NEW YORK – Madison Square Garden has played host to many great events over the years. In the college basketball game it is home to the “final four” of the nation’s oldest post-season tournament, The NIT. Add the Pre-season NIT, Big East Tournament and Coaches vs. Cancer, to name a few and you can see why the Garden is termed the “Mecca” of basketball.
The Maggie Dixon Classic is a relative newcomer to the “world’s most famous arena” and is catching on as a premier event. The first classic was on the campus of West Point. It was held November of 2006, just months after the tragic passing of the former Army women’s coach. And it was a day of sadness and emotion to say the least.
The second one was held at the Garden last season and with another classic that brought in nearly 10,000 on Sunday, it appears to have found a home.
The Dixon Classic featured Army against Rutgers followed by Penn State and UConn. The thoughts of Maggie are still with us but the classic has now evolved into a celebration. The celebration of her life, love and passion of the game and the devotion to the women she coached at West Point.
The scores:
Rutgers 59, Army 38
UConn 77, Penn State 63
In the opener Army fell behind 14-2 early yet battled back. Army simply had a tough time handling Rutgers’ inside-outside combination. Senior center Kia Vaughn scored 12 points while grabbing seven boards, while Epiphanny Prince scored a game-high 25 points. The junior guard shot 3 of 4 beyond the arc.
“Prince was a big difference in the game,” noted Army coach Dave Magarity.
The Cadets trailed 33-21 at the half. They struggled to score in the second half, going the first six and a half minutes without a field goal. Still, they dug in and kept working each possession. Midway through the half they had an opportunity to get the deficit to single digits and missed an easy layup.
“That play was really huge,” Magarity said.
From that point on Rutgers maintained the double-digit lead and was in command. “We didn’t get out to a good start and I was disappointed with out defensive positioning,” Magarity said.
On the other hand, Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer was pleased, not just with the win but the face the Scarlet Knights had only 11 turnovers. “We are trying to do a couple things well and one is cut down on turnovers,” Stringer said.
The Scarlet Knights went into the contest averaging 17 turnovers per game. One reason is the point guard by committee, as Stringer puts it. The lead guard spot has been a problem thus far, as highly-touted freshman Nikki Speed is still adjusting and different combinations have been tried. Brittany Ray ran the point against Army and had a commendable 12-point, 8-rebound, 3-assist outing with no turnovers. “Point guard is such an important position,” Stringer said. “It’s more about a mind set than a skill set.”
Alex McGuire led the Cadets with 16 points. Despite the loss, army earned Rutgers respect for their hustle and resiliency. “Those (Army) girls were strong out there today,” Vaughn said of her opposition on the blocks.
In the second game, UConn received a strong challenge but had too much for Penn State. The Huskies triumphed 77-63 to run their record to 6-0. The teams were even a good part of the first half. In the latter stages UConn achieved some separation and went into the locker room with a 34-21 lead.
The second half saw Penn State continuously hang around. Each time UConn would get the lead to 13 or 15, Penn State responded. “They are aggressive,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said of Penn State. “They can beat you off the dribble and go right by you. They came out and pushed the pace, not a lot of teams are willing to run against us. We are fortunate we got a few late blocks that helped us put the game away.”
Tina Charles was a force Penn State couldn’t answer and dominated inside for UConn with 29 points and 18 rebounds. Each time the Lady Lions made a serious run, Charles or teammate Maya Moore (21 points) responded to stop the bleeding.
Tyra Grant, Penn State’s junior guard, was very effective off the dribble and led her club with 26 points. Penn State also made life tough for the Huskies on the defensive end. UConn came into the contest shooting 60 percent from the field. For the afternoon they shot 26 of 69 for a 38 percent mark.
“There are a lot of good teams out there,” Auriemma said. “Penn State came in 5-4 but they can play and showed it.”
Notes
- Auriemma discussed the shooting that saw UConn make 7 of 30 from three-point range and attempt 44 percent (they normally average 31 percent) of their shots beyond the arc. “As a team I don’t know if we remembered basketball is a game of makes and misses. As a coach it’s a dilemma.” As Auriemma noted, shooters missing have to keep shooting to find their groove. Still, there is a time to look inside.
- Charles, a 6-4 junior center, has motivation for this season. “During out team meeting after losing to Stanford (in the Final Four) last spring coach (Auriemma) said we are set at the guards and wings and not sure about the middle. That motivated me and inspired me to work hard all summer.” Charles entered the game a force in the paint, averaging 16.2 ppg and 7 rebounds per outing.
- CARE foundation, involved in heart disease prevention and awareness, ran an expo at the Garden the day of the classic. Free ECG screening and blood pressure tests were available.
Among those on hand for the Classic were Maggie’s mother Marge, sister Julie and brother Jamie who made the trip in following his Pitt team’s win a day earlier. It was a special moment to see Jamie, in the white Maggie Dixon Classic shirt, help out in a post-game clinic for young players, held right on the Garden floor.
New York Mayor Bloomberg proclaimed it “Maggie Dixon Day”. Halftimes were featured with presentations and video highlights of Maggie Dixon’s career and remarks from featured guests. Following the first game Rutgers and Army players were joined on the floor by UConn and Penn State for a special presentation.
The current senior members of Army and of course head coach Dave Magarity were on that 2006 Army team that captured the Patriot League title and went to the NCAA tournament. They all have great memories and their own recollections of Maggie Dixon.
Players Megan Evans, Courtney Wright and Alex McGuire spoke about the tournament being a testament to her legacy and a celebration of a special person who truly loved life. “The classic is a celebration of her life,” Wright said. “We are taking what we got from her and passing on her legacy.”
Magarity noted the mention of Maggie, “immediately brings a smile. I have nothing but great memories working with Maggie. Our seniors were freshmen during her year here and they and everyone are all better people for having known her. Mention Maggie’s name and you see them smile. Maggie was only in their lives six months and she had that effect she had on them.”
Yes, Maggie Dixon was present six months in their day-to-day lives, but her influence is for a lifetime.
