BOSTON COLLEGE (13-7, 2-5)

Last week:

Pittsburgh 68 - Boston College 58

UCONN 63 - Boston College 58

The Eagles are suddenly sitting in 12^th place in the conference after two losses. BC has got to be the best team in the nation that’s 12^th place in a conference. In both games, the opponents leading guards, Carl Krauser and then Ben Gordon had off-nights. Gordon due to poor shooting and Krauser due to foul trouble. But in both games, BC blew any chance to win because they didn’t have enough fire-power down the stretch. Craig Smith and Uka Agbai led the way in scoring, with little help from anyone else but Jared Dudley.

This week:

February 4^th - vs. Notre Dame

February 8^th - at St Johns

Al Skinner is desperately seeking a win to get back on track. BC has been rock solid at home the entire season, so expect them to stop their losing skid against Notre Dame. St John’s is still seeking their 1^st conference victory and will probably be winless when the two teams play. Odds are that the Johnnies will have to win a game somewhere along the way, and this is as good a chance as any.

Last week:

UCONN 96 - Virginia Tech 60

UCONN 63 - Boston College 58

The Huskies rolled over an overmatched Virginia Tech squad from the tip. Ben Gordon was hot early, and then Rashad Anderson came off the bench for 26 points in just 20 minutes. Calhoun was able to give “scrub” minutes to walk-ons Waller, Baisch, and Evanovich for the 9^th time this season. Baisch scored his 3^rd point of the season. In a much closer game, UCONN came back from a 1 point half-time deficit to beat BC by 5. Ben Gordon continued a disturbing trend of awful shooting in road games by going 2-12 and 1-5 from three. But Rashad Anderson came to the rescue again with 16 points and 6 boards off the bench, earning himself a share of Big East Player of the Week honors with Georgetown’s Gerald Riley.

This week:

February 2^nd - vs. Syracuse

February 7^th - vs. West Virginia

Syracuse snapped a two game losing streak with a win over Virginia Tech. Starting point guard Billy Edelin sat for “personal reasons” and his status for tonight’s game is still undecided. After Syracuse’ embarrassing loss to Pitt last week and the questionable status of Edelin, UCONN has to be considered a generous favorite in tonight’s game. Still, you never know what can happen. Gerry McNamara returned to the point guard role with Edelin out, and scored a game-high 26 points. McNamara seemed to be very aggressive shooting the ball, and he’ll need to come out firing if the ‘Cuse will pull of an upset. Still, UCONN had Syracuse’ number last year in two wins, so even a McNamara explosion may not be enough.

Last week:

Providence 65 - Georgetown 50

Georgetown 87 - Miami 80 (OT)

Georgetown did their best to take Ryan Gomes out of the game with constant double-teaming, but the strategy was not successful. The Friar’s supporting guards hit enough outside shots to get the win. Gerald Riley and Brandon Bowman scored 35 of the Hoyas 50 total points against a stifling Providence defense. Riley and Bowman again led the way in a shocking win at Miami. It was the first Big East road win of the season for the Hoyas, who needed everyone of Riley’s season high 37 points, including 7 in OT, to get the win.

This week:

February 5^th - vs. Villanova

February 7^th - vs. Miami

The Hoyas win at Miami has to give the team a renewed confidence that they can compete in the Big East. Villanova looked vulnerable in a loss to Rutgers earlier in the week, and Georgetown might have a chance for a win. Miami then comes into Washington seeking revenge for the 87-80 loss. If the Hoyas manage a split in these two, they’d have to feel very satisfied with a 4-5 conference record. Coach Escherick is still looking for a consistent third scoring option, as Darrel Owens has been terribly inconsistent. His 14 points were key in the win over Miami, and Georgetown is now 8-1 in games when Owens scores over 13 points.

Last week:

Notre Dame 72 - Miami 62

Georgetown 87 - Miami 80 (OT)

This was a disastrous week for the Hurricane. The loss at Notre Dame isn’t much of a surprise, but the home loss to Georgetown is unacceptable for a team with postseason hopes. Miami loss because of turnovers and defensive lapses. The main reason Miami couldn’t get stops is that they gave up lay-up after lay-up and dunk after dunk down the stretch

This week:

February 4^th - at Rutgers

February 7^th - at Georgetown

Miami beat Rutgers by 10 a few weeks ago, but the Knights are a whole different story in New Jersey. As cold as Miami is with 3-straight losses, Rutgers is equally hot with 3-straight victories over quality Big East teams. After facing Rutgers, Miami seeks revenge against the Hoyas. Even though Miami has been a terrible road team this season, with just wins at St Johns and Virginia Tech, the smart money figures Miami will come out fired up and get the win.

Last week:

Notre Dame 72 - Miami 62

Rutgers 81 - Notre Dame 70

The Irish got a solid team effort in the win over Miami. Even though Chris Thomas was just 2-10 from the floor, the rest of the starting five had solid games. Jordan Cornette’s 12 and 11 was his best game in the Big East, while Torin Francis bounced back from a sub par performance against Kentucky with a more typical 17 and 8. Against Rutgers, the Irish were able to overcome a big first-half from sharpshooter Quincy Douby to take a 4-point lead at the half. Rutgers exploded after the half with a 26-6 run and just held on for the win. For the 2^nd game in a row, Chris Thomas really struggled with his shot (5-18) and does not seem to be playing with much confidence.

This week:

February 4^th - at Boston College

February 7^th - vs. Pittsburgh

Notre Dame’s schedule does not get any easier with a road-trip to Boston and a home game against conference leading Pittsburgh. Even though BC lost two games this past week and sits at 2-5 in conference, they’re still an extremely dangerous team. If anything, Boston College’s struggles will make them more hungry for a win. Torin Francis will need to have a big game against BC’s imposing front-line. ND almost pulled off a big upset earlier when they lost at Pittsburgh by just three. ND lost even as Chris Thomas had his best game of the season with 29 and 9 assists on 50% shooting. Thomas’ season has gone sour since, but they could use a timely resurgence Saturday. Fans are beginning to get very frustrated at ND’s season, and the NCAA Tournament is becoming more and more out of the question.

Last week:

Pittsburgh 68 - Boston College 58

The Panthers became the first team in the nation to win 20 games by beating Boston College. Even though the 10 point win doesn’t look terribly impressive, the Panthers were hindered by Carl Krauser’s foul trouble. Even with Krauser playing only 21 minutes, Pitt got enough help from the supporting cast in the win.

This week:

February 4^th - vs. St Johns

February 7^th - at Notre Dame

Coming off of their 38^th straight home win, it is doubtful the Panthers will lose to 5-13 St John’s. The game at Notre Dame should be more of a challenge. Pitt came closest to losing a home game this season, when they only beat ND by 3 earlier. In that game Chris Thomas exploded for 29 points while hitting 7 threes. The odds of Thomas having such a solid performance are slim, as he’s really struggled since that game and has lost confidence. Without a hot-shooting Thomas, too much pressure is placed on Torin Francis, whom Taft and Brown should be able to hold down.

Last week:

Providence 65 - Georgetown 50

Seton Hall 55 - Providence 46

Against Georgetown, the Hoyas constantly doubled Gomes on defense, forcing the supporting cast to win the game. McGrath, Kabba, and Brewington were up to the challenge combining for 45 points. Louis Orr and Seton Hall took the exact opposite approach, playing Gomes straight up. The strategy worked to perfection, as the Providence guards were completely shut down when guarded by a strict man-to-man. In fact, Seton Hall’s defense produced one of the most lop-sided box scores I’ve ever seen. Gomes scored 28 of the Friars 46 points (well over 50%) and hit 11-22 shots, while his teammates were an embarrassing 7 for 36 (under 20%). The loss by Providence dropped them out of the conference lead, and may drop the from the Top 25 as well.

This week:

February 4^th - at Virginia Tech

February 7^th - vs. Syracuse

Despite the loss to Seton Hall, the Friars will most likely get back on track against Virginia Tech. The Hokies are still avoiding last place, with their lone conference win, but have lost 5 in a row. Besides being a harder challenge, the game against Syracuse also has important implications in the conference standings. The Cuse play UCONN tonight, and with a loss could head into Providence with a 4-3 record. A Providence win over Syracuse would completely end any Syracuse chances for a conference title, and make it a three-team race with Pitt and UCONN for first place.

Last week:

Rutgers 71 - Villanova 68

Rutgers 81 - Notre Dame 70

Just as things appeared to be getting ugly in New Brunswick, things have turned for the better with three-straight wins. The road win at Villanova was by far the Knights biggest win of the season. It was the team’s first road win since January 2002, and their ever win at The Pavilion. Freshman Quincy Douby played a major role in both the win at Villanova, and the home win over Rutgers. The freshman sharp-shooter scored 15 on 4-8 shooting against BU, before exploding for a career high 24 against Notre Dame. Herve Lamizana came through with a season-high 22 points and 11 boards against Notre Dame, spearheading a 26-6 second half run in which Rutgers pulled away.

This week:

February 4^th - vs. Miami

February 7^th - at Seton Hall

With the win over Notre Dame, Rutgers has already tied last season’s win total with 12, and tied last season’s conference win total with 4. While Rutgers has twice finished .500 in the Big East in their history, they’ve never actually finished over that mark. With a win over Miami, Rutgers could potentially be on their way to such a total. As the Knights don’t have a consistent inside scoring threat, they’ll need Douby or Ricky Shields to continue to hit the three-point shot. Last year, Rutgers came closest to a road win at Seton Hall so they might have a chance again this season.

Last week:

Seton Hall 55 - Providence 46

Simply a huge win for Seton Hall. Providence snapped the Pirates home winning streak earlier this season, and it was perhaps Seton Hall’s loss at Providence late last year which ended their NCAA hopes. The Hall got a bit of revenge by playing stifling defense, holding the Friars to just 46 points. This was Seton Hall’s first road win over a ranked team since beating Notre Dame in 2001. It was all about the defensive scheme and the constant pressure the Hall applied. They decided not to double Ryan Gomes, testing the Friar’s ability guards to score against man coverage. The plan worked to perfection, as although Gomes scored 28, the rest of the Friars combined for just 7-36 shooting. Andre Sweet and JR Morris, who combined for 31 points, helped overcome an off shooting night from Andre Barrett.

This week:

February 4^th - at West Virginia

February 7^th - vs. Rutgers

If they weren’t already, the Hall are looking like a lock for an NCAA tournament berth. The biggest worry for Pirate fans right now is that their team gets complacent or over-confident against their next two opponents. WVU has won 3 of 4 games and Tyrone Sally has stepped up to become a force in the absence of Drew Schifino. Sally has lead the Mountaineers in scoring the last four games, averaging 18 over that span. Rutgers has been playing its best ball of the season and has won three straight. While Rutgers is historically an awful team on the road, they usually manage to play relatively well when they take the short trip up the Turnpike to the Meadowlands. Last year, Rutgers came closest to a conference road win against Seton Hall. The Knights are always dangerous if they start hitting their 3 pointers.

Last week:

West Virginia 73 - St Johns 64

St Johns 71 - UCLA 55

St Johns followed up a disappointing loss over West Virginia with a big win over UCLA. Aside from the name recognition of beating UCLA (even though the Bruins are average), the win is big because they players themselves were beginning to question whether or not they’d win the rest of the season. Against West Virginia, no one was able to stop Tyrone Sally, who had a season-high 24 points along with 7 boards. Back in the starting lineup, Elijah Ingram regained his touch against WVU with 19 points on 5 three-pointers. Ingram carried his long-range shot into the game against UCLA hitting some bombs early on. Ingram ended up with 21 against the Bruins, and was helped out by 13 points and 15 rebounds from Kyle Cuffe.

This week:

February 4^th - at Pittsburgh

February 8^th - vs. Boston College

Even with the win over UCLA, the Storm still haven’t pulled off that elusive first Big East win. There seems to be little chance St Johns can walk into Petersen Events Center and snap Pitt’s 38 game home winning streak. St Johns has at least some chance of beating Boston College at home. The game against BC is the beginning of St Johns easiest streak of the season with two games at Virginia Tech and West Virginia after, wrapped around a home game vs. Georgetown.

Last week:

Syracuse 76 - Virginia Tech 64

It was a relatively quiet week for Syracuse fans with just the one game against Virginia Tech. All eyes in the land of the Orange were focused on tonight’s trip to UCONN. Despite playing without Billy Edelin (for non-basketball “personal issues“), the Cuse cruised to a relatively easy win. Demetrius Nichols got the start instead, and had a fine game with 12 points and 8 rebounds. More importantly, Gerry McNamara appeared to be very healthy against the Hokies, scoring 26 points and hitting 6 threes.

This week:

January 2^nd - at UCONN

February 7^th - at Providence

Even if McNamara explodes for 30+, it may not be enough to overcome a UCONN squad which blew out last year’s Carmelo-led squad. Billy Edelin’s absence does nothing to help Syracuse’ chances. It is highly conceivable that the Orange could somehow end this week only 4-4 in the Big East, after heading to Providence on Saturday. Even though Syracuse will be an underdog in both games, you can never discount the possibility of an upset.

Last week:

Rutgers 71 - Villanova 68

Villanova 73 - West Virginia 58

Along with Georgetown’s win at Miami, Rutgers win at Villanova was the shocker of the week. Its not that Rutgers is any less talented than Villanova, but that the Knights haven’t won any conference road game since in almost 2 years. Villanova’s backcourt was disappointing yet again, as Nardi and Foye combined to shoot 3-20. Unfortunately, the loss overshadowed a great effort from Curtis Sumpter who scored 25 points, his 2^nd best total of the season. Against WVU, the Wildcats cruised to an easy victory after pulling away late in the 1^st half. In this game, the backcourt was much more productive, as all three scored in double-figures, led by Allan Ray’s 20.

This week:

February 2^nd - vs. St Josephs

February 5^th - at Georgetown

Does Villanova have a chance to hand St Josephs their first loss of the season? Doubtful, but not entirely out of the question. A lot obviously would have to go right for the Wildcats. Villanova is 9-0 when shooting over 50% this season, so hot shooting is a must against the Hawks. Another telling stat is that VU is 8-3 when the trio of Foye, Nardi, and Ray all score in double-digits. Even if everything goes right on the offensive end for the Cats, defense against SJU is a whole other story. The Hawks have been scoring points in the bunches, averaging over 90 ppg their last four games. They’ve also hit an amazing 37 three’s in their last two games.

Last week:

UCONN 96 - Virginia Tech 60

Syracuse 76 - Virginia Tech 64

Things have returned to normal as the Hokies have lost 5 in a row, and 7 of 8. The 36 point loss to UCONN was their worst ever loss in 43 years at the Cassell Coliseum. The game at Syracuse was more competitive, but the Cuse never trailed and the outcome was never really in question. After a very quiet performance against UCONN, Jamon Gordon got that start against Syracuse and came through with a team-high 21 points.

This week:

February 4^th - vs. Providence

Even though they got blitzed by UCONN at home, the Hokies still have a better chance to return to the win column at Cassell than on the road. Perhaps Virginia Tech will take a page out of Seton Hall’s book by only guarding Gomes with one man, and forcing him to beat the team single-handedly.

Last week:

West Virginia 73 - St Johns 64

Villanova 73 - West Virginia 58

Tyrone Sally has really stepped up in the absence of Drew Schifino. Sally has led the team in scoring the last 4 games, averaging over 18 ppg along the way. His best game came against St John’s, as he scored 24 points in the victory. Patrick Beilein has also picked up his game, scoring over 11 points in 5 of the last 6 games.

This week:

February 4^th - vs. Seton Hall

February 7^th - at UCONN

West Virginia has surprised me by winning 3 of 4 games, to end up within a game of .500. In hindsight, the 2 point home loss to Virginia Tech is devastating. With one more conference win, the Mountaineers could be sitting over .500, at 6^th place in the conference. Instead, WVU is looking at two challenging games which could drop them back to a more typical 3-6 conference record. Last year, the Mountaineers lost a close game to Seton Hall by 4 points. In that game, the Pirates’ Kelly Whitney scored 17 points, and the center poses another big challenge for WVU this year. The real issue in the trip to the Gampel Pavilion, is how many points WVU will lose by.

February 2^nd - St Joseph’s at Villanova

It will be interesting to see if Nova can put a scare into the high flying Hawks.

February 4^th - Notre Dame at Boston College

The Eagles desperately need to get back on track with a win.

February 7^th - Rutgers at Seton Hall

RU has a chance to make something of their season if they can win this battle of NJ.

February 7^th - Syracuse at Providence

This should be a highly contested affair