The good news keeps on coming for St. John’s and senior guard Dwight Hardy.
After edging No. 4 Pittsburgh, 60-59, Saturday at Madison Square Garden on Hardy’s last-second underhand lay-up, the Johnnies on Monday entered The AP Top 25 at No. 23 — their first national ranking since November 2000.
“I think it’s a benchmark of achievement for the senior class and naturally it will be helpful in recruiting with the national exposure,” St. John’s coach Steve Lavin told the AP. “It is empirical evidence that their hard work is paying off.”
Lavin said you try not to have “emotional peaks and valleys and you are always concerned and mindful of complacency. But with this group, with an outstanding work ethic, focus and resolve to finish their careers on a high note.”
St. John’s (17-9, 9-5 Big East) appears headed to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002.
The Johnnies own home wins over four Top 10 teams — then-No. 9 Notre Dame, then-No. 3 Duke, then-No. 10 UConn and Pitt.
The Johnnies own the No. 1 strength of schedule in the land.
“I think it’s an interesting thing that they forged through such a challenging schedule,” Lavin said. “We played eight consecutive games against ranked teams, made three trips to the West Coast. It’s takes pressure, heat and time to make a diamond. It shows how together this group is.”
St. John’s gives the Big East eight ranked teams, four more than Big 12 and five more than the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference.
Duke jumped from fifth to No. 1 on Monday after a week that saw the top four teams in the poll all lose. The move to the top is the biggest since Kansas went from sixth to No. 1 in November 2003, the last time the top four all lost in the same week.
Duke, which was No. 1 in the preseason poll and for the first eight weeks of the regular season, received 35 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel.
Five other teams received first-place votes this week, another indication of the parity this season.
Ohio State stayed No. 2 with 10 first-place votes, while Kansas dropped from No. 1 to third with five first-place votes.
Pittsburgh, No. 1 on 12 ballots, stayed fourth and Texas, which got one first-place vote, fell two spots to fifth.
Also on Monday, Hardy was named the Big East Player of the Week for the second straight week.
The Bronx native averaged 23.5 points, 4.0 steals and 3.5 rebounds in wins at Marquette and over Pitt.
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**Hardy’s last-second shot lifts Johnnies over No. 4 Pitt
**For Lavin and his staff, it must be the shoes…or sneakers
(The AP contributed)
(Photo courtesy Daily News)
JessieWildcat / February 22, 2011
RANKED!
But, if the Johnies put a BEAT DOWN on that team.
Then, the Johnies should be ranked in the TOP3.
Johnies OWNED doke from start to finish. NOT EVEN CLOSE.
That is how bad ,doke looked.
Johnies get at 5th seed.
And Doke gets a No.2 seed, West. With SDSU as the No.1.
ps-
Kansas will not get favorable opponents due to it GOT TICKETs.
The NCAA will make sure of this.
The same will be true of Tenn, with GOT YOU Pearl. GOT you in the LIES.
The same for UConn. Uconn already has gotten a break by not discussing the sanctions.
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JonHuskyMS / February 22, 2011
how has UConn gotten a break by not discussing the sanctions? If anything its the opposite…recruiting has been hurt by the uncertainty of what the sanctions actually are…
What about ‘Zona’s violations? According to Lunardi’s latest bracketolgy UConn and Zona could meet in the second round… love that cakewalk to the sweet sixteen for uconn.
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BostonCat / February 22, 2011
“GOT TICKETS” is the pump and run brothers doing. the same group miller and zona are in bed sleeping with. look at their recruits. miller is on the hot seat, needed results. losing recruiting battles. turned to the pump brothers for help. another scandal heading to tuscon/mexico.
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JonHuskyMS / February 22, 2011
BTW have you seen Jessie’s recent posts on here? I think he may have a little bit of a crush on Zags..
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BostonCat / February 22, 2011
its the only place left on the internet he is allowed to post.
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JonHuskyMS / February 22, 2011
so i hear, although i must say, he certainly keeps things entertaining around here…
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JessieWildcat / February 22, 2011
AZ,
I TOLD YOU about the UConn penalities.
IS there a difference between the NCAA EAST and ncaa West… ABSOLUTELY.
8 MAJOR violations.
wow…wow….
The WEST will have some follow up.
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JessieWildcat / February 22, 2011
AZ,
The WEST believes that the NCAA EAST is a complete JOKE.
Anything is allowed in the EAST.
Evening LIEing…
CASH money- on the NCAA EAST???
Do TALK!
ps-AZ
uconn and NCAA had to release the INFO because of YOUR SITE… The FIRST to discuss before BREAKEING NEWS….
Good Stuff AZ
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JessieWildcat / February 22, 2011
3 games ..that is a vacation.
But, it was not his fault.
It was the fault of the AD, failure to control.
And NO actions against the AD.
If this happened in the WEST, the AD would be FIRED.
GONE.
Bye Bye
See Ya
NCAA East GOT CASH MONEY!!
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UAWildcat / February 22, 2011
BostonCat enjoys being the pot that calls the kettle black.
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JessieWildcat / February 22, 2011
Boston should be very happy with the NCAA EAST approval of the UConn violations.
This give Cali and WWW .. THE GREEN LIGHT.
for CASH MONEY.
The NCAA EAST is a JOKE.
And eSPN is LMFAO… The eSPN Spin.
Andie spinnin it..like Uconn got any penalities.
No ONE is buying it!!
/