Chalk ruled the day. The teams having a bye all advanced. Sandwiched between some reasonably competitive games were a couple games that never had the outcome in doubt.
DePaul spent most of the game looking like they were going to take care of any bubble talk in the Big East by putting Providence out of the Big East Tournament (BET). Ultimately, Providence managed to play some defense while DePaul maintained their stance on no defense if at all possible.
The biggest loser of the first game of the Big East Tournament (BET) was not Cincy. It was Providence. The Friars are a fringe bubble team. They need more than simply a deep run in the BET, they need quality wins to boost their computer numbers. Providence now gets DePaul and their 200+ RPI number tomorrow. Even if they win, they get little to show for it. On top of that, Providence swept Cincinnati. That Cincinnati loss to DePaul further drives down the value of those wins.
The only other winners are sportswriters who like DePaul coach Jerry Wainwright. Wainwright is popular because he's a good quote and media friendly. Now they can claim he is making progress and should get another year.
Notwithstanding the protests of Digger Phelps, the Irish's loss at UConn finishes their chances at going to the NCAA Tournament without a miracle run in the Big East Tournament. Forget the non-conference strength of schedule, which ranks at 257th. Forget an overall RPI of 72. Ignore the 3-10 record against the RPI top-50.
The reason that the Irish are done is that they finished 2-7 in the Big East in road games. Simply put, they could not win a single quality road game in conference. When you can't do that, regardless of how tough the conference schedule is, you are not an NCAA Tournament team.
Conference:Big East Record: 24-7, 11-5 in conference RPI: 31 How They Got In: At-large Seed/Bracket: 6 / Midwest (St. Louis)
Mascot: Leprechaun. The Leprechaun became the official mascot in 1965. Before that, they used terrier dogs. They don't know exactly where the name Fighing Irish originated, but the credit seems to be attributed to the media. They have gone by the "Catholics" and the "Ramblers" in the past before "Fighting Irish" was made official in 1927.
Big Wins: They beat Maryland, West Virginia, Louisville and Villanova.
Notable Loss: The Irish skidded in February when they lost at South Florida. Player You Should Know: Senior guard Colin Falls is not just a deadly sharpshooter on 3s, but he is willing to drive and create space for his own shot.
Outlook: The Fighting Irish don't seem likely to get beyond the Sweet 16 at best. They have some good players and if Falls is shooting well, they can beat almost any team. The problem has been that all too often, they get passive about going to the basket and start looking for nothing but jump shots.
Notre Dame's record now stands at 22-6 and 10-5 in the Big East after their big win over Marquette. It put them at 18-0 for the season (20-0 dating back to last year). They needed the perfection at home considering their floundering on the road. 4-6 in road and neutral games and 2-5 on the road in the Big East.
Freshman Center Luke Harangody came up huge for Notre Dame. He had 22 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out with just under 23 seconds left. And even when he fouled out, he got Dan Fitzgerald so pissed, he shoved back to get nailed with a technical foul.
Four ND starters hit double digits. Colin Falls broke the Big East record for most 3s in the conference for a career with the 4 he hit. He broke the 183 made by Gerry McNamara of Syracuse. The Irish were 27-34 at the free throw line. The Irish withstood a hot start from Marquette early in the first half, that found them down by 13 halfway through. Then, ND started hitting and Marquette went cold to take control of the game and be up by 6 at the half.
Marquette, as often predicted, went the way of their start point guard Dominic James. He struggled, and Marquette fell. James had 14 points, but it came on 6-20 shooting and he looked frustrated the entire second half. The other two guards -- Wesley Matthews and Jerel McNeal -- contributed 33 points, but the Golden Eagles frontcourt players were non-factors against the bigger Irish players.
Notre Dame has clinched their Tourney bid with this win. Even ND, with all of their road issues, should be able to win their final game -- at 10-18 Rutgers.
Notre Dame keeps itself on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble. Forget being ranked in the coaches poll at #23 at the moment. Their RPI (#49), non-con strength of schedule (#300) and presently only 6-4 in their last 10 games all work against the Irish.
So, this game was vital. They needed to beat DePaul -- another team close to them in RPI -- and make sure they finish the season above .500 in the Big East. This win did it, moving them to 9-5 in the conference. Notre Dame did it in impressive fashion with a 78-54 pummeling of the Blue Demons.
It was a strong, balanced game for Notre Dame as all 5 starters got into double digits -- and accounted for all but 5 of the 78 points.
As well as Notre Dame played, DePaul simply never showed up. They hung their heads early when open shots weren't falling. The Blue Demons went a pathetic 2-19 from the 3-point range.
This should just about do it for any hope DePaul had of making the NCAA Tournament. They fall to 7-7 in the Big East, their RPI will fall from #55, and their final two games won't help -- USF and Cinci.
Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles is expected to step down this week. His departure is yet another symbol of the passing of one of college football's greatest generations, the great coaches who presided over the game from 1960 or so until the mid to late 1970's. Broyles coached the Razorbacks from 1958 to 1976 helping them win a championship and competing nationally in a great era against powers like Alabama, USC, Notre Dame and Michigan.
Another giant of his time has left us in the mortal sense: Bo Schembechler. Schembechler coached Michigan from 1969 to 1989 becoming the face of the program until his death just before the Michigan/Ohio State game last year.
Among the magnificent but dead is Alabama's Bear Bryant (1958-1982) who retired at the end of the 1982 season and promptly checked out of mortal existence. Ohio State's Woody Hayes (1951-1978) hung around until his death in 1987. Nebraska's Bob Devaney (1962-1972) checked out in 1997 and USC's comedic John McKay (1960-1975) lasted a little longer, passing away in 2001.
All those giants left the coaching ranks long ago, but each stewarded elite programs for a decade or more. To this day most of them remain the standard for which current coaches aspire to at each of their programs. Schembechler's death and Broyles' departure signal the end of their collective direct involvement in the college game.
They are the ones who were the game's caretakes from the mid to late 1970's until the late 1980's, an era of great transition and upheaval due to parity measures such as scholarship limits, the completion of racial integration and the rapid and dramatic death of plodding, run-heavy conventional offenses such as USC's "Student Body Right/Student Body Left" approach.
We'll save that analysis for another day, another time. Until then it's one final embrace of perhaps college football's "greatest generation" of coaches. Thanks for the memories, fellas.
If Notre Dame scores less than 70 points, they are 2-5. Notre Dame, however, does very well when they go over that number. Tonight, they went to 17-1 when scoring 70 points or more with an 81-78 win over Providence.
Both teams shot over 50%, but Providence's hot shooting came in the first half while Notre Dame was consistent in both halves. Providence had a nearly 6 minute scoreless stretch in the second half that did them in.
It also helped that ND had 19 more free throw attempts than the Friars. This, despite only 4 less fouls being called on ND then Providence. The Irish were not more aggressive than Providence going to the basket. It's just that Providence was less effective at defending inside without fouling. Colin Falls, especially, was very good at drawing the contact for the Irish to help make up for a rare poor shooting night for him.
This was a must win for both teams with regards to their NCAA Tournament hopes. Both teams are on the bubble and in the mid 50s in RPI. Providence now slips under .500 in Big East games with 5 left (and some very winnable ones), but they need wins that will help their numbers more than simply wins and losses. This would have been big as a road that the Friars are noticeably lacking and for quality.
Notre Dame held serve at home -- where they are unbeaten (16-0) this year -- and pushes their conference record up to 7-5 with 2 home games (DePaul and Marquette) remaining and 2 very winnable road games (@ Cinci and @ Rutgers). The Irish should have no excuse not to get to 10 conference wins.
Notre Dame shot 37.5% (24-64) and given the reliance of the Irish on the 3-point shot, going 9-28 from outside was devastating. The big surprise was that Notre Dame settled for a lot more jump shots and not driving to the basket or just trying to go inside to Rob Kurz and Luke Harangody on offense as much. The only one who could hit shots was Colin Falls who scored 26 points on 10-18 (meaning that the rest of the team shot 14-46, 30.4%).
South Florida, by contrast drove to the hoop constantly, making more baskets and getting to the free throw line. They enjoyed a 30-12 advantage on free throw attempts. The Bulls also grabbed a +11 rebounding advantage over Notre Dame to get more second chance points and limit the same for the Irish. Generally had more energy and more aggressive.
This had to be a stunning loss for Notre Dame. To fall to a team that can still count the number of Big East wins in its first two seasons on one hand. They are now 6-4 in the conference, falling to 6th place. The loss may very well drop them from the top-25, but they are still going to the NCAA Tournament at this point.
South Florida gets to 3-6 in the Big East sharing 11th place with UConn, St. John's and Seton Hall. Their goal of being in the 12 Big East teams to make the Big East Tournament remains intact.
A three game losing streak for Syracuse. Astounding. Really, the way it has happened. Every night, something different. Well, aside from a slew of turnovers in each game (15, 17 and now 16).
First it was at St. John's where the Orange fell behind by a large score early because they were bothered by the St. John's defense. They made a big comeback, but couldn't do it thanks to 4-14 free throw shooting.
Then came the Louisville loss. A game they had in hand into the second half, before the Louisville defense clamped down on Syracuse and Syracuse just couldn't buy a basket.
Now this one, with Notre Dame. This was simply where the Orange forgot about the concept of defense. Syracuse surrendered 61 points in the first half to Notre Dame, and 103 for the game. All without ND forward Rob Kurz -- the FIghting Irish's leading rebounder and second leading scorer -- because of a bum ankle.
How? Well the Syracuse vaunted 2-3 defense was not particularly effective against the 3-point shooting of Notre Dame. After missing the first 3, 3-point shots, Notre Dame dropped 10-14 the rest of the first half. Apparently the first three misses were about finding their range.
Chalk ruled the day. The teams having a bye all advanced. Sandwiched between some reasonably competitive games were a couple games that never had the outcome in doubt.
The biggest loser of the first game of the Big East Tournament (BET) was not Cincy. It was Providence. The Friars are a fringe bubble team. They need more than simply a deep run in the BET, they need quality wins to boost their computer numbers. Providence now gets DePaul and their 200+ RPI number tomorrow. Even if they win, they get little to show for it. On top of that, Providence swept Cincinnati. That Cincinnati loss to DePaul further drives down the value of those wins. 
Notwithstanding the protests of Digger Phelps, the Irish's loss at UConn finishes their chances at going to the NCAA Tournament without a miracle run in the Big East Tournament. Forget the non-conference strength of schedule, which ranks at 257th. Forget an overall RPI of 72. Ignore the 3-10 record against the RPI top-50.
Conference: Big East 
At home. A 85-73 win.
Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles is expected to step down this week. His departure is yet another symbol of the passing of one of college football's greatest generations, the great coaches who presided over the game from 1960 or so until the mid to late 1970's. Broyles coached the Razorbacks from 1958 to 1976 helping them win a championship and competing nationally in a great era against powers like Alabama, USC, Notre Dame and Michigan.
If Notre Dame scores less than 70 points, they are 2-5. Notre Dame, however, does very well when they go over that number. Tonight, they went to 17-1 when scoring 70 points or more with an 81-78 win over Providence. 
I really thought Notre Dame had turned the corner with the huge road win over Syracuse this week. Instead, it was something even stranger. As tremendous an offensive performance they demonstrated on the Orange, there was an almost immediate balancing of the scales with a trip to Tampa where they fell to the South Florida Bulls 69-63. 
A three game losing streak for Syracuse. Astounding. Really, the way it has happened. Every night, something different. Well, aside from a slew of turnovers in each game (15, 17 and now 16).
