Big East Tournament Live-Blog Session 1

Welcome to the first day of the Big East Tournament!! Our schedule for the first is DePaul-Cinci at noon and Georgetown-St. John's at around 2:30. The second session kicks off with Notre Dame-Rutgers at 7:00 and Seton Hall-South Florida at 9:30.

Unfortunately, due to some technical difficulties, you will not be able to comment directly onto the CoverItLive live-blog, but if you have any comments, questions, reactions, or simply want to drop me a hello, send an email to ContactBIAH@gmail.com (imagine trying to explain this to someone from the 1970's - I'm upset because I wanted to "live-blog" from the Big East Tournament, but since I will be on the "internet" from my "blackberry" I won't be able to get any "user comments" directly).

Follow the jump to read the transcript of the Big East Tournament Live-blog from session 1.

- and it is over. SJU 64-59.

- Mesherikov takes a tough, challenged three from the corner which hits the backboard, and bounces eight rows deep. 3.0 left, SJU ball, and it looks like this one is over. I guarantee that is not the shot that JT3 wanted in that situation. I have no idea what they were trying to do at the end there, because Chris Wright dribbled to the wing, and stood there for about five seconds before giving it to Nikita in the corner.

- Up three with 15.3 left. You have to foul here if you are SJU. I hate when coaches allow the three to be taken. Don't give them a chance to tie, especially if the clock gets below ten.

- Freeman hit both, and they foul Burrell with 18.8. Hits the first. And the second.

- Missed the second, and Freeman is fouled on a drive with 20.2 left.

- If G'Town loses, they can thank their inability to prevent penetration.

- With 34.9 left, Boothe drives and draws a foul, hitting the first free throw before calling a time out.

- Sapp answers with his own three from beyond the NBA line 59-57. 1:09 left. JT3 is going offense-defense with Wright and Clark. GTown, with their fouls, wants to win this in regulation.

- Play of the game. Boothe penetrates and gets into the paint, dropping it off the Burrell, who goes up and dunks on Monroe, drawing the freshman's fifth foul. Burrell hit the free throw. 59-54 1:30 left.

- Horne knocks down a three. 56-52. He has 23. 2 minutes left.

- We are now at the under 4 timeout, and St. John's has tied this one up at 52 after an and-1 by Paris Horne (who will be shooting the bonus after the break). These last four minutes are going to come down to execution. Neither team has played all that well today. Specifically two things: will the Hoyas slow down Horne and Kennedy (34 combined) and can SJU force the Hoyas into turnovers and get easy buckets.

- The Hoyas turn the ball over on their next two possessions, and after the second one, Monroe picks up his fourth on a cheapy in the backcourt. He and Wright have four now.

- SJU center Rob Thomas missed a front end, then poicked up a charge after getting the offensive rebound. DaJuan Summers, who has three fouls drew the charge. At the other end, Sapp hit a three, just G'Town's second of the game, the take a 49-46 lead

- Monroe with two free throws ties up the game with 6:30 left.

- St. John's cheerleaders > Georgetown's cheerleaders. In ability, but more importantly hotness. Summers hit one - 46-44

- DaJuan Summers was fouled going to the basket, and we head to the under 8 timeout in a three point game.

- Justin Burrell just picked up an intentional foul on a lay-up by Jason Clark (good call too), and he hits them both. It is the 4th on Burrell, and the Hoyas get the ball back.

- Another bucket by Monroe has it down to five, and a travel by SJU gives it back to the Hoyas.

- SJU has opened up a 46-37 lead after scoring off of back-to-back turnovers by the Hoyas. Monroe answers with a lay-up of his own to make it 46-39.
- The other big problem for the Hoyas right now is that they are not hitting open looks. That is what is killing them. They are now 1-9 from beyond the arc, which is terrible for a team that puts as much dependence on threeaks as the Hoyas do.

- G'Town is getting killed on the glass on the offensive end. SJU has gotten six o-boards in their last two possessions. 41-37 with 12:30 left.

- From Big Treezy, who is a full-blooded New Yorker and knows these things: The game isn't televised because of the low ticket sales. They don't want to show the Garden empty on ESPN.

- Kennedy is back in. He just hit two free throws to make it 40-34.

- Henry Sims is a human eraser this half. Three blocks already.

- So we are at the under 16 timeout, and SJU is up 36-34. The Johnnies are trying to pressure the Hoyas in the full court here in the second half, and it is working in the sense that G'Town is playing at a faster pace than they want too.

- SJU is up early in the second half 34-33. We now have a replacement ref coming out. Kennedy is on the bench, not shooting his free throws, but he looks like he is ready to check back in.

- Jesus. Scary scene right now. DJ Kennedy went in for a lay-up on a fast break and was fouled. As he went off to the side, he collided with an official who hit the ground very, very hard. He hit his head. He has been down for about three minutes. Kennedy is up now, and the ref refused the stretcher and walked off on his own power, albeit with a bloddied face.

- Email from Papa Bear: How similar are the struggles of St. John's and Maryland? Both obviously start with local recruiting - NYC kids go to places like Louisville and Pitt while the DC kids are going to the Big XII. What do both schools need to do to keep the local players local?

That is a good question and definitely something I will touch on beyond the live-chat. For SJU it is a combo of two things that killed them - the piunishments they received from the Mike Jarvis era (didn't his players beat up a stripper on a road trip? Do I remember that right?) And the fact that when a new dorm was built, it changed their classification as a commuter school (less legal money in the player's pockets - Seth Davis wrote an article on it a while back). For MD, it is more an issue of Gary Williams not being a recruiter, and losing assists like Billy Hahn that had connections to the local AAU teams, high schools etc. Again, I will definitely be revisiting this in the near future.

- Email from Marshy (talking a out G'Town): I think I would much rather see a team like Minnesota than watch the Hoyas play another game.

- So as we head into halftime of the second game of our quad header, the score is 30-28 SJU. Paris Horne leads all scorers with 15 while DJ Kennedy has added 12. Chris Wright leads the Hoyas with 11 while Greg Monroe has 7 points and 6 boards. I really don't have much to say about this first half, as neither team really played well or seemed all that into the game. More than anything, SJU just has the two best players on the floor in Kennedy and Horne. The Hoyas cannot stop those two.

The Hoyas also have some foul issues. Monroe and Wright both have two, while Summers picked up his third early in the first half.

- Greg Monroe just picked up his second foul on a foul under his own basket. It was the second straight possession the Hoyas fouled SJU in the back court. 28-28 with a minute in the half.

- G'Town is up 26-25 with 2 minutes left in the half.

- One of the things that the Big East is doing this year is bringing kids on the court to sing the Free Credit Report song. They just had a brother and sister that struggled a bit, and in typical NYC fashion, they got booed. Heavily.

- Comment from Big Treezy: Will Lance Stephenson end up at SJU? And how good will they be with him?

I don't think anyone knows (or can predict) where that kid will end up. By all accounts he is a bit of a loose cannon. But the sense I have gotten from what I've read is that his attitude and grades have really limited his options. He is a talent, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up with SJU. He would probably be their #1 option off the bat, and would definitely have a chance to put up some big numbers.

- a three by Chris Wright gives him nine on the game and puts GTown up 20-16. Kennedy responds with a dunk to make it 20-18.

- Paris Horne is keeping SJU in this. He has nine, and just knocked down a three to cut the G'Town lead to 17-14. We are now at the under 8 timeout, and DaJuan Summers just picked up his third foul. Summers has loads of talent, but I am just not convinced that he can carry a team. That has been on of G'Town's biggest problems this year. They don't have a go to scorer that can get them a basket when they need one. Summers was supposed to be that guy.

- Email from Marshy: Am I the only one that hopes G'Town loses? They have disappointed all year, and it would be the perfect way to cap off an underwhelming season.

I am not a fan of the Hoyas or of watching them play, but I wouldn't mind seeing them get the win. Three wins and they are probably in the dance. It would be better than seeing some team from the middle of the SEC or Big Ten get a bid.

- We are at the under 12 timeout, and GTown is up 13-9. Kennedy and Horne have all of the SJU pts.

- Georgetown has opened up an 11-4 lead. Monroe got pulled three minutes in, but since h has gotten back on the floor he has been very aggressive. He has 5 pts and 2 rbs.

- A bucket in the paint by chris Wright, and the Hoyas have a 5-4 lead. Five minutes gone.

- SJU and GTown has tipped, and the Johnnies have an early 4-3 lead. St. John's beat the Hoyas here in OT not two weeks ago, coming back from a 15 point half time deficit.

- Comment from Big Treezy: if a major conference tournament is playedn and no one is there to see it, did it really happen? Seriously, how is this not on TV? ESPN shows Ping Pong. Over-under on 1000 there.

It has filled up a bit since the start of DePaul-Cinci. I would say there are about 5,000 here. What is crazy to me is that there are many more Hoyas fans here than Johnnies fans in what is the St. John's home court. How far has that program fallen.

- Georgetown and St. John's now take the floor to warm-up, we will be back in 20 for the start of that one.

- It is over, and DePaul has their first win of the Big East season 67-57. That is why you come to the BET on Tuesday.

- Tucker just took the ball coast to coast for a lay-up, and after a miss by Cinci, he hits another free throw as DePaul goes up 64-52 with a minute left. We have our first upset of the BET!!!

- Two more free throws from Tucker put DePaul up 61-51. Gates responds by going 1-2 from line.

- why is DePaul winless? Because they do things like this: 2-on-1 fast break, up 7 with three minutes left, and you turn the ball over faking a behind the back pass. Jeremiah Kelly just made up for the mistake, however. He found Mac Kowlshawl for a dunk to put DePaul up 59-50 with 2:10 to go.

- So what happens? Vaughn throws an entry pass out of bounds. Surprised? I'm not. Vaughn as been far from the player I expected to see today. He has been a turnover machine and not shot well (1e pts, 4 asts). Vaughn did put on a show last year in the BET, and has a knack for coming through in big moments. Don't be surprised if he leads Cinci back

57-50 with 3:40 left.

- a basket by Gates, a missed FT !) Kelly, and a Vaughn three, this is a five point game and Cinci ball. It ain't over yet folks.

- Comment from Marshy: I would love to see an upset special to start off the BET!! Nothing like March!!

Right there with you man. This crowd is really starting to get behind the Demons as well. It is now 55-45 with 5 left after another tough Tucker bucket. I'm pretty sure he has never made an easy shot in his life.

- Cinci just used their second TO during this run, and now have one left. I've been saying the same thing all game, but the issue is turnovers. Cinci just keeps making unforced errors. It isn't as if the Demons are playing exceptionally tough defense, just lazy passes.Perfect example - two possessions ago, Vaughn hit Gates in the foot with an entry pass, which led to Walker's lay-up and the eight point lead.

- DePaul has opened up a 51-43 lead with 8:10 left on the strength of a 16-4 run. The Garden is starting to fill up a bit, and the crown is definitely rooting for DePaul.

- Walker with a steal anmd lay-up, and DePaul is back in the lead. Tucker with a bucket as well, and the Blue Demons are up 45-41. I'm finding my self rooting for DePaul. Is it bad to admit that? Damn journalistic integrity, this is the Big Easy tourney.

- Dar Tucker just picked up his third foul 60 feet from the rim. Tied at 41.

- Jeremiah Kelly just knocked down another three to tie. Having Tucker in there is a big difference for DePaul. He can dribble through the Cinci press.

- Walker just picked up his third.

- Dar Tucker is fun to watch. He just made his second whirling drive to the rim. 40-38 Cinci, 13 left.

- This game is starting to pick up in intensity. Cinci is really making an effort to push the ball in the second half. I like what Mick Cronin has done today. He is pressing, hard, all over the floor, but he is really rotating his guys through quickly. Three minutes and a sub. Three minutes and a sub. The number of fresh bodies he has is really starting to wear down DePaul.

- Tucker with a gorgeous drop off for Tucker for a big dunk. But Cinci looks like they are about to pull away. The dunk ended a 7-0 run. Cinci is the better team, but they need to stop turning the ball over if they want to win. Its early (2:30 in), but the Bearcats are up 7-4 in this half w/out a turnover.

- Vaughn responds with back-to-back baskets, including an and-1. 32-27 Cinci

- Will walker opens the second half with a jumper. DePaul has three talented players in Tucker, Walker, and Kowshawl. How aere they so bad?

- DePaul can not do anything offensively against the Bearcat ball pressure. The only reason that this game is close is that Cinci is giving the ball away to DePaul way too often. I'll see if I can get some stats during the have.

Deonta Vaughn and Dar Tucker, the two best players in this game, have yet to show up. Vaughn has just two points at the half, Tuckers sat the last 13 minutes with foul trouble.

- DePaul just got called for an offensive goaltending, and a Demons fan yelled out "come on, their 0-16". He was corrected by a guy in a Cinci T-shirt "actually, its 0-18". Wilkes hits a three and Cinci takes the lead back, 27-25.

- Walker picked the pocket of Dixon, going in for a lay-up as DePaul has taken a 25-22 lead.

- A jumper by Larry Davis takes us to the under 4 timeout with Cinci in the lead for the first time since the beginning of the game. This game is not pretty right now. Cinci's defense is doing a pretty good job keeping DePaul from getting the shots that they want, which is to be expected from this Bearcat team. They need to reduce their turnovers and they should be fine (as I write, they turn it over again).

- And Deonta Vaughn is on the scoreboard, taking a board coast to coast for a lay-up. Kowlshal answers with a bucket of his own. 20-18 DePaul.

- Look, I know that this is a recession and that this is, in fact, DePaul-Cinci, but I am still amazed at how empty this place is. No way there are 1000 people in MSG.

- Under 8 timeout. 18-16 DePaul. And wow, they are running an ad on the big screen for Jerry Wainwright, the DePaul head coach, as a the Big East coach of the year. The guy who led his team to 0-18 in the league? Really? Coach of the Year?

- 16-14 DePaul after a three from Darnell Wilkes. Cinci has gone small, with just one of their big men, Yancy Gates, on the court.

- Will walker has hit a couple straight jumpers for the Demons. He is coming off of a 31 pt performance in the season finale.
- OK apologies to everyone, I have it figured out now. 14-11 DePaul at the first TV timeout. For some reason, MSG isn't putting the stats up on the scoreboard right now. Maybe they are having the same problems as me. Anyway, as I was trying to say earlier, the one and maybe only reason I am excited for this game is to watch human youtube clip Dar Tucker play.

- It is now 9-8 with 13 minutes left, and DePaul is leading. The Bearcat press has been pretty effective, but Cinci has been unable to capitalize on turnovers, missing a number of lay-ups.

- So MSG has a block on the program I am trying to run from my phone, so I will have to do a regular old Live-Blog. Apologies to Marshy, couldn't answer your question in time.