Big East Tournament Live-Blog Session 6

Tonight, we get two more possible #1 seeds as Pitt takes on West Virginia in the first game, and UConn gets Syracuse in the nightcap. Pitt-West Virginia may end up being a dog fight, as both teams rely heavily on getting points off of offensive rebounding and defense. UConn-Syracuse should be packed, as both teams draw very well here in NYC.

As always, if you have questions or comments, feel free to email me at ContactBIAH@gmail.com.

- 127-117. 6 ot. What a game. G'night.

- 120-112 Cuse. 1:47 left.

- Buffalo Wild wings doesn't want it to end

- Harris gives the Cuse a 118-110 lead.
- first Cuse lead of OT.

- Harris, Price, Rautins, and Adrien all have 4.

- 6 OT's. This is absurd. I can't believe I am here for this.

- UConn brings in Haralson, who hits a jumper to give UConn the lead. Flynn is fouled. Hits both.

- Devendorf has fouled out. 106 104 with 2 minutes left.

- 5 OT. Price starts the scoring with a jumper. 3 left.

- Unreal sequence there. Not even going to try to type it. 40 seconds, tie game, uconn ball. These kids are exhausted.

- Rick Jackson and Thabeet have fouled out. UConn up two.

- Price makes the second but Rautins ties it with a three. YOU HAVE TO FOUL THERE!!! Don't let them get the three off. I know the Huskies have been missing free throws, but still. Have confidence in your team.

- an adrien turnover leads to a dunk, but after he misses two ft's, walkker grabs an offensive board and the throw. Austrie grabs one after he misses a three. Price to the line up 2 with 21.3 left. Misses first.
- A Thabeet putback and a Harris putback keeps the lead at four. 1:37 left. The Cuse press is killing the Huskies right now.

- Harris, Jackson, Price, Adrien and Thabeet all have four fouls. After four Cuse free throws and a UConn turnover against the press, price hits two. 95-91.

- Stanley Robinson fouls out. 2:59 left.

- After a Price floater with 3:00 left, UConn is up six and Boeheim calls a timeout.

- Price starts the OT off with a three. After a Thabeet free throw it is 91-87
- 3 OT. I have no idea what to say about this right now. UConn misses three lay-ups before Flynn misses a three with 4 seconds, only For Walker to hit the back rim on a hal court prayer.

- Onuaku fouls out. 1:18 left.

- Flynn ties it with a three point play.

- After 3 free throws UConn up 3.

- The happiest people in the gym are from West Virginis, who plays the winner tomorrow.

- They are playing Oh What A Night by The Four Seasons.

- sticks hits 1-2 and Uconn takes a two point lead, but Flynn takes it to the rack and drops it off for a Rick Jackson dunk. 2 OT

- why is Rautins taking the big shot? Why not Flynn or Devo?

- Every single person is standing in this gym.

- Fitting. In his best game as a Husky, Robinson knocks down a three with 1:23 left to put UConn up 4. The Orange aren't out of it yet as Rautins answers with his own triple.

- this is incredible. Someone starts a chant, and it immediately turns into all husky fans screaming Let's go Huskies and Cuse fans yelling Let's go Orange. No matter how it started.

- Robinson starts the OT with two FT's, then Thabeet dives on the floor to gather a loose ball and calls a timeout.

- No good. Ot!!!!

- Kemba Walker ties it up with a second left, but the Cuse throws the ball the length of the court where it lands in Devo's hands and he hits a three at the buzzer. The refs are reviewing it. Stay tuned.

- I hope everyone at home is loving this. Basketball doesn't get any better than this. UConn down one to the Orange, their biggest rival, in a packed house in MSG with 1 minute left. Enjoy it. I am.

- Onuaku was 1-19 before those two free throws.

- Stanley Robinson has been the best player on the floor for the Huskies. He has 22 and 8 boards.

- Price is not getting shots. Why? Its a good question.

- Hugwe finish by Onuaku. UConn just doesn't seem to have much court sense. Case in point, Austrie blocked the Flynn jumper, but neither Edwards or Thabeet reacted quick enough to get the loose ball. Ongenaet knocks it to Flynn who finds Onuaku for the lay-up and the foul. UConn is in big trouble because they are down 64-57 with 3:56 left and are struggling to score.

- This place has turned into a home court for the Cuse. Every Pitt fan in my section is cheering for the Orange.

- Free throws are killing the Huskies. 7-15 after Robinson missed two.

- Jonny Flynn is taking this game over. Great move in the paint to draw the foul. 59-56 with 6:35 left on the clock.

- Huge three by Rautins as the Cuse have come back to take a 54-51 lead. UConn is struggling to get good looks offensively right now.

- Rick Jackson does not get enough touches. He is very good when he gets it on the block.

- Sticks with another big dunk. He is playing great today. When he is active defensively and on the glass he is such a difference maker. Not many people have a kid with his tools.

- We are at the under 12 timeout and UConn is up 46-42. Neiother team seems to be in rhythm offensively right now. Boeheim has gpotten such a quick leash with Paul Harris in this tournament. He is not afraid to pull him a minute into jis rotation.

- Sorry. Technical difficulties. Why would AJ Price ever try to pass to Thabeet running at full speed?

- What a first half of basketball. UConn takes a 37-34 lead into the break. Price and Robinson both have 11 for UConn, who is killing the Orange in the paint offensively. But the Huskies cannot get back on the defensive end as the Cuse transition game is clicking. This is going to be an amazing second half.

- First fight of the night. Some UConn in a Cuse section threw a punch and was escorted out by about 10 security guards ... all about 15 rows below me.

- What makes the Cuse so difficult to stop in transition is their best rebounder (Harris) can get out and lead the break. When he does, Flynn and Devo get out on the wings and its off to the races.

- Harris is leading the Orange with 8 and 4 while Price has 8 to lead the Huskies.

- Wow. Stanley Robinson is a bit athletic. He threw down a vicious windmill.

- Price hits a three to tie it at 20.

- UConn is crashing the glass with everyone, and as soon as the Orange secure the board they are out running. They didn't do that in the first half.

- The Orange zone is working well right now because UConn is not moving well in it. Thabeet and Adrien are standing too much. Offensively, Syracuse is clicking. They are pushing the ball very well, and running crisply off of screens.

- Devo with five straight points, but Price responds with a three.

- We are at the under 16 timeout, and the Orange are up 8-7. UConn, as usual, is missing free throws left and right. The Huskies need to keep getting the ball into the high post to beat this zone. Once they get a couple hi-lo's, the threes and pwerimeter lanes will start to open up.

- The Cuse fan next to me, every time Paul Harris touches the ball, says "holy sh*t Paul, what are you doing!!". You may have to be hearing it, but it is pretty funny.

- Three times to Adrien at the high post, two baskets and three foul shots.

- UConn alreasy O-3 from the line.

- Great pass by Adrien too Thabeet. And-1 dunk. UConn has to get the ball to Adrien at the high post to beat this zone.

- Definitely a decided advantage for UConn in the crowd, although I have a feeling Pitt and WVU fans will begin rooting for the Cuse before too long. This place is rocking right now.

- Ebanks now has 20 and the WV faithful rise as this one is over. Butler finishes with 16 and Ruoff ends up with 18 as WV wins 74-60.

- Blair is gone. 14 points but only about 10 minutes of floor time. 68-60 with 1:17 left.

- Butler just got his fourth on a Sam Young drive. It was Youngs first basket in like 15 minutes.

- The Garden is absolutely packed right now. This place is going to be crazy for tonight's game.

- That might be the dagger. Butler knocks down a three to put WV up 68-53 with a little over 5 minutes left. My new rule is ALWAYS pick WV in every tournament for at least one up set. Remember last year? They knocked off UConn as a sixand then beat Duke in the tourney as a seven.

- 6:52 left and WV is still up 10. Ruoff is back in the game. Huge miscommunication as Flowers gets a wide open layup. Blair just picked up his fourth on an illegal screen.

- Where is Sam Young this half? He has been very quiet.

- Two great plays by Gibbs back to back. Beautiful pass for a layuo then a great pull up in transition.

Ruoff took a shot to the face. Can't see what happened, but it looks like he lost a contact.

- And he is hitting jumpers now? 17 for Ebanks as WV has opened up a 12 point lead. WV is back in the zone. In theory, it is great. They are running a 1-3-1 with 6 9 Ebanks at the top. But that was their first stop in it.

- Devin Ebanks is going to be a star. Yesterdayan he had 18 boards and 5 assists. Today, he has 14 points, a couple pretty post moves, and a HUGE dunk. Check youtube for it later.

- Blair just picked up his third via a tech. I didn't see what it was for. Any help?

- It is the under 12 timeout. 53-45 WV. The Mountaineers really are battling inside. They are doing a solid job battling with Blair. He has 12 points and 4 boards.

- There are some real battles going on under the basket. For a big strong guy, Blair gets a lot of ticky tack fouls. Maybe he is so big a big hit lloks liks nothing.

- Ebanks is the best player on the floor right now, with 15 points and 5 boards. But Blair is starting to assert his dominance. He has two buckets and just drew a foul on the last possession. 47-41 WV.

- I saw a stat the other day. DeJuan Blair gets 25% of the Panthers misses. That is more than seven TEAMS. Ridiculous.

- Beautiful fast break led by Bryant finished with a huge one-handed dunk by Ebanks on Dixon. WV is up 45-37 and taking it right at Pitt. The issue is and always will be keeping Blair and co. off the o-boards, and as long as they can keep it up, they should be in good shape.

- Bryant bangs a three and WV is up six.

- Smith picks up his third foul guarding Blair. He is a loas on the block.

- And the second half begins with Ebanks getting a bucket in the paint.

- So we head into halftime with WV seemingly up 36-34 after a tip-in at the halftime buzzer by Flowers. Butler leads WV with 9 while Ebanks has 9 as well. Young is leading Pitt with 8 points. West Virginia missed a golden opportunity with Blair picking up two early fouls. WV has had trouble keeping the Panthers from penetrating, either in man or in the zone they were playing (which was completely ineffective - three possession, three baskets). Pitt had seven first half o-boards, but WV has five of their own. Fields struggled at the start, but finished with an outstanding half, ending with 6 assists.

- Butler just picked up his third foul. WV has switched to a 1-3-1 zone, but it has not been all the effective yet.

- Biggs picked up his third. The Panthers go small, lining up Gibbs and Fields in the backcourt with Young at center.

- We are at the under 4 timeout, and Pitt is up 29-28.

- Butler picks up his second foul trying to front Young 17 feet from the hoop.

- Gorgeous touch pass from Fields to Brown for a dunk. Pitt scored seven quick points to take the lead. Pitt is really trying to push the ball right now with Blair out of the game.

- Wanamaker with a tough drive to the rim, drawing a foul and-1 against Ruoff. 26-25.

- Classic screen the screener out of bounds play. Ruoff wide open three. Pitt has to know that play.

- Fields to Young oop. They are good for one of those a game. Under 8 timeout and it is 24-20 WV. The mountaineers want to build up a lead right now with Blair on the bench.

- Da'Sean Butler hits another three and WVU goes up four. Biggs has two fouls now too for Pitt.

- This game is very physical on both ends. Both teams are really battling out there.

- WVU is outscoring Pitt 15-7 since Blair went out. WV is really clicking offensively right now as they have scored the last six possessions. It is 19-17 at the under 12 timeout. Levance Fields is not playing very well. He has missed a number of drives to the rim, and has a couple bad turnovers. With Blair out, the Panthers need him to step up.

- what a pass from Bryant to Ebanks.

- And Blair picks up his second foul. Huge. The big fella makes such a difference for this Pitt team. When he is on the bench it is a huge hole in the middle. I don't know why you try and take that charge you are Blair.

Pitt has a 9-4 lead and Blair has five points and four boards. Ruoff to the line for the Mountaineers.

- and we're back, as Pitt has taken an early 6-4 lead. Blair has 2 points and 3 boards already, but more importantly 1 foul.

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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.



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