NEW YORK — Lance Thomas knows that one Big East team crushed an ACC team last Friday at Madison Square Garden.

Syracuse, unranked at the time, routed defending NCAA champion North Carolina, 87-71, in the finals of the Coaches vs. Cancer event last Friday.

So, when No. 7 Duke takes the floor today at MSG against No. 13 UConn (5, ESPN), will the Blue Devils be seeking revenge on behalf of the ACC?

“We’re not worried about that, we’re trying to win a championship,” said the the 6-foot-8, 225-pound Thomas, a former Newark (N.J.) St. Benedict’s Prep star who starts in the frontcourt for Duke. “We worked hard to get where we’re at and we’re trying to take care of business.”

Duke advanced Wednesday with a 64-53 win over Arizona State, while UConn hammered LSU, 81-55. (more…)

Since Gene Simmons and the boys stopped into the SportsCenter set today to sing some of their new songs, I figured I’d bust out this photo of me and my brother-in-law, Jeff, with KISS backstage at a show in Camden a few years back.

That’s me wearing the black and white Gene Simmons shirt.

Gene looked at it and said, “Nice shirt, that’s old.”

He was probably figuring a way to make money out of it.

Anyway, we had a great time that night, although KISS hasn’t been the same since they first came back as the original quartet with the makeup in ’96.

Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the day.

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NEW YORK – A year ago at this time, Stanley Robinson was working at a scrap metal yard not far from the UConn campus in Willimantic, Conn. He was battling a combination of medical and financial issues, so UConn coach Jim Calhoun told the 6-foot-9, 210-pound forward to take a leave of absence from the basketball program to gain some perspective and maturity.

Read the full story here.

Here’s my game story from The Baton Rouge Advocate.

Allen Iverson has decided to retire from the NBA, according to comments he made on Stephen A. Smith’s official Website.

“I would like to announce my plans to retire from the National Basketball Association,” Iverson said in a statement on StephanA.com. “I always thought that when I left the game, it would be because I couldn’t help my team the way that I was accustomed to. However, that is not the case.

“I still have tremendous love for the game, the desire to play, and a whole lot left in my tank. I feel strongly that I can still compete at the highest level.” (more…)

Villanova freshman forward Mouphtaou Yarou continues to be evaluated by physicians after leaving San Juan, Puerto Rico last Thursday. He underwent tests at Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia on Tuesday in an effort to determine the origins of a viral infection. Team physicians are awaiting test results.

Yarou is listed as very doubtful to play Saturday when Villanova hosts LaSalle at 3:30 p.m.

The school said further updates will be forthcoming in accordance with federal HIPAA regulations when the information becomes available.

Yarou was recently cleared to play by the NCAA despite concerns about his age.

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**Read the feature on Duke and UConn invading MSG for the Preseason NIT here**

NEW YORK — For what it’s worth, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni has the backing of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Coach K was the head coach on Team USA when it won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and D’Antoni was one of his assistants.

“I love Mike D’Antoni. I think he’s a brilliant coach and a really good guy. He’s a guy that as a coach you can spend a long season with and enjoy it,” Coach K said.

Now, D’Antoni is struggling with a Knicks team that is 3-11 after Tuesday night’s blowout loss to the Lakers. (more…)

NEW YORK – UConn coach Jim Calhoun says he doesn’t think sophomore point guard Kemba Walker will leave early for the NBA.

“No, I don’t think it’s going to happen. I personally don’t think he’s in that position quite yet,” Calhoun said Tuesday as the Huskies prepared to face LSU in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Preseason NIT Season Tip-Off at MSG.

Asked if he’d had that conversation with Walker, Calhoun said, “Yes, yes.  Right now the only thing he’s trying to do is get better.”

Calhoun will lose two seniors to the pros next season in forward Stanley Robinson, a likely first-round pick, and guard Jerome Dyson.

The 6-foot-1, 172-pound Walker out of Manhattan Rice High School is averaging 14.7 points and 3.3 assists on the young season. Speculation has him considering a potential leap to the NBA after this season but Calhoun doesn’t think it will happen. (more…)

**Read the feature on Duke and UConn invading MSG for the Preseason NIT here**

NEW YORK — Coach K doesn’t really care where LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh end up next summer, but he hopes they figure it out quickly.

“Hopefully, whatever they have to take care of will be done before the World Championships,” Coach K said Tuesday in advance of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Preseason NIT Season Tip-Off this week at MSG.

UConn faces LSU at 7 p.m. Wednesday and Duke plays Arizona State at 9. The winners square off on Friday.

James, Wade and Bosh all played for Coach K on Team USA when it won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

That trio will also lead the free agent parade beginning July 1, 2010.

Krzyzewksi hopes James, Wade and Bosh sign their free-agent deals well in advance of the FIBA World Championship in Turkey Aug. 28-Sept. 12.

Numerous teams, including the Knicks, have worked to get under the salary cap to make a run at one or more of these elite free agents. (more…)

Rutgers appears to be the leader at this point for Gilvydas Biruta, a 6-8 senior forward from Lithuania now playing for Dan Hurley at St. Benedict’s Prep.

“Rutgers is the strong favorite,” a source close to the St. Ben’s program said.

Biruta may still visit Maryland Dec. 4-5 and the Terps staff is interested. Arturas Karnisovas, a former Seton Hall standout also from Lithuania and now an international scout for the Houston Rockets, is mentoring Biruta.

Davidson, Northwestern, Washington, UPenn, Auburn, Seton Hall, and Creighton have also been involved

“He’s drawn a lot of interest over the summer,” a St. Ben’s source said. “He played for the Lithuanian [U18] National Team. People love his size right now and he’s getting a lot of looks from a lot of people.”

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Now that his season has ended with another State sectional  championship, Paterson Catholic defensive end Trevor Clemmings is set to take college visits.

The 6-foot-6, 263-pound Clemmings will visit Pittsburgh Dec. 11 but no other visits have been set, according to PC coach Benjie Wimberly.

The top New Jersey recruit in the Class of 2010 despite playing in just his second year of organized football, Clemmings initially verballed to Pitt in June but then reopened his recruitment. He is also considering Florida, Ohio State and Rutgers.

“He’s high on Pitt but he’s looking at Ohio State and Florida,” said Chris Melvin of EliteRecruits.com, an advisor to Clemmings. ”I think the frontrunner has to be Pitt.” (more…)