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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Thursday / March 28.
  • West Virginia’s decision to leave the Big East may trigger Notre Dame’s ouster from the league as well, the New York Post reported in Wednesday’s editions.

    Notre Dame is currently independent in football, but houses all of its other sports in the Big East.

    Now, the Irish may consider joining the Big Ten or the ACC in all sports or maintaining their independence while entering the Big 12 for all other sports, the Post reported.

    “Each option has a strength and a weakness,” said a Post source. “The Big Ten keeps them a national program, but football will be hard-pressed to win the league and it hurts the basketball’s ability to recruit in the East.”

    Louisville coach Rick Pitino isn’t sure if West Virginia is definitely leaving the Big East for the Big 12.

    But if they are, he would like to see the Big East add Temple and Memphis for basketball.

    “We must take Temple and Memphis into the Big East,” Pitino told SNY.tv by phone Tuesday night.

    “We must replace Syracuse, Pitt and West Virginia, if that’s the case, with Temple and Memphis. One Top 10 program, the other a Top 30 program that fit into everything we are all about.”

    **The videos below with God’sgift Achiuwa and Moe Harkless were shot last week during Big East Media Day.

    NEW YORK — St. John’s was missing its head coach and one of its assistants, but God was on their side.

    God’sgift Achiuwa, a former JUCO star originally from Nigeria, was one of six players in double-figures with a team-best 21 points as new-look St. John’s beat Division 2 C.W. Post, 110-80, in an exhibition game at Carnesecca Arena.

    Fans began chanting “God’s on our side” during a first half in which Gift went 7-for-7 for 14 points, scoring on a variety of athletic moves near the basket.

    “That really got me going because I believe in God so much,” Achiuwa said. “It was motivating.”

    PISCATAWAY, N.J. — During its short and inglorious history in the Big East Conference, the Rutgers men’s basketball team has never finished higher than fifth place.

    Over the last five years, the Scarlet Knights have ended up tied for 14th, tied for 15th, 15th, 14th and 13th.

    But here comes second-year coach Mike Rice guaranteeing his team will win the Big East…sometime during his tenure.

    “Why would that not be my goal?” Rice told SNY.tv during Rutgers Media Day Tuesday. “If you’re in any conference and any coach, you want to win the league.”

    Kaleb Tarczewski is weighing a “tough decision” between Kansas and Arizona, according to his AAU coach, John Carroll.

    The 7-footer from Southborough (Mass.) St. Marks took an official visit to Arizona this past weekend, one week after he tripped to Kansas for “Late Night in the Phog.”

    “The visit went really great,” Carroll said by text. “He really likes Sean Miller’s recruits and Arizona.

    “It’s a really tough decision for him. Two great programs and head coaches.”

    With multiple reports out that West Virginia is close to leaving the Big East for the Big 12, look for the Big East to target Temple next.

    “To me, Temple’s perfect,” Louisville coach Rick Pitino told SNY.tv during a recent interview, before the new about West Virginia broke. “They were already in the Big East. They are an excellent football program right now.

    “And they’re a terrific school scholastically. They fit what we should’ve been doing from the beginning. They should’ve been our No. 1 priority four years ago, Temple, to get them back in. We made a mistake letting them go; they should’ve been our No. 1 priority.”

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