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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (11/19/2009)

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The Big East continues to roll over early season competition as Cincinnati ran the conference’s win streak to 30 straight games to start the season. The streak will be put to the test today for sure. Five games on the schedule, starting at 2 PM in Puerto Rico where Villanova meets George Mason. The Wildcats will be short-handed as one of their starters had to leave Puerto Rico because of a viral infection, according to a report. The biggest test is likely to come for Syracuse as they meet Cal at Madison Square Garden. Pittsburgh and Notre Dame also face teams that are not too shabby as normal early season foes go and South Florida takes on media darling Davidson. However, the minds of those with the South Florida program could be a little distracted as a former USF beat writer has put together an indepth story alleging several NCAA violations against Stan Heath’s program. The school has recently aknowldged several secondary violations and now these new charges could mean some serious trouble.

Elsewhere in the Big East, Marquette added another signee for their early period recruiting class, dipping back into Chicago. A story on West Virginia’s latest commitment as well as a story on UConn finding some leadership from an unexpected source and an injury update on PC’s Marshon Brooks. Also, Friday night will be a challenge on the road for Seton Hall and Bobby Gonzalez is certainly wary of the match-up with Cornell.

Still no change int he status of Devin Ebanks at WVU as the sophomore is still away from the team dealing with personal issues according to coach Bob Huggins. Also, the official announcment on where Tobias Harris will play his college basketball is coming later today, but strong speculation is pointing to the SEC over several Big East schools.

Read all of these and more in today’s News & Notes links below…

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Could the tenure of Stan Heath be blowing up in front of his eyes at South Florida before his very eyes? Former USF beat writer for the Tampa Tribune Brett McMurphy reports in a Fanhouse exclusive that Numerous NCAA Violations have Surfaced at South Florida under Heath’s watch. According to the report by McMurphy, most of the NCAA violations involve USF video and conditioning assistant Terrelle Woody, who was hired August 26th of 2008 to a non-coaching position by Heath as part of a package deal to guarantee the signing of highly touted Maryland transfer Augustus Gilchrist.

Besides the alleged violations, three current USF players — Dominique Jones, Anthony Crater and Justin Leemow — were the primary suspects in the April 2009 theft of nearly $8,000 worth of items stolen from former players Gaby Belardo and Jesus Verdejo, according to a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office report.

The story cites former USF assistant coach and players, unnamed sources and eyewitness accounts by a “reporter” of illegal workouts and practices being held by Woody and also being observed by coach Heath. Also, Woody provided transportation to Gilchrist which likely goes beyond the allowed ‘occassional’ transportation the NCAA allows coaches and team administrators to provide student-athletes. USF is Studying the Website Report Alleging the NCAA Violations (Tampa Tribune).

Heath is 23-41 and in his third season at USF.
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OK, back to the oncourt action. Only one game on the schedule Wednesday night and Cincinnati was able to push the Big East’s early season record to 30-0 with a 92-68 win over Toledo.

Cincinnati Takes Down Toledo (Cincinnati Enquirer) before 7,010 fans at Fifth Third Arena behind Rashad Bishop’s career night. The 6-foot-6 junior forward scored a career-high 20 points with eight rebounds and five assists in 24 minutes off the bench.

The Bearcats are 2-0 as they prepare to head to Hawaii for next week’s EA Sports Maui Invitational. UC took control early in the game, leading 17-3 out of the gate and put the game away in the second half with a 13-0 run after seeing the Rockets creep back to within eight points.

Lance Stephenson addd 16 points while Yancy Gates scored 14 and senior Deonta Vaughn eclipsed 1,500 career points while scoring 13 in the game. Vaughn also led UC with nine assists.
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Today’s Big East Schedule:

George Mason vs. Villanova, 2:00 PM in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off
–Tourneys Will Test the Depth of Big 5 Teams (Philadelphia Inquirer)
–Source: Yarou Leaves Puerto Rico (ESPN.com)

The Wildcats could face a tough test with George Mason, although their second game should certainly be a test as they will meet either Dayton or Georgia Tech, both of whom are ranked in this week’s Top 25. The other half of the field includes Indiana, Mississippi, Kansas State and Boston University

Villanova is likely to be short-handed as freshman Mouphtau Yarou has returned to Philadelphia because of a viral infection. Yarou has started the first two games of the season and averaged 5 points and 4 rebounds a game.
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Eastern Kentucky @ Pittsburgh, 7:00 PM in the Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic
–Eastern Kentucky Right Choice for Taylor (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
–Pitt Battles Defensive Inconsistency (Tribune-Review)
–Pitt’s Dixon Wants Better Rebounding (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Pitt’s 23-game home win streak could be tested tonight as the Ohio Valley Conference’s Eastern Kentucky, with four returning starters including local Pittsburgh product Josh Taylor, take on the Panthers in a CBE Classic preliminary game. Regardless of the outcome, Pitt will play in Kansas City next week where they will take on Wichita State and then either Texas or Iowa.

Last season, Eastern Kentucky took Cincinnati to overtime before losing by eight. UC needed a late score to force overtime on their home floor.
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Syracuse vs. California, 7:00 PM in the Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic
–Four Ranked Teams Collide at MSG (ESPN.com)
–Cal’s Randle holds key to beating Syracuse in Coaches vs. Cancer tournament (Contra Costa Times)
–Orange Scouting Report: Syracuse vs. Cal (Syracuse Post-Standard)
–Syracuse prepares for an Onslaught of California Threes (Post-Standard)
–Cal Gets Garden Party with Syracuse (Daily Californian)

A very intriguing early season match-up takes place tonight in Madison Square Garden with Syracuse’s new-look backcourt taking on Cal out of the Pac 10. Brandon Triche, Andy Rautins, Scoop jardine and company will be put to the test against Jerome Randle, Patrick Christopher and Theo Robertson. SU will have the home crowd behind them as MSG is usually a sea of Orange when Syracuse is in town, even when they are the road team against St. John’s. The two schools have never met before and this should be a good game, although, anything can happen in November.
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South Florda vs. Davidson, 7:00 PM in the Charleston Classic

As you can see from above, their might be more on the minds of the USF coaches when they prepare to take on Davidson tonight. USF is off to a 2-0 start, beating SMU on the road and trouncing Virginia, 66-49, earlier this week.
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Long Beach State @ Notre Dame, 7:30 PM
–Game Preview: 49er BBall at Notre Dame (Long Beach Post)
–Irish Ready to be Tested (Journal Gazette)
–Monson Once Chased Notre Dame Job (South Bend Tribune)
–Notre Dame is Just the Start of a Difficult Stretch (Press-Telegram)

Picked to win the Big West Conference, Dan Monson’s Long Beach returns four starters – guards Larry Anderson, Casper Ware and Stephen Gilling and forward T.J. Robinson – from last season’s 15-15 team. Irish coach Mike Brey expects to be tested, but it is uncertain how the 49ers will be able to control Luke Harangody in the paint.
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Additional Big East News & Notes:

Marquette has added a late addition to their early period signing class as Reggie Smith of Thornton Township High School in Harvey (IL) signs with Buzz Williams’ program. There was a though that Smith’s recruitment would last into the spring, but Smith Decides to End it Now and Sign with the Big East School (Illinois Prep Bulls-eye).

Smith joins Vander Blue and Jamail Jones as early period signees for Marquette. The Golden Eagles have one available scholarship remaining and are in the hunt for Memphis PF/C Tarik Black who wil lbe signing late, but could decide on a school in the near future.
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As mentioned yesterday, Bob Huggins and West Virginia used their final scholarship currently available for 2010-11 when they signed Sudanese native David Nyarsuk, a 7-1, 230-pound center, to a letter of intent just prior to the end of the early signing period. Nyarsuk is currently playing at Mountain State Academy.

Huggins Adds a Big Man to the Fold (Times West Virginia) as it becomes more and more evident that Tobias Harris is headed to Tennessee.

Another scholarship could open up for the Mountaineers if Devin Ebanks, currently not with the team due to “personal issues,” were to leave to the NBA after the season.
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Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun feels that his Huskies has struggled their way through their first three games, all wins against lesser opponents, because the team is lacking in the leadership department. However, seldom used guard Donnell Beverly is Feeling Calhoun’s Love (Waterbury Rep-Am) for stepping up and displaying leadership qualities despite not seeing a lot of time on the floor.

“You know who’s actually been a pretty good leader through this whole thing? Donnell Beverly,” Calhoun was quoted in the Rep-Am. “He talks the most in practice. He’s really done a good job. He may be the closest thing we have to a leader and that may be the problem we’re facing right now.”
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On Friday a game to watch is when Seton Hall travels to take on Ivy League contender Cornell. What most college basketball fans are likely unaware of is the Big red is a solid team that has already won at Alabama and at UMass and now they are returning home for a rare chance to host a Big East school. Last year Cornell saw a big lead slip away in their chance for a win at the Carrier Dome against Syracuse and they have the attention of SHU head coach Bobby Gonzalez as Gonzalez is Wary of Cornell Game (The Ithaca Journal).

Last year, the Big Red won all 13 of its home games, by a margin of 18.9 points. However, this is the first time since 2003 that a major college program has visited Newman Arena when Georgia Tech came in and blitzed the Big Red 90-69.
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Speaking briefly about Alabama above reminded me that Providence heads into SEC country Friday to take on the Crimson Tide. The task of hitting the road for the young Friars might be tougher as Marshon Brooks, PC’s Leading Scorer, is Day-to-Day (Providence Journal) with an ankle injury suffered over the weekend as the Friars went 3-0 in the World Vision Classic.