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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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Wednesday / December 11.
  • NCAA Basketball: Big East Tournament-St. Johns vs ProvidenceBy JOSH NEWMAN

    NEW YORK – Villanova won the Big East regular-season title by four games and is now stalking a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but at least one Big East coach doesn’t think it is getting the respect it deserves.

    “One of the best, if not the best in the country” Providence head coach Ed Cooley said late Thursday afternoon after the Friars defeated St. John’s 74-57 in a Big East Tournament quarterfinal. “I don’t think Villanova has gotten the respect they deserve on a national scale.”

    “I’ll put our league against any league in America when we’re looking at the Big East from top to bottom.”

    ncb_ap_slavin1_300NEW YORK — St. John’s coach Steve Lavin has one year left on his original six-year deal and the school will “evaluate the season, as we do every season, at its conclusion,” a University spokesman told SNY.tv.

    St. John’s did not make President Conrado “Bobby” Gempesaw available for comment.

    St. John’s season will likely extend into the NCAA Tournament next week despite the Red Storm’s 74-57 loss to defending tournament champion Providence Thursday afternoon in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals. The No. 4 Friars (22-10) advanced to play No. 1 Villanova (30-2) in Friday’s semifinals.

    NCAA Basketball: Kansas State at KansasBy JOSH NEWMAN

    Kansas opened its Big 12 Tournament run Thursday afternoon in Kansas City against TCU, but it did so with no resolution on the status of Cliff Alexander.

    Furthermore, it may be a while before the Jayhawks’ freshman big man sees the floor again as the NCAA investigates whether or not he received impermissable benefits. 

    On Thursday, Alexander’s attorney, Paul K. Stafford, said in a statement that his client has turned over his telephone records, text message records and bank statements but that the NCAA has refused to interview him, instead requesting more information.

    “Mr. Alexander has been ready, willing and able to be interviewed since March 2, yet he has been informed that the NCAA will not interview him until they receive additional documents that are not his documents, the content of which he has no knowledge, and documents which have never been in his control or possession,” the statement read in part.

    NCAA Basketball: Big East Tournament-Seton Hall vs MarquetteNEW YORK — Marquette’s season ended here Thursday afternoon at Madison Square Garden as top-seeded Villanova banged 17 3-pointers en route to an 84-49 blowout in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals.

    But the future is bright for coach Steve Wojciechowski and the Golden Eagles.

    Marquette will lose seniors Juan Anderson, Matt Carlino and Derrick Wilson but has the No. 9 recruiting class for 2015 according to ESPN.com.

    (Fellow Big East powers Villanova and Georgetown have the No. 19 and 23 classes, respectively.)

    Just this week, Marquette added 6-foot Burlington (N.J.) Life Center point guard Traci Carter to an already strong class that now includes five players. That group also includes center Henry Ellenson, shooting guard Haanif Cheatham, shooting guard Sacar Anim and center Matt Heldt.

    NCAA Basketball: Big East Tournament-Marquette vs VillanovaBy JOSH NEWMAN

    NEW YORK – Villanova was the top 3-point shooting team in the Big East this season, a statistic Marquette gained firsthand knowledge of on Thursday afternoon.

    The top-seeded Wildcats tied a Big East-Tournament record by knocking down 17 3-pointers in routing ninth-seeded Marquette, 84-49, on Thursday afternoon in the first of four quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden.

    Big East Sixth Man of the Year Josh Hart led the way, going 5-for-7 from deep as part of a 20-point day, while Darrun Hilliard and Dylan Ennis each went 3-for-6 from long-range to lead the Wildcats (30-2) to its second-ever 30-win season. The 2008-09 Final Four team finished 30-8.

    “We’re a good shooting team, so when you have nights like that, you’re going to win most games,” said Villanova head coach Jay Wright, whose team shot 38.3 percent from deep during the regular season. “But when you’re a shooting team, there’s going to be some nights where you don’t make those shots, and you can’t be afraid to let them fly.”

    BY JEREMY FUCHS

    Bob Hurley SNY

    PISCATAWAY, N.J. — The last time they met, in a crammed gym in Roselle, it was an instant classic. Roselle Catholic narrowly held on to beat St. Anthony’s 51-48. 

    After that game, Roselle Catholic coach Dave Boff wanted one thing.

    “Hopefully we’ll see each other in the state tournament,” Boff said.

    He’s gotten his wish. St. Anthony’s beat Hudson Catholic 58-45 Wednesday, to win the New Jersey North Non-Public B title at the Rutgers Athletic Center.

    RC beat Trenton Catholic 72-67 thanks to 34 points from Kentucky-bound point guard Isaiah Briscoe. Now RC (26-4) and St. Anthony’s (28-1) will meet for the third straight year to decide the Non-Public B state champion.

    The game is set for 7 p.m. at the Pine Belt Arena in Toms River, N.J. The winner will move on to the Tournament of Champions.

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