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Cooley Earns 300th Win for Friars

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PROVIDENCE – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – On a three-game Saturday, Seton Hall won a fierce battle in overtime against Connecticut. Providence gave coach Ed Cooley his 300th career victory with a win against St. John’s. Villanova used a strong second half to win at DePaul.

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At Prudential Center, Seton Hall (11-3, 2-2 BE) and UConn (10-4, 1-2 BE) battled for 45 minutes before the Pirates prevailed 90-87. Pirate guard Kadary Richmond, who had a 6.9 scoring average, tallied a game-high 27 points. He scored 17 straight points in the second half and made the deciding basket with 31 seconds left in the extra stanza. Fellow guard Bryce Aiken had seven of his 22 points in overtime. UConn’s Adama Sanogo was a force with 18 points, 16 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Providence (14-2, 4-1 BE) trailed St. John’s (9-4, 1-1 BE) by seven points early in the second half before recovering to post an 83-73 victory at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. Nate Watson led the Friar surge by scoring 18 of his game-high 22 points after the break. Jared Bynum added 18 points. Justin Minaya had 14 points and helped limit St. John’s Julian Champagnie to 11 points. St. John’s Dylan Addae-Wusu posted his second straight career scoring high with 20 points to go along with seven rebounds and five assists. PC is 10-0 at home this season.

DePaul put together a 37-32 lead by halftime against Villanova before the Wildcats rebounded with a 79-64 victory at Wintrust Arena. Villanova (11-4, 4-1 BE) opened the second half with a 15-2 run to take control of the game. Collin Gillespie led the winners with 28 points. Justin Moore supported the effort with 21 points and seven rebounds. Javon Freeman-Liberty poured in a career-high 34 points for the Blue Demons (9-5, 0-4 BE). David Jones added 12 points.

BIG EAST action picks up again on Tuesday with DePaul at Marquette at 7 p.m. ET followed by Providence at Creighton at 9 p.m. Both games will be televised by FS1. The DePaul-Marquette game will be an All-Access Game with head coaches Tony Stubblefield and Shaka Smart wearing a live microphone throughout the telecast.

Marquette’s Second Straight Big “W”

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WASHINGTON DC – (Staff report from Official News Release) – Marquette pulled away to win at Georgetown and Xavier did the same at Butler in Friday night BIG EAST play. After winning 88-56 against Providence on Tuesday, Marquette beat Georgetown 92-64. No. 22 Xavier, playing its first game in 17 days, defeated Butler 87-72.

The Golden Eagles (10-6, 2-3 BIG EAST) used a 17-0 run early in the second half to break the game open against the Hoyas (6-6, 0-1 BE). Olivier-Maxence Prosper, whose previous career scoring high was 13 points, netted 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field. Tyler Kolek, the BIG EAST’s assist leader, had 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and seven assists. Marquette outshot Georgetown from the field 59.1 percent to 29.9 percent. Collin Holloway was the Hoya scoring leader with 17 points.

The Musketeers (12-2, 2-1 BE) established a 42-31 halftime lead at Hinkle Fieldhouse, then repelled Bulldog comeback attempts. Xavier’s Adam Kunkel came off the bench to score a game-high 25 points, one short of his career high. He shot 8-of-12 from the floor, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range. Paul Scruggs contributed 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Xavier had a season-low six turnovers. Butler (8-6, 1-2 BE) was led by Aaron Thompson’s 20 points and Bryce Golden’s 19. Thompson went over the 500-assist mark for his career.

Saturday’s league schedule is all in the afternoon. Two games tip at noon ET. St. John’s plays at Providence on FS1. No. 24 Seton Hall hosts Connecticut at noon on FOX. The No. 19 Villanova at DePaul game has moved from FS1 to FOX at 2 p.m.

Big East, ‘Nova’s Jay Wright, Johnnies’ Lou Carnesecca Celebrate Milestones

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JAMAICA ESTATES, NY – (Staff report from Official News Release) – Villanova turned the tables on Creighton and gave coach Jay Wright a milestone victory, while St. John’s celebrated Lou Carnesecca’s 97th birthday with a win over DePaul.

Wright notched his 500th victory at Villanova when his team rolled past Creighton 75-41 in Finneran Paviliion. The Wildcats (10-4, 3-1 BIG EAST) had lost to the Bluejays (10-4, 2-1 BE) 79-59 on December 17. This time, Villanova held Creighton to 35.6 percent shooting from the field and allowed only 21 points in the final 27 minutes of the game. Justin Moore led the Wildcats with 22 points. Alex O’Connell had 13 points for Creighton.

On the night when legendary coach Lou Carnesecca turned 97, Julian Champagnie put on a sparkling performance to lead St. John’s (9-3, 1-0 BE) past DePaul 89-84. Champagnie scored a career-high 34 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked three shots. Dylan Addae-Wusu added a career-high 17 points, including a clutch 3-pointer in the final minute. Javon Freeman-Liberty had 24 points and seven boards for DePaul (9-4, 0-3 BE).

BIG EAST play resumes on Friday with two games between teams that met in the first round of last year’s BIG EAST Tournament. Marquette (9-6, 1-3 BE) plays at Georgetown (6-5, 0-0 BE) at 6:30 p.m. ET followed by No. 22 Xavier (11-2, 1-1 BE) at Butler (8-5, 1-1 BE) at 8:30 p.m. FS1 will carry both contests.

Last year, Marquette took the lone regular-season matchup against Georgetown before the Hoyas won 68-49 at the Big East tournament. Xavier won both regular-regular season games against Butler before the Bulldogs won 70-69 in overtime at Madison Square Garden.

Rose to NBA G-League Ops

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NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – NBA Vice President, Basketball Operations and two-time NBA champion Malik Rose was named Head of Basketball Operations for the NBA G League, said G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Rose replaces Brad Walker, who was named Commissioner of the America East Conference in August.

In his new role, Rose will lead the NBA G League’s efforts at expanding its talent pipeline and advancing integration of basketball operations between the G League and the NBA while focusing on basketball innovation and competition. He will also oversee NBA G League Ignite.

“We are thrilled to have Malik join the NBA G League as Head of Basketball Operations,” said Abdur-Rahim. “With his success as a player at the highest levels of the game and extensive background as an executive in both the NBA and G League, Malik has the experience, vision and expertise to help accelerate our progress and further deepen the connection between the two leagues.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity to transition from NBA basketball operations to this position alongside Shareef and a talented staff with the NBA G League,” said Rose. “As someone who benefited greatly from his experience in the NBA G League, I know firsthand its importance to the NBA’s business and see enormous potential for continued growth.”

Rose joins the NBA G League after working since June 2020 in the NBA Basketball Operations department where he interfaced directly with teams and players regarding league programs, rules, new initiatives and competitive elements. Before joining the league office, Rose served as Assistant General Manager of the Detroit Pistons and General Manager of the Erie BayHawks, the NBA G League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks now known as the College Park Skyhawks. He was named the 2017-18 NBA G League Basketball Executive of the Year.

Rose played 13 seasons in the NBA after being selected by the Hornets with the 44th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He won NBA championships in 1999 and 2003 as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. In addition to the Hornets and Spurs, Rose played for the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder.

A Philadelphia native, Rose received his bachelor’s degree with a dual concentration in computer information systems and education from Drexel University, where he played four years of college basketball. He also holds a master’s degree in sports management from Drexel.

Big East and Big Tuesday Wins

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NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – In Tuesday’s BIG EAST action, Marquette and Seton Hall earned their first league victories. The stories of the game, however, were hardly alike.

Marquette set a school record for the largest margin of victory against a ranked team with its 88-56 win against 16th-ranked Providence. Seton Hall, after an 0-2 league start against ranked opponents, pulled away in the second half to win 71-56 at Butler.

The Marquette Golden Eagles (9-6, 1-3 BIG EAST) raced to a 20-6 lead, then used a 20-0 run to build a 42-22 lead by halftime. Justin Lewis finished with a career-high 23 points and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. Oso Ighodaro continued his strong play off the bench with 16 points and six rebounds in 19 minutes. Al Durham scored a team-high 16 points for the Friars (13-2, 3-1 BE), who had their eight-game winning streak end.

The Seton Hall Pirates (10-3, 1-2 BE) welcomed back center Ike Obiagu, who missed the last three games. He had eight points, two rebounds and two blocked shots in 28 minutes. Jared Rhoden scored a team-high 17 points. The Hall held the edge in bench points (16-0), rebounds (36-25) and made 18-of-19 free throws. The Pirates’ bench has not been outscored this season. Bryce Golden led four Bulldogs (8-5, 1-1 BE) in double figures with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field.

Wednesday’s schedule also shows two games. FS1 will telecast DePaul at St. John’s at 6:30 p.m. ET followed by Creighton at Villanova at 8:30 p.m.

The first game features a matchup of DePaul’s Javon Freeman-Liberty and St. John’s Julian Champagnie, who are both averaging a league-leading 20.3 points per game. Creighton and No. 19 Villanova already are meeting for the second time this season. The Bluejays beat the Wildcats 79-59 in Omaha on Dec. 17.

Boston Celtics, NBA Mourn Passing of Hall-of-Famer Sam Jones, 88

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BOSTON – (Staff report from Multiple News Releases/Statements) – The basketball industry, including the Boston Celtics, the NBA and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame mourned the passing of legendary Boston Celtics legend Sam Jones. Enshrined as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984, Jones passed away at the age of 88. He was an honored member of the NBA’s All-time 25th anniversary, 50th anniversary and recently celebrated 75th anniversary teams.

“Sam Jones will be remembered as one of the most prolific champions in all of professional sports. His selfless style, clutch performances and signature bank shot were hallmarks of an incredible career that featured 10 NBA championships in 12 seasons with the Boston Celtics,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in a statement. “An HBCU (Historically Black Colleges/Universities) legend at North Carolina Central University and a member of the NBA’s 25th, 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams, Sam was a beloved teammate and respected competitor who played the game with dignity and class. We mourn the passing of a basketball giant and send our deepest condolences to Sam’s family and the Celtics organization.”

The Celtics organization issued a statement that read: “Sam Jones was one of the most talented, versatile, and clutch shooters for the most successful and dominant teams in NBA history. His scoring ability was so prolific, and his form so pure, that he earned the simple nickname, “The Shooter.” He was also known as “Mr. Clutch.” One of the many testaments to his clutch performances is the fact that his playoff scoring average (18.9) exceeded his regular season output (17.7). His number 24 was retired in 1969, the final year of his Celtics career, which of course resulted in an NBA Championship – his tenth. Only Bill Russell won more championships in his NBA career. The Jones family is in our thoughts as we mourn his loss and fondly remember the life and career of one of the greatest champions in American sports.”

“Sam Jones was as much of a one-of-a-kind athlete as he was an individual,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “As one of the greatest champions in American sports history, Sam embodied what it means to be a winner both on and off the court. He was a natural scorer and will forever be one the most clutch performers the game has ever seen. He will be tremendously missed by the entire Hall of Fame family.”

At 6-foot-4, Sam Jones was the prototype of the two-way, big guard. He could run the floor, bang the boards, and his rangy offensive game caused fits in his opponents. As a collegian, Jones was an offensive firehouse scoring 1,770 points while playing for Hall of Fame coach John McLendon at all-black North Carolina Central College. His senior season saw the fiery guard average a double-double in points and rebounds. His scoring aptitude continued and in the NBA he averaged over 17 points a game for his career. Always steady, always on top of his game, Sam Jones was a winner. One half of the “Jones Boys” of Boston, Sam teamed with K.C. Jones in the Celtics backcourt to create havoc in NBA arenas around the country. Jones favored an unorthodox but highly effective bank shot that became the muscle behind his and Boston’s ten NBA championships, including eight in a row from 1959 to 1966.

He received several accolades throughout his storied career, including being the first African American inducted into the North Carolina Hall of Fame in 1969.  His jersey No. 24 was retired by the Celtics in 1969.

“I just got off the phone with Satch (Sanders),” former teammate Bob Cousy said to Boston sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy from his Worcester home Friday morning. “I told him not to look over his shoulder.

“Now we’re down to just three. Satch [Tom Sanders], Russ [Bill Russell], and I are holding up the float, I guess. The last thing I said to Satch was that I’m going to have my lonely New Year’s Eve drink tonight at 6 o’clock and I’m going to hoist it to Sam. I told Satch he should do the same and he said, ‘I won’t have mine till 10,’ and I said, ‘By 10, I will have been asleep for an hour.’ ”

 

Bruins to Retire O’Ree’s No. 22

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Bruins announced today, December 31, a celebration to honor Willie O’Ree by retiring his number 22 jersey prior to the team’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, January 18.

O’Ree is the 12th player to have his sweater honored by the Boston Bruins in franchise history, joining Lionel Hitchman (#3, 1934), Aubrey V. Clapper (#5, 1947), Edward W. Shore (#2, 1949), Milton C. Schmidt (#15, 1957), Robert G. Orr (#4, 1979), John P. Bucyk (#9, 1980), Philip A. Esposito (#7, 1987), Raymond J. Bourque (#77, 2001), Terence J. O’Reilly (#24, 2002), Cameron M. Neely (#8, 2004) and Richard D. Middleton (#16, 2018).

O’Ree became the first Black player to compete in an NHL game when he dressed with the Bruins 64 years prior to the date of his jersey retirement on January 18, 1958, against the Montreal Canadiens. Despite being legally blind in one eye, O’Ree went on to play one more game that season and 43 during the 1960-61 season before being traded to the Canadiens. O’Ree ended his NHL career with four goals and 10 assists.

Even after his retirement in 1997, O’Ree continued to transform the game of hockey. In 1998, O’Ree was named the NHL’s Diversity Ambassador, where he traveled the country to help grow the game of hockey and support Hockey is for Everyone initiatives. Thirty years later, in response to those efforts, O’Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2018 as a part of the “Builder” category, which is defined by “coaching, managerial or executive ability, or ability in another significant off-ice role, sportsmanship, character and contributions to his or her organization or organizations and to the game of hockey in general.”

The jersey retirement on January 18 will feature a pre-game ceremony beginning at 6:30 p.m., with doors opening to game ticket holders at 5 p.m.

 

Providence, Butler Register Wins

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NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Providence and Butler both led most of the way in their BIG EAST contests on Wednesday, then held off late rallies to post home court victories. The No. 21 Friars (12-1, 2-0 Big East) defeated No. 15 Seton Hall (9-2, 0-1 Big East) 70-65 and the Bulldogs (8-4, 1-0 Big East) beat DePaul (9-2, 0-1 Big East) 63-59.

Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard called PC’s Noah Horchler the “difference maker” after Horchler posted game highs of 17 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots. He also made 5-of-6 from 3-point range. Nate Watson and Jared Bynum each added 14 points. Watson became the 18th Friar to eclipse the career 1,500-point mark.

Providence used a 15-0 run late in the first half to gain some control of the game. The Pirates, who were without Ike Obiagu and Tyrese Samuel, cut a 13-point deficit in the second half to three points twice in the final minute. Alexis Yetna had 13 points and 11 rebounds and Jared Rhoden added 10 points and 10 boards. The Friars recorded their fifth Quad 1 victory, which leads the nation.

Butler led 60-50 before DePaul’s nine-point run made it 60-59 in the final seconds. Bulldog freshman Simas Lukosius made two free throws with three seconds left to seal the win. Lukosius scored a team-high 15 points. Fellow freshman Jayden Taylor and Chuck Harris each added 13 points. Aaron Thompson made seven steals, one short of the school record.

Brandon Johnson was tops for DePaul with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Javon Freeman-Liberty added 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists. The Blue Demons were without starter David Jones.

BIG EAST play continues New Year’s Day with three games. At noon ET, Creighton plays at Marquette on FS1. At 2 p.m., No. 22 Villanova visits No. 15 Seton Hall on CBS. At 3 p.m., DePaul hosts No. 21 Providence on FOX.

Joe Moore Offensive Line Award Winners Rewarded with NIL Deal

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ANN ARBOR – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Foundation for Teamwork, owners and creators of the Joe Moore Award which honors the most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football, today announced that it is believed to be the first post season college award program to launch a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) program for its recipients. Timing is everything and the Joe Moore Award is excited to create a partnership with nine members of the 2021 award winners, the offensive line at the University of Michigan. Michigan was awarded the trophy in a ceremony last week in Ann Arbor and will play the University of Georgia in the College Football Playoffs semifinal at the Orange Bowl on Dec 31.

“We have seen the great amount of exposure that both winners and finalists of all the major college football awards receive throughout the years, but the actual and immediate benefit from winning the award typically goes to the presenter, not the presentee,” said Aaron Taylor, CBS college football analyst and co-founder of the Joe Moore Award. Taylor, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, played guard and tackle at the University of Notre Dame for the Award’s namesake, the legendary offensive line coach Joe Moore.

“We want to begin to change that dynamic with the growth of NIL for these athletes, and the Joe Moore Award is proud to be what we believe to be the first of the major awards to begin a program which will have long-lasting benefits and a financial upside for our winners, and in many cases for the causes which will be tied to the program. On the field, we’ve always known that when the o-line wins, we all win, and we’re excited to help Michigan’s O-line extend that same principle in our communities.”

The members of the Michigan offensive line will receive 100% of net t-shirt sales, with a portion going to a philanthropic beneficiary. Additionally, the Joe Moore Award will match the players’ charitable gift, up to $10,000, to help further the reach of the winning unit’s impact on their communities. The t-shirts and limited edition merchandise are designed by Make Your Move, an automated digital on-demand order processing and fulfillment partner and are available starting at $20.00 at gomym.com/collections/joe-moore-award.

The charity beneficiaries for the 2021 season are: The Seal Legacy Foundation which is dedicated to providing support to families of wounded and fallen United States Navy SEALs, educational assistance for SEALs and their families, and other charitable causes benefiting the SEAL community; and The AthLife Foundation, a national platform works to ensure that deserving kids from our nation’s most challenged, yet promising communities, can achieve in their future careers beyond sport.

Under offensive line coach Sherrone Moore, Michigan’s starting O-line has featured guard/tackle Karsen Barnhart (2 starts), guard Chuck Filiaga (4 starts), left tackle Ryan Hayes (13 starts), tackle Trente Jones (1 start), left guard Trevor Keegan (10 starts), right tackle Andrew Stueber (13 starts), center Andrew Vastardis (13 starts), and right guard Zak Zinter (11 starts). In addition, tight end Joel Honigford, a converted O-lineman, warrants mention as a key contributor to Michigan’s success.

Michigan led the Big Ten and lists 10th nationally in rushing (223.8 yards per game). The unit has conceded the fewest tackles for loss (27) and third-fewest sacks (10) in the nation this season. Only Army and Air Force, with a combined 204 pass attempts, have allowed fewer sacks. Michigan’s line has paved the way for a 1,000-yard back in Hassan Haskins (1,288 yards) and have another back in range in Blake Corum (939 yards). All five positions earned all-conference honors, with four of the five starters earning first or second-team accolades: Stueber (1st team), Hayes, Vastardis and Zinter (2nd) and Keegan (honorable mention).

 

The 2021 Gutter Bowls

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BOSTON – The (Wasabi) Fenway Bowl, which was scheduled to feature Virginia and SMU, was cancelled and the Boston College Eagles will have “no contest” declared for the second time since 2018 as the 2021 Military Bowl was scrapped for the second year in a row because of concerns of COVID-19. It is the second straight year the Fenway Bowl game, which has never been played, has been canceled because of the virus.

Boston College was forced to decline participation of its matchup against East Carolina, scheduled for Monday, due to a combination of COVID-19 cases and injuries while the Fenway Bowl, featuring SMU and Virginia, was canceled Sunday after positive COVID-19 test results on its roster. The game was set to be the final one for coach Bronco Mendenhall at Virginia after he resigned from the program earlier this month. SMU had already traveled to Boston for the game.

The bowls are the second and third outright cancellations of the 2021-22 College Football bowl season, joining Hawaii pulling out of the Hawaii Bowl against Memphis on Christmas Eve. Additionally, Texas A&M was forced to pull out of the Gator Bowl due to COVID issues, but Rutgers stepped up to take the Aggies’ place as a 5-7 squad. Last season, 18 bowls were canceled by the pandemic.

The matchup is the second straight bowl game canceled for SMU, though the Mustangs would have been without a bulk of the coaching staff after former coach Sonny Dykes left for TCU. The Virginia Cavaliers were in pursuit of their third winning season in the last four years under Mendenhall before new coach Tony Elliott takes over the program.

For East Carolina, the cancellation is especially disappointing. The Pirates have not played in a bowl game since 2014 but earned a 7-5 record in Coach Mike Houston’s third season. Boston College has not won a bowl game since 2016.