Big East Conference Tournament Opening Round: No. 9 Villanova got 54 points from freshman Scottie Reynolds and senior Curtis Sumpter to help beat No. 8 DePaul 75-67. Reynolds scored 13 of his 29 points from the free throw line, keeping the Blue Demons at bay during the final minutes. Sumpter had 25 points, including a three-pointer during a second-half run that pushed Villanova’s lead to 11. The Wildcats move into the quarterfinals to play No. 1 Georgetown.
No. 5 Syracuse ousted No. 12 Connecticut 78-65, possibly bringing the Huskies’ disappointing season to an end. Senior Demetris Nichols led the Orange with 28 points, including seven three-pointers. The Huskies kept the game close until the second half when Syracuse used a 25-8 run during the first eight minutes to bury the Huskies. Syracuse likely solidified its position in the NCAA Tournament, while Connecticut remains a bubble team — for the NIT.
No. 7 West Virginia brought its long-range shooters to Madison Square Garden and hammered No. 10 Providence 92-79. The Mountaineers drained a Big East Tournament-record 17 three-pointers to keep the Friars down from start to finish. Frank Young and Alex Ruoff scored 21 points apiece to lead West Virginia, which will play No. 2 Louisville in the quarterfinals. The win moves the Mountaineers a step closer to an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament, while the Friars’ loss kills their hopes for a bid.
No. 6 Marquette beat No. 11 St. John’s 76-67 in the nightcap of the opening round, setting up a third meeting with No. 3 Pittsburgh. Marquette is 2-0 against the Big East preseason favorite this year. Dan Fitzgerald led the Golden Eagles with 20 points against the Red Storm. He helped spur a decisive 15-2 run midway through the second half that stretched Marquette’s lead to 60-48. The Golden Eagles hit enough free throws in the final minutes to end any thoughts of an upset. [3/07/07]
