March 2012 | Page 22 of 28 | Zagsblog
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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Saturday / November 23.
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Big East

NEW YORK — Now that Temple has officially joined the Big East, Commissioner John Marinatto says he’s “open to having the discussions with both Pittsburgh and Syracuse” about them leaving the conference for the ACC in 2013 as opposed to 2014.

Also, the loss of West Virginia this year combined with the addition of Temple for basketball beginning in 2013 means the Big East basketball tournament will have only 15 teams next year.

Asked when he would have those conversations with Syracuse and Pitt, Marinatto told SNY.tv, “Hopefully, soon. Our membership is very pleased with where we’ve landed…so I hope to engage in conversations with both Pittsburgh and Syracuse very soon.”

Syracuse, UConn

NEW YORK — Six overtimes, anyone?

Syracuse and UConn probably won’t go that long — at least we hope not — when they tangle Thursday at noon in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden.

It has all the makings of another classic.

“We’re playing one of the best, in my opinion, along with Kentucky, the best team in the country tomorrow,” UConn coach Jim Calhoun said following his team’s 71-67 overtime win against West Virginia.

Three years ago in the quarterfinals, Syracuse prevailed over UConn 127-117 in six overtimes. They met last year in the semifinals, a 76-71 Connecticut win that went one overtime.

Articles, Big East, West Virginia

NEW YORK — Kevin Jones is too proud, too humble and too much of a good guy to say anything more than that he is “disappointed” by what transpired over what turned out to be the final few days of his Big East career.

But his longtime friend and roommate Darryl “Truck” Bryant isn’t afraid to let his feelings fly.

“We’re roommates, we’ve been roommates for four years so of course we spoke about it but at the end of the day we both know he got jerked. We both know it,” Bryant, the former St. Raymond’s High School star, told SNY.tv exclusively following West Virginia’s final game in the Big East Tournament, a 71-67 overtime loss to UConn.

Articles, Kyle Anderson, UCLA

Kyle Anderson and his new UCLA teammates will return to the New York area in November as part of the Legends Classic at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Georgetown, Indiana and Georgia are also part of the event that runs Nov. 19-20 at the new home of the Brooklyn Nets.

“It will be a chance for Lil Kyle to come home and play in front of family and friends,” Kyle Anderson Sr. told SNY.tv. “He is used to having both friends and family support him but once he hits L.A. it will be a situation he is not accustomed to. I feel strongly that he will make the adjustment.”

Articles, Rutgers

NEW YORK — When Mike Rice looked out on the Madison Square Garden floor Tuesday night, he saw a whole lot of Maalik Wayns.

The Villanova junior guard sliced through the Scarlet Knights’ defense for 28 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists en route to a 70-49 pasting in the first round of the Big East Tournament.

Rice has three talented freshmen guards of his own in Eli Carter, Myles Mack and Jerome Seagears and he’s banking on them evolving into something approximating what Wayns is now: a rugged veteran of Big East battles and a Second-Team All-Big East performer.

“I am very confident,” a clearly flustered Rice said after his team managed just 3-for-25 shooting and 15 points in the second half. “It’s going to happen. Rutgers is going to happen.”

Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving won’t play for Australia this summer in the London Olympics and said he hopes to be a part of Team USA for 2016.

Yet Irving clarified earlier remarks about Team USA Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s future, saying he’s not certain if Coach K will lead the Americans four years from now.

“I spoke to Coach K [and] he did tell me he was coaching, but I prematurely spoke on that,” Irving, who played for Coach K at Duke last season, told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “But I know he’s going to be part of USA Basketball. That’s the most important thing. That’s what made my decision easier.

“He’s going to be part of the USA staff anyway whether he’s coaching or not. That way it’s easy for me.”

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