roll in for the Red Storm.

Senior guard Dwight Hardy has been named to the All-Big East First Team, becoming the first St. John’s player to be named to the team since former Red Storm big man Lamont Hamilton in 2007.

“It’s a real honor to be named to the All-BIG EAST First Team. Obviously some of the best players all-time at St. John’s, in the league, and in the NCAA are in that company, and I’m very fortunate to join them,” Hardy said. “I want to share this award with my teammates, because you don’t get awards like this without being on a great team.”

Along with Hardy, Notre Dame’s Ben Hansbrough, Connecticut’s Kemba Walker, Georgetown’s Austin Freeman, Providence’s Marshon Brooks, and Pittsburgh’s Ashton Gibbs received the honor.

Dwight Hardy, John Shurna — Hardy has found his way into the national spotlight with a breakout senior season. (Photo: WordPress)

Hardy, a Bronx native, contributed off the bench last season for the Red Storm before bursting onto the national scene this year, averaging nearly 18 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in the regular season.

Since Coach Steve Lavin made the move to play Hardy predominantly at point guard, the 6’2″ guard has flourished, scoring over 20 points in 13 games this year. He has also set a career high in scoring four separate times, including 33 points in a win over #9 UConn, and 34 in an important road win over #14 Villanova on February 26^th.

There has been no shortage of heroics, either.

Hardy hit a tough reverse lay-up with under a minute to go against Georgetown on January 3^rd to help the Johnnies to their first marquee win of the year. Then, against #4 Pittsburgh at Madison Square Garden, he performed the most famous pirouette in the history of St. John’s basketball, dancing the baseline and hitting a layup with 1.2 seconds to give the Red Storm the victory.

“Dwight Hardy is as deserving of the All-BIG EAST Conference recognition as any player I’ve coached,” said coach Steve Lavin. “The dominating performance and leadership Dwight has provided over the course of his senior year has been a catalyst in St. John’s successful season.”

With the Big East Player of the Year award will be announced Tuesday and Hardy remains in the running, though latest updates show Providence’s Marshon Brooks in the lead.

St. John’s is back in action Wednesday at 2pm, as they take on the winner of Seton Hall/Rutgers in the second round of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden.

Pop The Champagne

January 2, 2011 by Jaden Daly 1 Comment

Road game in a place they haven’t won at in over a decade. It was the same scenario to close out 2010, and St. John’s provided the same result to open 2011.

Dwight Hardy led St. John's in scoring yesterday with 21 points scoring in a variety of ways for the Red Storm. (Icon SMI)

Three days removed from a dominating win at West Virginia, the Johnnies (9-3, 2-0 in the Big East) fought off a scrappy Providence team on the way to a 67-65 victory over the Friars. (11-4, 0-2) Dwight Hardy continued his hot streak, scoring a game-high 21 points and adding six rebounds while playing all forty minutes. Justin Brownlee gave the Red Storm another solid performance; (14 points and nine rebounds) but the biggest points of the game came from Paris Horne, whose trifecta in the final minute broke a 62-all tie and gave St. John’s the lead for good. D.J. Kennedy contributed two free throws before Providence hit a three that proved inconsequential after the buzzer sounded.

The Red Storm started the game strong as Justin Burrell scored all of the Johnnies’ first eight points. Burrell finished with 16 overall as the game became a seesaw battle featuring one run after another as St. John’s took a 28-24 halftime lead into the locker room. Over the final twenty minutes, the Johnnies shot 56 percent (15-for-27) and 4-of-8 from long range to preserve the lead despite committing 16 turnovers. Although the Storm only attempted six foul shots, they were successful on all but one. Marshon Brooks continued his one-man show with 20 points to pace the Friars while point guard Vincent Council scored 14 to complement his six assists.

St. John’s returns home on Monday for a matchup with Georgetown at Madison Square Garden that will be televised nationally on ESPN2 at 7pm. The Hoyas are currently ranked ninth in the country, but that number will likely be lower after their loss at Notre Dame Wednesday night.

Crowned Country Kings

December 30, 2010 by Jaden Daly 1 Comment

Steve Lavin has repeatedly looked at this season as one where St. John’s was going to “take the baton” from predecessor Norm Roberts and continue the climb toward the top of the Big East. Tonight marked Lavin’s opener as coach in what many feel to be the strongest conference in college basketball; and on the road against a school nicknamed the Mountaineers, the climb looked steeper and a lot more difficult considering the Johnnies had not beaten the men from Morgantown in eight years.

Well, records are made to be broken; and demons are meant to be exorcised.

The Red Storm (8-3) picked up where they left off after their Holiday Festival win and were able to play a complete 40 minutes on their way to a statement win over West Virginia (8-3) by the final of 81-71. Lavin only played eight men as he is now starting to get a better feel for his rotations, with Dwight Hardy, who scored 20 points; (12 from the free throw line) leading the Johnnies while D.J. Kennedy was one of three other St. John’s players in double figures, scoring 17 points and padding his stat line with 11 rebounds in a performance that conjured up memories of “The Hitman” of old. “We definitely feel like it’s all coming together at one time,” said Kennedy of the win, the third straight for the Red Storm; one that snapped a 10-game losing streak against Bob Huggins’ West Virginia squad, one that went to the Final Four just eight months ago.

After taking a 34-28 lead out of the locker room at halftime, St. John’s continued their solid start and defensive prowess. Despite only forcing ten Mountaineer turnovers, the Red Storm outrebounded West Virginia 33-24 and managed eight steals. Defense alone didn’t win the battle for Lavin, who picked up the win in his Big East debut; as St. John’s shot 61 percent from the field. Not only that, but in what has to be the most impressive and outstanding stat line in the box score; the Red Storm were the grand marshals of a free throw parade, going to the foul line 39 times and converting on 30 of those attempts. (77 percent) Hardy (12-for-12) and Kennedy (11-for-12) were the principal contributors to the charity stripe efficiency.

West Virginia did get valiant results from their two New York area products, as Mount Vernon’s Kevin Jones led the team with 17 points; while Brooklyn guard Darryl “Truck” Bryant added 14. The Mountaineers did lead briefly on multiple occasions, and took advantage of the Johnnies’ zone defense with several open looks from the perimeter, shooting 36 percent (13-for-36) from beyond the arc.

St. John’s concludes 2010 on a winning note with this victory, and heads to the Dunkin’ Donuts Center for a New Year’s Day showdown with Keno Davis’ Providence Friars to ring in 2011 before their Monday night Madison Square Garden showdown with a Georgetown team that lost to Notre Dame tonight.

Happy Festivus

December 22, 2010 by Jaden Daly 1 Comment

Justin Brownlee showed off a little coast to coast last night against Northwestern. (Icon SMI)

Christmas may still be three days away, but for St. John’s fans, a trophy was placed under the tree last night thanks to what was arguably the best and most complete forty minutes played by the Red Storm this season.

Despite trailing by three at halftime, the Johnnies (7-3) used a near-perfect second half and a resurgence from two of their bench players to put up 48 points over the final stanza, defeating Northwestern 85-69 to bring the Holiday Festival championship back to the corner of Union and Utopia for the first time since 2005. St. John’s shot 80 percent (16-for-20) from the field in the final period, and ended the night with a 76 percent clip (16-for-21) at the free throw line that was a welcome sight for players, coaches and fans alike; along with the 60 percent effort from the field overall. (31-for-52)

“I feel like we’re ready for the Big East,” said Justin Brownlee, who scored 21 points and was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Brownlee hit the shot that virtually iced the championship for the Red Storm, a 3-pointer that put his team up 73-62 with 3:48 remaining in regulation. Said Brownlee of the shot: “I felt like that was a dagger for them.”

Only four other players joined Brownlee in the scoring party, with Dwight Hardy’s 24 leading the way for St. John’s. However, one of the most impressive totals came from freshman Dwayne Polee, who added 10 points in just 17 minutes. “I took my lumps earlier in the season. Now, I’m just trying to get adjusted,” remarked the rookie on his resurgence. The biggest renaissance came from Justin Burrell, who turned the clock back to his dominating freshman form with 17 points and 9 rebounds on a perfect night (6-for-6) from the field. “Our staff is pleased for Justin,” head coach Steve Lavin said in his postgame press conference. “It’s a breakthrough for his ability to influence the game on both sides of the ball.”

Northwestern (8-1) suffered their first loss of the season just 24 hours after a 92-61 rout of St. Francis in the semifinals. The Wildcats picked up 28 points from forward John Shurna, who was named to the all-tournament team along with teammate Drew Crawford, who managed to score 17 in the losing effort.

Dwight Hardy also received all-tournament honors for St. John’s, who will get to enjoy the holidays with some new hardware to admire before making the trek to Morgantown to commence their Big East slate one week from tonight against West Virginia.