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NCAA

CFP: Vegas Favors Ohio St and ND

January 4, 2025 by Digital Sports Desk

LAS VEGAS – (Wire Service Report) – If the semifinals unfold the way Las Vegas sees it happening, Ohio State and Notre Dame will play for the College Football Playoff national title.

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No. 7 seed Notre Dame was installed as a 1.5-point favorite over No. 6 seed Penn State at various major sportsbooks on Thursday night, shortly after the Fighting Irish took down No. 2 seed Georgia 23-10 in their quarterfinal game at the Sugar Bowl.

No. 8 seed Ohio State, which trounced top-seeded Oregon 41-21 on New Year’s Day, is a slightly bigger favorite against No. 5 Texas in the other semifinal. The Buckeyes were 4.5-point favorites at DraftKings on Wednesday night and that grew to a six-point spread by Thursday, while it stood at 5.5 points at Fanduel Sportsbook and elsewhere.

This is the first season of the 12-team playoff, and the top four seeds all lost their quarterfinal games at neutral sites after receiving first-round byes. Penn State defeated Boise State, the top Group of Five champion, 31-14. Texas outlasted Big 12 champion Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime.

Fanduel also lists Ohio State as the +110 favorite to win the national championship, a significant edge over Notre Dame at +340.

The Buckeyes (12-2) had lost to Oregon by one point in the regular season and turned the tables in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, storming out to a 34-0 lead shortly before halftime. Will Howard finished the game with 319 passing yards and three touchdowns, with Jeremiah Smith going for seven catches, 187 yards and two TDs.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NCAA, NCAA Football Tagged With: NCAAF, Notre Dame, Ohio State

Ohio St Favorited Over Oregon

January 1, 2025 by Digital Sports Desk

PASADENA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – One of Ohio State’s two losses this season came against No. 1 Oregon, but that didn’t dissuade oddsmakers from installing the eighth-seeded Buckeyes as favorites to beat the Ducks in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

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Shortly after Ohio State finished off it’s 42-17 rout of No. 9 Tennessee on Saturday night, the Buckeyes opened as 1.0-point favorites at DraftKings and 1.5-point favorites at BetRivers to beat Oregon on New Year’s Day.

The teams met earlier this season in one of the most memorable games of the 2024 regular season. The Buckeyes visited Autzen Stadium on Oct. 12 and walked away with a dramatic 32-31 defeat. A rematch in the Big Ten title game appeared likely until Ohio State was upset at home by unranked Michigan to close the regular season.

Oddsmakers are clearly placing more weight on Saturday’s convincing win over Tennessee in the final game of the opening round of the CFP.

Oregon will enter the quarterfinal clash with a perfect 13-0 record, but it will be nearly a month since the Ducks beat Penn State in the Big Ten title game.

Many believe the CFP committee essentially rewarded the Nittany Lions despite that loss. While Oregon faces a potential CFP gauntlet of Ohio State, No. 5 Texas and No. 2 Georgia, Penn State opened with a 38-10 blowout win over No. 11 SMU on Saturday.

Up next is Boise State, which is seeded third but hails from the Mountain West Conference. Penn State opened as a 10.5-point favorite at both sportsbooks. Only Texas, which faces No. 4 Arizona State, is a bigger favorite among the quarterfinal matchups at 13.5 points.

Georgia and No. 7 Notre Dame will be the final CFP game on New Year’s Day. The Bulldogs opened as 1.5-point favorites at DraftKings, while BetRivers installed Georgia as a 3.0-point favorite.

The road to a national title will require one of the remaining teams to reel off three consecutive victories. For Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State, that will mean winning four playoff games — although each of them won their first-round matchups handily.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS
Texas (+340)
Ohio State (+380)
Oregon (+400)
Penn State (+475)
Georgia (+550)
Notre Dame (+550)
Arizona State (+7000)

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NCAA, NCAA Football Tagged With: Ohio State, Oregon, Rose Bowl

Nebraska Defeats BC, 20-15

December 28, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

BRONX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – A trio of running backs recorded touchdowns to help Nebraska hold off Boston College’s late rally for a 20-15 win in the Pinstripe Bowl on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium in New York.

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New York native Rahmir Johnson scored the Cornhuskers’ opening touchdown to highlight his 60-yard performance on 10 carries. His 11-yard run on fourth-and-1 before the two-minute timeout iced the game, lifting Nebraska (7-6) to its first winning season since 2016.

Kwinten Ives also ran for a score and Emmett Johnson (team-high 68 rushing yards on 14 carries) caught one from freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola, who was 23 of 31 for 228 yards, one touchdown and one interception on the day.

Nebraska had a 20-2 lead before allowing its first touchdown with 6:11 left in regulation.

Boston College (7-6) forced two first-half turnovers and finished five of its first seven drives inside the opposing 35-yard line, but the Eagles went 0-for-4 on fourth downs until Turbo Richard’s 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Nebraska’s first two punts turned into touchdowns for the Eagles, with the second being blocked and returned to the 2-yard line ahead of a Jordan McDonald score with 4:18 remaining.

Grayson James quarterbacked the Eagles, going 25 of 40 for a season-high 296 yards. He also rushed for 22. Lewis Bond made six catches for 94 yards.

Jahmal Banks was Raiola’s leading target, making four catches for 79 yards.

After big plays went by the boards for both teams on their opening series, Raiola sent Nebraska on a 15-play, 75-yard drive to the opening touchdown four seconds into the second quarter. Following a third-down conversion in the red zone, Rahmir Johnson scored on a 4-yard run before John Hohl’s PAT made it 7-0.

After Boston College was unable to convert on Josiah Griffin’s recovery of an Emmett Johnson fumble, an ensuing fourth-down penalty gave Nebraska new life and the Cornhuskers turned it into Ives’ 2-yard score with 3:39 before halftime.

Ashton McShane’s 88-yard blocked PAT return got the Eagles on the board at 13-2, though.

Nebraska’s first drive out of halftime included two fakes from punter/holder Brian Buschini, including a successful fake field goal. On the following series, Raiola’s 13-yard pass to Emmett Johnson out of the backfield resulted in a 20-2 lead with 3:02 left in the third.

Richard punched in the first Boston College touchdown. James’ two-point conversion pass attempt failed.

Buschini’s second punt was blocked by Victor Nelson Jr. and returned to the 2-yard line by Omar Thornton, setting up McDonald’s run and a Liam Connor PAT.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: Boston Sports, NCAA, NCAA Football Tagged With: BC Eagles, Boston College, NCAAF, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Pinstripe Bowl, Yankee Stadium

Big East: End of Non-Conference Games

December 28, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

JAMAICA ESTATES – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The BIG EAST non-conference schedule ended Saturday with all three league teams in action notching comfortable homecourt victories. St. John’s, Georgetown and DePaul were the winners.

St. John’s put six players in double figures in a 97-76 victory over Delaware. Deivon Smith led the assault with a season-high 20 points, a career-high 13 rebounds and eight assists. Zuby Ejiofor contributed 16 points and seven rebounds. The Johnnies (11-2) shot 60.9 percent from the field.

Georgetown had three players post double-doubles in an 83-53 victory against Coppin State. Thomas Sorber had 22 points and 12 rebounds. Drew Fielder registered career highs with 20 points and 13 boards. Malik Mack, who had missed the previous two games with an injury, finished with 15 points and 11 assists. The Hoyas (11-2) outscored the Tigers 46-23 in the second half.

DePaul never trailed in an 84-65 triumph over Loyola Maryland. N.J. Benson led the Blue Demons (9-4) with 22 points, 17 rebounds and two blocked shots. His rebound total was the highest by a BIG EAST player since Dec. 20, 2022. Jacob Meyer, the team’s top scorer at 14.5 ppg, added 12 points.

The BIG EAST ended its non-league schedule with a (84-37) .694 record.

Conference play resumes on New Year’s Eve afternoon with a doubleheader on Peacock.Seton Hall visits Xavier at 2 p.m. ET followed by St. John’s at Creighton at 4 p.m.

Providence hosts Marquette at 6 p.m. on FS1.

Filed Under: Big East, NCAA, NCAA Basketball Tagged With: Big East, Big East Basketball

Hunter Named Heisman Winner

December 14, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Colorado two-way (receiver/cornerback) player Travis Hunter was named winner of the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night. Hunter joins running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994 as the only Colorado players to win the Heisman.

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Hunter has 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and ranks second nationally with 14 touchdown catches. On defense, he has four interceptions with 15 passes defensed and was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

Hunter won the Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defensive player and the Biletnikoff Award as the top receiver in the country.

Hunter is in his second and final season at Colorado as he has stated that he will enter the 2025 NFL Draft. He began his college career at Jackson State and transferred to the Buffaloes when Deion Sanders departed to become Colorado coach.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel were the other finalists.

Jeanty has rushed for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns, Ward has thrown for 4,123 yards and 36 touchdowns and Gabriel has completed 73.2 percent of his passes for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NCAA, NCAA Football Tagged With: Heisman Trophy

Belichick Can Be Finer in Carolina

December 12, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

CHAPEL HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report). It probably could’ve been Chestnut Hill last summer but instead, it’s Chapel Hill today as Bill Belichick rejoined the coaching ranks at the collegiate level, landing a five-year contract to take over as the head coach at North Carolina.

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The deal must be ratified by the university’s Board of Trustees and Board of Governors. A special session will be held Thursday, according to multiple media outlets. Undoubtedly, the word money will come up.

Belichick’s five-year pact calls for the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach to earn a total of $50 million, The Athletic reported.

Belichick’s father, Steve Belichick, was an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina from 1953-55. Bill Belichick takes over a Tar Heels program that has not won a conference title since 1980.

Belichick said in a statement released by North Carolina, “I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill. I grew up around college football with my Dad and treasured those times. I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill.”

North Carolina chancellor Lee H. Roberts added in a statement, “This is an exciting day for Carolina football and our University. Carolina is committed to excellence and to creating an opportunity to succeed in everything we do, from the classroom to the field of competition. I know after speaking with Coach Belichick that he shares that commitment. His legacy speaks for itself, and we look forward to working together on the next chapter of Carolina football.”

Belichick will replace Mack Brown, whom North Carolina fired at the end of the regular season. The Tar Heels (6-6) will play in the Fenway Bowl on Dec. 28 in Boston.

Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement, “We know that college athletics is changing, and those changes require new and innovative thinking. Bill Belichick is a football legend, and hiring him to lead our program represents a new approach that will ensure Carolina football can evolve, compete and win — today and in the future.”

Belichick, 72, parted ways with the New England Patriots following the 2023 season after 24 years with the franchise. He was out of coaching this year despite interviewing for multiple NFL vacancies last offseason, and has been working multiple roles in the media.

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Belichick has 333 wins as an NFL coach and needs 14 more to break the all-time wins record for NFL coaches held by Don Shula. However, according to reports earlier this week, he was surprised not to hear from the NFL teams with existing vacancies.

It will be his first coaching position at the collegiate level. His son, Steve, is the defensive coordinator at the University of Washington and a prominent role for him at UNC was reportedly a part of his father’s pitch to the Tar Heels. Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch was a former assistant for Bill Belichick, who spent significant time around the Washington program over the past year.

During an interview with “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday, Belichick outlined what he believed he could bring to a program during the NIL era that has contributed to other coaches such as Nick Saban leaving college football.

“The college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL,” he said. “It would be a professional program, training, nutrition, scheme, coaching, techniques that would transfer to the NFL. It would be an NFL program at a college level and an education that would get the players ready for their career after football, whether that was (at) the end of their college career or at the end of their pro career.

“But it would be geared toward developing the player, time management, discipline, structure and all that, that would be life skills, regardless of whether they’re in the NFL or somewhere in the business.”

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NCAA, NCAA Football, Patriots Tagged With: Bill Belichick, New England Patriots, NFL, North Carolina, UNC

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | A Memorial Tribute to Coach Lou Carnesecca

December 8, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

While We’re Young (Ideas) | Paying Tribute to Coach

A wreath and flowers in memory of the great St. John’s Coach Lou Carnesecca (St.John’s Photo)

By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

JAMAICA ESTATES – If you attended St. John’s University in New York anytime between 1958 and 1992, chances are you knew Coach Lou Carnesecca. With the exception of a three year stint (1970-1973) with the New York Nets of the American Basketball Association (ABA), Carnesecca roamed the Hillcrest Queens campus of St. John’s much to the delight of the athletics department, the basketball players, the student bosy, faculty and administration.

Simply put: Everyone Loved Louie.

He was so great, you’d have thought he’d last forever.

This columnist first set eyes on Carnesecca at a Niagara College at St. John’s game held on Thursday, February 13, 1969 – a school night I might note. St. John’s thumped Niagara 97-60 and sent All-American guard Calvin Murphy back to the Falls after placing quite a hurtin’ on the longtime rivals with games that date back to 1909. I can vividly remember Murphy conducting a “Globetrotters-like” warm-up stationed on the free throw line, tossing fancy passes to his teammates as they made lay-ups in entertaining fashio, all decked out in 1960-70s stylish warm-ups. It was quoite a sight and quite a show.

Then the game started and the show shifted to the sidelines, as Carnesecca marched up and down, legs kicking, arms tossing, hands gesturing on every field goal, free throw and every single call made by a referee.

Of course, Carnesecca lived by the adage of “Peacock Today, Feather-duster Tomorrow,” so the side show was not about the legend of Little Louie. It was Carnesecca’s very own way of coaching his players, living the game with his players, protecting his players, rooting his players on to victory. After all, what could a little body English hurt when the Italian language was accompanying every shot or challenging every single call.

At Louie’s side was assistant coach John Kresse, an able sidekick who tried-out for the St. John’s varsity but was cut. Carnesecca spotted the basketball genius of the then 21-year old and basketball history was made, both at St. John’s (1965-1970 and 1973-1979) and at the College of Charleston where Kresse became the fifth highest winning coach by percentage (.797) of any Division 1 NCAA college basketball coach, registering 560 wins and 143 losses during his 23 years as head coach.

Before Kresse left Louie’s side, Carnesecca was well on his way to a (526-200) regular season record of his own, establishing a yearly 20-win season back when college programs played 27 or 29 games maximum in a single basketball season. In doing so, St. John’s basketball became “New York’s Team,” outshining big time college programs and rivals at NYU, Fordham, Columbia, City College or Manhattan.

The key was a combination of Carnesecca’s roots at St. Ann’s Academy where he won two Catholic High School titles and his following the legendary Joe Lapchick who decided to leave St. John’s in 1947 to coach the New York Knickerbockers of the (Basketball Association of America (BAA), the predecessor or the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Through his work at St. Ann’s (now Archbishop Molloy) and his network of Catholic High school coaches, Carnesecca claimed all he needed were some subway tokens to recruit the best basketball players in the world. Carnesecca, Kresse and third assistant Ron Rutledge combed the city schools, even coaxing many of the public school’s best to stay home in NYC rather than play in front of strangers in Carolina (North and South), Florida or California.

After all, at that time, only St. John’s could offer a regular schedule of games at the MECCA of basketball, Madison Square Garden – the World’s Most Famous Arena – which Louie tagged as, “MACY*s window.”

One of the players, Frank Alagia, from St. Agnes Cathedral High School on Long Island, took Carnesecca up on his offer to play in front of friends and family. Alagia reflected back on his coach and mentor from some 50 years ago saying, “The thing that he really taught us, most of all, was he led by his example and he was a very humble man. He was a very giving man and he gave everybody the same time, whether you were from a big network, a small network, a big newspaper, a small newspaper. He was very good with everybody, and that was a great lesson to me.

“He’s such a part of the fabric of New York,” added Alagia. “Don’t forget, he followed a legend in Joe Lapchick and became bigger than that legend. When you think about it in sports, how many times can you remember when a legend follows a legend like that? So, I mean, that kind of speaks for itself.”

The undaunted following of a legend, the sideline exhuberance, and the subway token approach put Carnesecca in gyms all over Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Long Island with an occasional trip to Staten Island, Jersey or Connecticut. It also allowed Carnesecca to be reacquainted with players he met and coached at his legendary summer camps, as he maintained a stable of local high school coaches who were employed each and every summer to help run the camps.

Let St. John’s and Golden State Warriors Hall of Famer Chris Mullin explain: “Obviously, Coach spent his whole life here, right? That alone, just the longevity alone, but it was more his infectious personality,” noted Mullin. “His warmth, his care, his love, his protection, I always felt like he protected us.

“He gave us praise for wins and he took the losses. He burdened the losses for us, and he gave us the wins, let us celebrate the wins. With that, he just treated everyone with respect.

“I’ve known him for over 50 years. I met him when I was 11 years old. Just looking back, he was always gracious, very humble. He won with class and lost with grace.”

St. John’s Billy Goodwin Celebrates the 1983 BIG EAST title

Mullin, the ‘92 Dream Team shooter extraordinaire and possibly New York City’s best collegiate player of all-time (if you think of Power Memorial’s Lew Alcindor/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as a Los Angeles collegian) met Carnesecca in 1974 as an 11 year old. By 1981, Mullin was shooting jumpers and owned a set of keys to Alumni Hall (now Carnesecca Arena). By 1985, Mullin and Carnesecca were headed for the Final Four in Lexington, Kentucky. By 2011, the duo stood center stage at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts as Mullin asked Carnesecca (Hall of Famer as of 1992) to be his honorary presenter to the all-time greatest players assembled.

After Coach Carnesecca’s funeral service celebration this week at St. Thomas More on campus, former Seton Hall and NBA coach P. J. Carlesemo summed it up quite nicely, quoting words mentioned during the Mass of Christian Burial, “When you think back to the BIG EAST, I think Father Shanley said it, but I mean, the BIG EAST would never have been the BIG EAST without Lou, and I can’t think of St. John’s without him.”


HERE NOW, THE NOTES: For this special column, how about a few other notes and quotes about Lou Carnesecca, all from those in attendance at the funeral Mass on Friday?

St. John’s center-forward Walter Berry, College Player of the Year in 1986: “We were here playing, and some of the things he instilled in me as a man, forget about basketball.

“It’s about Lou today. He did a lot for a lot of people and he was one of the greatest people I’ve known. You know, I don’t want to break down, but, this is a hard day for everybody. Coach was my guy, man. He helped me in ways that nobody else could.”

Alagia: “There’s just so many memories I have with him. Just playing for him, but later on, going to visit him and talking about old times because I can go back with Coach to the 60s and even 50s and talk about guys, and Coach loved that. He loved his days when he coached at St. Ann’s, like his gradual rise and how he came to St. John’s. There’s just so many memories that I have. It would be hard to pick one.”

St. John’s guard Mark Jackson on the first time he met Carnesecca: “I remember Coach sitting there, and his presence in the gym, almost like a spotlight was just on him. Any room or gym he walked into, you can tell there was something special about him, and from that moment on, I wanted to be a member of St. John’s basketball team.”

St. John’s phenom Felipe Lopez on getting calls from Coach Carnesecca long after he turned pro and long after his retirement from the NBA: “He would still call me sometimes. I was like, ‘Lou Carnesecca is calling me? That’s amazing’. That was the type of human being he was. Someone who really cared about his players, his family, his community, his college, and obviously he built such a great legacy in basketball.”

St. John’s guard turned highly competent broadcaster, Tarik Turner, on Carnesecca’s legend at the school even when Brian Mahoney took over as head coach: “I knew about just the legend, watching him coach on the sidelines and coach great players like Mark (Jackson) and Chris (Mullin) and Walter (Berry), but I knew I was going to get a chance to play for Brian Mahoney, his long term assistant, so I knew I had a connection to him, but I didn’t know what kind of man he was until I met him and sat down with him.”

St. John’s center Bill Wennington, a three-time NBA champion who grew up in Montreal, Canada but knew of the St. John’s coaching legend: “When you come to New York, playing at The Garden – The Mecca – Coach Carnesecca’s name is a part of the legacy. He got kids in off the street from the city to come and play here, and molded them into men and taught us life lessons, made us better basketball players, but made us better people and better men in our lives.”


TIDBITS: St. John’s tribute to Coach Carnesecca will continue into 2025. On January 4, one day prior to what would’ve been his 100th birthday, St. John’s will host Lou Carnesecca Day for the Johnnies’ matchup vs. Butler. Fans in attendance will receive a replica of the Lou Carnesecca statue, a fixture in the arena’s lobby. In addition, throughout the game, St. John’s will celebrate Coach Carnesecca with several video board features and messages. … This week’s edition of “The St. John’s Red Storm Podcast” will feature a never-heard-before sit down interview with Coach Carnesecca and fellow Hall of Famer and St. John’s legend Jack Kaiser. To listen to “The St. John’s Red Storm Podcast,” To listen, visit HERE.


THIS JEST IN: Things are looking up for the Arizona Bowl. They went from being the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl in 2023 to the Snoop Dog Arizona Bowl for 2024. Of course, dating back to 2020, we had the Offerpad Arizona Bowl, a sponsorship from the California-based home sales joint.


YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: The BIG TEN fined both Michigan and The Ohio State University a cool $100,000 for their parts in the wild post game melee that took place in Columbus, Ohio last week. … The on-field fight took place when Ohio State defensive linebacker Jack Sawyer took exception to Michigan’s edge rusher Derrick Moore deciding to plant a blue Michigan flag on the midfield Buckeye logo.

The melee broke out from there, with reports of Michigan Wolverine players being maced by attending police officers.

Dueling statements accompanied the fines.

The BIG TEN tried to close ranks and put the issue to bed saying, it “considers this matter concluded and will have no further comment.” But, the conference said the teams violated the league’s sportsmanship policy, noting: “Not only did the actions of both teams violate fundamental elements of sportsmanship such as respect and civility, the nature of the incident also jeopardized the safety of participants and bystanders.”

Ohio State countered: “What happened post-game (Saturday) was unfortunate,” the statement read. “Good sportsmanship is always important in everything we do at Ohio State. Moving forward, we will continue to examine and address our post-game protocols to ensure our student-athletes, coaches, visiting teams and staff safely exit the field.”

The fisticuffs came immediately after time ran out and players met-up at midfield after Michigan’s 13-10 win at Columbus.

To the BIG TEN’s proclamation, considering the matter over, WWYI notes the all-American line from the motion picture, Animal House, “What? Over? Did you say over? Nothing is over until we decide it is.”

In other words, “was it over when the Astros were banging on Gatorade coolers? Was it over when Tom Brady said the footballs were properly inflated? Was it over when Gil Hodges looked at the the baseball with J.C. Martin’s shoe polish?

Surely, if that melee happened after an NBA game on Thanksgiving Weekend, they’d still be showing the fight’s lowlights and seeking a Federal investigation on the pepper spraying of athletes.

Filed Under: NCAA, Opinion, While We're Young Ideas Tagged With: Big East Basketball, Coach Lou Carnesecca, St. John's, TL's Sunday Sports Notes

Top 25 | The Battle in Seattle

December 8, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

SEATTLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) -The University of Kentucky’s Andrew Carr recorded 19 points and seven rebounds and prevented a potential game-winning shot to help No. 4 UK Wildcats notch a 90-89 overtime victory over No. 7 Gonzaga at the Battle in Seattle on Saturday night.

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Jaxson Robinson scored 18 points and Otega Oweh added 13 as the Wildcats (8-1) defeated Gonzaga after falling to the Bulldogs in each of the past two seasons. Amari Williams had 12 points and Brandon Garrison added 10 points and nine rebounds for Kentucky, which overcame an 18-point deficit in the second half.

Graham Ike registered season highs of 28 points and 11 rebounds for Gonzaga (7-2). Ben Gregg scored 14 points, Ryan Nembhard added 13 points and 10 assists and Khalif Battle also scored 13 points for the Bulldogs.

With Kentucky leading by one, Carr missed two free throws with 4.3 seconds left in overtime. Dusty Stromer got the rebound for the Bulldogs, but Carr knocked the ball away from behind in transition as Gonzaga failed to get a final shot.

No. 5 Marquette 88, No. 11 Wisconsin 74

Kam Jones matched his season-high with 32 points and David Joplin added 13 as the Golden Eagles pulled away in the second half for a nonconference victory over the Badgers as the in-state rivals met in Milwaukee, Wis.

Marquette (9-1), which trailed 39-37 at the half, went in front 61-53 with 12:17 remaining when Jones was fouled while sinking a 3-pointer and added the free throw. The Golden Eagles extended the lead to 70-55 on a three-point play by Stevie Mitchell with 8:49 remaining.

Max Klesmit snapped out of a shooting slump to lead Wisconsin with 22 points by going 6 of 11 from 3-point range. Klesmit entered shooting 25.4 percent from beyond the arc and had made just three of his last 21.

No. 17 Houston 79, Butler 51

LJ Cryer scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half and Emanuel Sharp finished with 16 points as the Cougars rolled over the visiting Bulldogs.

Cryer scored 10 of the Cougars’ opening 14 points in the second half to help Houston (5-3) seize control en route to its 26th consecutive home win, tied for the longest active streak in the nation.

Butler (7-2) had its six-game winning streak snapped. Patrick McCaffery and Augusto Cassia tallied 11 points each for Butler. Senior forward Jahmyl Telfort averaged 22.3 points over the prior three games but scored just four points on Saturday.

No. 18 Pitt 64, Virginia Tech 59

Jaland Lowe scored 19 points, including the go-ahead layup in the final minute, and Guillermo Diaz Graham had a key block to help the Panthers rally past the Hokies in both teams’ Atlantic Coast Conference opener in Blacksburg, Va.

Diaz Graham finished with nine points, seven rebounds and two blocks, while Ishmael Leggett scored 17 points for the Panthers (8-2, 1-0 ACC).

Toibu Lawal scored 16 points and Jaden Schutt netted 14 to lead the Hokies (3-6, 0-1), who dropped their sixth straight game.

No. 20 North Carolina 68, Georgia Tech 65

Seth Trimble scored a team-high 19 points, helping the Tar Heels get past the visiting Yellow Jackets in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams in Chapel Hill, N.C.

RJ Davis added 16 points, while Ian Jackson chipped in 15 off the bench for the Tar Heels (5-4, 1-0 ACC), who snapped a three-game losing streak. North Carolina shot just 39 percent from the field and 20.8 percent (5 of 24) on 3-pointers, while Georgia Tech shot 31.2 percent from the field and just 29.6 percent (8 of 27) from distance.

Lance Terry led the Yellow Jackets (4-5, 0-1) with 22 points, while Baye Ndongo had 19 points and 12 rebounds. Naithan George had 12 points and eight rebounds for Georgia Tech, which lost its second straight.

No. 21 Oklahoma 94, Alcorn State 78

Jalon Moore scored 19 of his 20 points in the second half to help the Sooners break out of an early slumber en route to a victory over the winless Braves in Norman, Okla.

Moore connected on all eight of his second-half shots and was 8 of 9 overall for the Sooners (9-0). Jeremiah Fears and Dayton Forsythe each added 14 points and seven assists for Oklahoma. Mohamed Wague had 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting and Brycen Goodine added 12 on four 3-pointers for the Sooners. Duke Miles had five steals and Fears contributed three for Oklahoma, which shot 54.7 percent from the field and was 12 of 37 from 3-point range.

Omari Hamilton scored 16 points and Davian Williams added 13 points and seven assists for Alcorn State (0-10). Michael Pajeaud scored 12 points and Keionte Cornelius added 11 and Dhaji Binet had 10.

No. 23 Ole Miss 86, Lindenwood 53

Sean Pedulla scored 19 points and the Rebels used a dominant second half to run away from the visiting Lions in Oxford, Miss.

Mikeal Brown-Jones added 14 points for the Rebels (8-1), who outscored the Lions 47-20 in the second half. Ole Miss, which shot a season-best 56.7 percent from the floor in its last game, hit 57.7 percent in the second half and 51.7 percent for the game Saturday.

Reggie Bass was the only Lindenwood player to score in double figures, finishing with 10 points. The Lions (3-6) shot 32 percent from the floor in the second half and 35.3 percent for the game. Ole Miss committed just seven turnovers and Lindenwood committed 15.

No. 24 San Diego State 74, San Diego 57

Four players scored in double figures to help the Aztecs pull away in the second half for a home win over the cross-town rival Toreros.

Florida Atlantic transfer Nick Boyd led San Diego State (6-2) with 17 points, while Miles Byrd and Jared Coleman-Jones each added 13. Freshman Pharaoh Compton came off the bench to tally 12 points.

Bendji Pierre tallied 17 points in a reserve role for San Diego (3-6), which struggled to make shots against the Aztecs’ typically tough defense. San Diego hit just 30.9 percent of its attempts from the field, including a 6-of-32 performance from 3-point range, and committed 16 turnovers.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NCAA, NCAA Basketball Tagged With: Gonzaga, Kentucky, NCAAB

St. John’s Coach Lou Carnesecca, 99

December 1, 2024 by Terry Lyons

JAMAICA ESTATES – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Hall of Fame coach Lou Carnesecca ‘50C, ‘60Ged, ‘00HON, who led the St. John’s men’s basketball team for 24 seasons and endeared himself to generations of New Yorkers with his wit and warmth, passed away on Saturday surrounded by family. He was 99 years old.

The legendary head coach leaves behind his beloved wife of 73 years, Mary, as well as his cherished family – daughter Enes, son-in-law Gerard (Jerry), granddaughter Ieva and her fiancé Frank, his dear niece and nephew, Susan Chiesa, John Chiesa and his wife, Nancy – as well as his extended family and his closest friends join them in their loss.

A 1992 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, “Looie” led St. John’s to 24 winning campaigns in 24 seasons at the helm from 1965-70 and 1973-92. His teams advanced to the postseason each year, appearing in the NCAA Tournament 18 times while registering six National Invitation Tournament (NIT) appearances. Those postseason berths were highlighted by an appearance in the 1985 Final Four and the program’s fifth NIT title in 1989. His teams also recorded an additional pair of Elite Eight appearances in 1979 and 1991.

Carnesecca was named the National Coach of the Year twice, BIG EAST Coach of the Year three times and Metropolitan Coach of the Year six times during his storied career. He led St. John’s to a pair of BIG EAST titles in 1983 and 1986 and his teams produced a 112-65 regular-season record against tough BIG EAST competition, tying for three regular-season titles and winning one outright.

Overall, Carnesecca registered a 526-200 mark, winning at least 20 games 18 times in 24 seasons as the head coach at St. John’s with a career winning percentage of .725, good enough for one of the top 100 marks in Division I history. His teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for 161 weeks during his career, including more than 70 as one of the top 10 teams in the nation.

A native New Yorker, Carnesecca graduated from St. Ann’s Academy in Manhattan (now Archbishop Molloy) before enlisting the United States Coast Guard during World War II. Upon returning home from the Pacific, Carnesecca enrolled at St. John’s, graduating in 1950. As an undergraduate, Carnesecca played on the St. John’s baseball team that advanced to the 1949 College World Series. Also on that team was Jack Kaiser, Carnesecca’s lifelong friend who would also go on to dedicate his professional life to St. John’s as both its baseball coach and athletic director.

Upon graduation, Carnesecca took over the reins at St. Ann’s and built the team into a powerhouse, winning two CHSAA titles. In 1958, Carnesecca handed over the program to another coaching legend, Jack Curran, in order to take a position on the staff of his mentor, Joe Lapchick, at St. John’s.

Over the next eight seasons on Lapchick’s staff, Carnesecca helped lead St. John’s to a pair of NIT titles in 1959 and 1965. Following Lapchick’s retirement in 1965, Carnesecca was named the 12th head coach in St. John’s men’s basketball history. His first five seasons at the helm were highlighted with trips to the NCAA Tournament regional semifinals in 1967 and 1969, as well as advancing to the NIT Championship game in 1970.

In 1970, Carnesecca left St. John’s for three years to coach the New York Nets of the American Basketball Association. During his tenure in the professional ranks, he took the Nets to the playoffs in each of his three seasons, reaching the finals of the league championship in 1972.

Carnesecca returned to his alma mater in 1973, beginning a transformative period in the history of the program that featured the birth of the BIG EAST Conference, of which St. John’s remains a charter member. In addition to his sweaters providing the sartorial highlights of the league’s early heyday, Carnesecca was also an early cornerstone of the league alongside its founder, Dave Gavitt.

Carnesecca once said, “at St. John’s, it’s all about the players.” In his four decades coaching at his alma mater, Carnesecca coached more than 40 NBA Draft picks including first rounders LeRoy Ellis (1962), Sonny Dove (1967), John Warren (1969), Mel Davis (1973), George Johnson (1978), Chris Mullin (1985), Bill Wennington (1985), Walter Berry (1986), Mark Jackson (1987), Jayson Williams (1990) and Malik Sealy (1992). Carnesecca remained an integral part in the lives of his former players, as his annual reunions drew hundreds of them to Queens.

Filed Under: NCAA, NCAA Basketball, Sports Business Tagged With: Big East, Big East Basketball, Coach Lou Carnesecca, Louie Carnesecca, Madison Square Garden, St. John's

BC Handles Pitt, Awaits Bowl Game

December 1, 2024 by Terry Lyons

CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – BC QB Grayson James threw for a pair of second-half touchdowns and six passes of at least 25 yards as Boston College defeated Pitt 34-23 in Saturday’s Atlantic Coast Conference action in Massachusetts.

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James finished 20-of-28 for 253 yards, helping the Eagles (7-5, 4-4 ACC) to their second straight and third win in four games. He connected with Reed Harris (three receptions, 85 yards) and Kamari Morales for scores, with the former scoring for the second week in a row.

Jordan McDonald and Kye Robichaux rushed into the end zone to help the Eagles open up a 13-0 lead that they would never relinquish, reaching the seven-win mark in the regular season for the first time since 2018.

Despite Nate Yarnell throwing for 296 yards and three touchdowns in place of injured starter Eli Holstein, Pitt (7-5, 3-5) suffered its fifth consecutive loss since a 7-0 start.

Gavin Bartholomew caught Yarnell’s first two touchdowns before Konata Mumpfield finished a 144-yard day on eight receptions with one of his own.

Boston College sacked Yarnell six times. Standout defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku had 10 total tackles (4 1/2 for loss) and 3 1/2 sacks.

After Pitt closed within 20-17, James hit Jeremiah Franklin on a third-and-10 scramble to continue a key eight-play, 83-yard scoring drive that Harris finalized on a 28-yard jump-ball in the front corner of the end zone with 2:33 left in the third quarter.

Pitt’s fumbled snap on 4th-and-2 turned the ball back to James, whose 15-yard dot to Morales with 6:12 remaining added insurance. A Lewis Bond conversion on fourth-and-4 set the table.

Mumpfield made a 15-yard touchdown reception with 3:59 left.

A play after James completed his third 25-yarder of the first quarter over the middle to Franklin, Jordan McDonald broke out for a 36-yard touchdown run to give Boston College a 6-0 lead with 1:53 left. The PAT attempt was unsuccessful following a bad snap.

James’ 53-yard strike to Harris set up the Eagles to extend their lead to 13-0 on Robichaux’s 2-yard run with 6:35 left before halftime.

Pitt used a 75-yard drive to score in the ensuing eight plays. Facing third-and-11, Yarnell found a wide-open Bartholomew for an 11-yard score, cutting the Panther deficit to 13-7.

Yarnell then drove the Panthers into opposing territory in four plays, but Neto Okpala’s pressure and tipped pass landed in the hands of defensive tackle Ty Clemons for a 55-yard interception return with 33 seconds left before halftime.

Pitt’s Ben Sauls snuck in a 57-yard field goal as the first-half clock expired.

After a fourth-and-2 hold inside their own territory, Bartholomew caught Yarnell’s last two passes of an eight-play, 65-yard drive, including a five-yarder with 7:50 left in the third to make it 20-17.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: Boston Sports, NCAA, NCAA Football Tagged With: ACC Football, BC Eagles, Pitt

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While We're Young (Ideas) and March Go Out Like a Lyons
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Gotta Give Pitino the credit.  Constant and Full-Court Press made the difference and his players were in condition to wear down UConn. https://digitalsportsdesk.com/st-johns-defeats-mighty-uconn/
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In each round-up, there are far too many questions and not nearly enough definitive answers to the woes facing the New England clubs, the Celtics included. It might be time for some major shake-ups at...
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KEY DATES IN 2025: Everyone needs to circle these dates on their sports calendar: KEY DATES IN 2025: Everyone needs to circle these dates on their sports calendar:
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