Big East Tournament 2012 Bracket Reactions: Putting The Championship Game Behind Us

The 2012 Big East Tournament ended up coming down to the Louisville Cardinals and the Cincinnati Bearcats, to the shock of many. Louisville upended the Bearcats on Saturday night to claim the conference crown and punch their ticket to the 2012 NCAA Tournament in a game that was far from pretty.

29sonski at Big East Coast Bias offers his take on the Big East final from Saturday night.

The win netted Louisville's Rick Pitino his second Big East tournament in four years and 10th overall as a head coach. The Cardinals won both the Big East regular season and conference tournament in 2008-09.

Louisville's Peyton Siva, who overcame a bout of lackluster play late in the regular season, scored 10 points and earned tournament MVP honors. Cincinnati's Cashmere Wright led all scorers with 16 points. Chris Smith led Louisville players with 15 points.

The tournament, which routinely has produced high-energy and high-scoring contests over its history, was marked by marked this year by less than stellar shooting percentages and wining point totals in the 50s and 60s. As the conference prepares to embark on a new era, the five-day event noticeably lacked some of the luster that has characterized it in the past.

The conference now quickly turns its attention to the NCAA tournament, which featured a record 11 Big East teams in the 2011 field. The selection committee, led by former Connecticut AD Jeff Hathaway, will announce its decision later today. Several conference teams are "on the bubble" and could edge out mid-major schools based on strength of schedule.

Although local schools missed out on the Big East title (which, somewhat ironically, came down to two midwest teams), basketball fans are now eagerly looking forward to the main event of March Madness.

For more coverage of the Big East, be sure to check out Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation New York for all your college hoops needs. For lots more on the 2012 NCAA Tournament, stay tuned to SB Nation's dedicated college basketball hub.

Louisville-Cincinnati Final Score: Louisville 50, Cincinnati 44

Louisville put on a defensive show Saturday night, knocking out the Bearcats 50-44 on its way to its second Big East Championship. Their first Big East title was back in 2009.

The Cardinals (27-9, 10-8) gained an early lead and never gave it back after going on a 9-0 run early in the first half to take a 14-6 edge.

Chris Smith led the way for the Cardinals with 15 points including three big shots from beyond the 3-point line.

A huge crisis was also averted when Peyton Siva returned in the second half after landing oddly out of bounds. Siva was injured on an attempted layup and left for the final 3:19 of the initial half. He played exceptionally after returning:

The Cardinals held a 16-point lead with just over eight minutes remaining before Cincinnati made one last ditch effort only to be rebuffed. Free throws cost the Bearcats, who shot an atrocious 1 of 7 from the stripe.

Cincinnati (24-11, 12-6) was buoyed by Cashmere Wright, who put in 16 points on 7 of 12 shooting.

With the Big East Tournament over, both groups can get ready for the NCAA Tournament. Louisville has as much momentum as anybody entering the tourney while Cincinnati must also be feeling confident.

For more coverage of the Big East, be sure to check out Big East Coast Bias and SB Nation Philly for all your needs.

Big East Tournament 2012 Championship Game: Cincinnati Set To Take On Louisville Saturday Night

Only two teams remain in the 2012 Big East Tournament as we inch closer to Selection Sunday. Those two teams are the Cincinnati Bearcats, who defeated the Syracuse Orange on Friday evening, and the Louisville Cardinals, who defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Bearcats and the Cardinals, two schools that are less than two hours away from each other, are set to battle for the Big East championship on Saturday night at 9 p.m. (ET)

Here is an updated bracket and the schedule for Saturday's game.

Friday, March 9:

7 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (1) Syracuse Orange 68 vs. (4) Cincinnati Bearcats 71
9 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (3) Notre Dame Fighting Irish 50 vs. (7) Louisville Cardinals 64

Saturday, March 10 (Championship Round on ESPN):

9 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Louisville Cardinals

For more on the Big East Tournament, check back to this SB Nation Philly StoryStream. Meanwhile check out SB Nation's NCAA Basketball Hub for all the College Hoops action you can handle.

Big East Tournament 2012: Day 4 Schedule And Bracket Solidified

Only four teams remain in the 2012 Big East Tournament as we inch ever closer to Selection Sunday. Thursday featured several upsets, most notably the Louisville Cardinals forcing the Marquette Golden Eagles into 25 turnovers on their way to an 84-71 win. They will tip off against Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who won ugly in overtime over the South Florida Bulls.

The Cincinnati Bearcats won a sloppy double overtime match against the Georgetown Hoyas on the strength of Yancy Gates' 23 points. They will face the top-seeded Syracuse Orange, winners of a closer-than-expected game against the UConn Huskies.

Thursday, March 8:

Noon/ESPN, ESPN3D: (1) Syracuse Orange 58, (9) Connecticut Huskies 55

2 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (4) Cincinnati Bearcats 72, (5) Georgetown Hoyas 70

7 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (7) Louisville Cardinals 84, (2) Marquette Golden Eagles 71
9 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (3) Notre Dame Fighting Irish 57, (6) South Florida Bulls 53

Friday, March 9:

7 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (1) Syracuse Orange vs. (4) Cincinnati Bearcats
9 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (7) Louisville Cardinals vs. (3) Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Saturday, March 10 (Championship Round on ESPN):

9 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: WINNERS of Semifinal-Round Games

For more on the Big East Tournament, check back to this SB Nation Philly StoryStream. Meanwhile, SB Nation's blog The 'Nova Blog has everything on the Wildcats, while Big East Coast Bias is all about the Big East.r

Big East Tournament: Updated Schedule And Bracket For Day Three

The top four seeds in the Big East will finally take the court on Thursday as quarterfinals action begins in the 2012 Big East tournament.

The top-seeded Syracuse Orange will square off against the upset-minded Connecticut Huskies, pitting two teams with a history of epic postseason duels against each other.

Related: Big East Breakdown with Nick Fasulo

The entirety of Thursday's schedule, including game time and TV information is:

Noon/ESPN, ESPN3D: (9) Connecticut Huskies vs. (1) Syracuse Orange
2 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (5) Georgetown Hoyas vs. (4) Cincinnati Bearcats
7 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (7) Louisville Cardinals vs. (2) Marquette Golden Eagles
9 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (6) South Florida Bulls vs. (3) Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The remainder of the bracket is as follows:

Friday, March 9:

7 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (WINNER of Thurs. Noon Game) vs. (WINNER of Thurs. 2 p.m. Game)
9 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (WINNER of Thurs. 7 p.m. Game) vs. (WINNER of Thurs. 9 p.m. Game)

Saturday, March 10 (Championship Round on ESPN):

9 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: WINNERS of Semifinal-Round Games

For more on the Big East Tournament, check back to this SB Nation Philly StoryStream, or Big East Coast Bias, your source for everything Big East.

2012 Big East Tournament, Villanova Vs. South Florida: Bulls Defeat Wildcats, 56-47

The South Florida Bulls defeated the Villanova Wildcats in Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night in Madison Square Garden by a score of 56-47. While the No. 14 seed Wildcats are eliminated, the No. 6 Bulls move on to face the No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Thursday night.

The Wildcats were led by Mouphtaou Yarou, who scored 20 points against the Bulls on Wednesday night. Maalik Wayns, who was 0-8 in the first half, was able to score nine points by the end of the game and the Wildcats bench wasn't very supportive as James Bell and Ty Johnson came off the bench to combine for eight points.

The Bulls were led by Victor Rudd in the first half, but in the second half it was Anthony Collins who led South Florida to victory. Collins scored 17 while Rudd scored 13 and both Jawanza Poland and Toarlyn Fitzpatrick both came off the bench to score six points. Collins only had four points in the first half so his 13-point second half was what sealed the deal for the Bulls.

Witness Collins' awesomeness:

The Bulls face the Fighting Irish at 9 p.m. Thursday night on ESPN for the third round of the Big East Tournament.

For more on the Big East Tournament, check back to this SB Nation Philly StoryStream. Meanwhile, SB Nation's blog The 'Nova Blog have everything on the Wildcats, while Big East Coast Bias all about the Big East.

2012 Big East Tournament, Villanova Vs. South Florida: Bulls Lead Wildcats At Halftime, 27-17

At halftime in the Villanova Wildcats Big East Tournament game against the South Florida Bulls, the Bulls lead by a score of 27-17 in Madison Square Garden. The winner of tonight's game will go up against the conference's No. 3 seed team, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The Wildcats have shot a terrible 20 percent from the field through the first half. They're led by Mouphtaou Yarou, who scored eight points in the first half, while the rest of the players have failed to reach four points and not a single player has been able to score off the bench. Maalik Wayns has had an especially bad half as he is 0-8 from the field and his three points have all come from free throws.

Enjoy a video of Wayns missing everything.

The Bulls, on the other hand, are shooting 42.9 percent from the field, and are led by Victor Rudd, who scored 10 points in the first half. Anthony Collins also added four and Jawanza Poland came off the bench to score six. Rudd has been especially effective in the first half as he's done pretty much the exact opposite of Maalik Wayns.

For more Villanova and Big East Tournament coverage, be sure to check out The Nove Blog and SB Nation Philly.

2012 Big East Tournament: Villanova Vs. South Florida Game Time, TV Schedule And More

After beating up on Rutgers 70-49, Villanova now has a date with sixth-seeded South Florida on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

The No. 14 seeded Wildcats (13-18, 5-12) are a dangerous team despite having had such a bad regular season. With Jay Wright at the helm and ample experience in big games, Villanova presents an interesting foe for the Bulls.

Maalik Wayns is also back at the top of his game after missing three games in February with an MCL sprain. Wayns stole the show last night, scoring 28 points to lead his team onward.

South Florida (19-12, 12-6) should be prepared and very fresh after earning a first round bye. The Bulls have been struggling only going 2-2 in their last four games.

It's been an offensive struggle for South Florida recently, not having been able to crack 60 points since February 15th. As it happens, that game was a victory over the Wildcats.

With the Bulls on the bubble and Villanova in need of a miracle run, the stakes will be very high.

Time: 9:00 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

For more Villanova and Big East Tournament coverage, be sure to check out The Nova Blog and SB Nation Philly.

2012 Big East Tournament: Jay Wright Hails "Awesome" Maalik Wayns

After waxing Rutgers 70-49 Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden in the Big East Tournament's first round, Villanova's coach Jay Wright took time to talk about his team's dominant showing.

He couldn't help but talk about his star junior guard Maalik Wayns, who after suffering an MCL sprain a few weeks ago, has come back incredibly strong.

" Just awesome. Great composure all night long," said Wright.

"A couple plays where he gets a little excited, but he really did a great job. And I really think Ty Johnson did a great job. He gives great defensive intensity on their guards. They're small guards for us, as you know, we play bigger, that's tough for us, so we had to go small with Ty. He did a really good job."

Wayns led the charge from a motivated Wildcats team. After trailing by four to end the first half, Villanova destroyed he Scarlet Knights, outscoring them 40-15 in the final 20 minutes. He scored 28 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists.

Wayns feels like the tournament is a fresh start for his team after such a disappointing regular season.

"I think that's definitely how we're looking at it. Anything that happened, and we're good enough, we've got everybody back now, everybody has been practicing together. We had some great practices. Our young guys are getting more comfortable, guys getting more healthy. If we keep playing the way we're playing and defending, everything takes care of itself. "

For the entire transcript, click here.

For more on Villanova and the Big East Tournament, be sure to check out The Nova Blog and SB Nation Philly.

Big East Tournament 2012: Day 2 Schedule And Bracket Set Following Villanova Win

Villanova put away Rutgers, 70-49, on Tuesday night to close out the first round of action at the 2012 Big East Tournament. Now that the game is over, we can take a closer look at what's on tap Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.

Nova once against draws the late game, taking on South Florida at 9:00 p.m. ET. The Wildcats lost both meetings between the two teams during the regular season, but a big second half against the Scarlet Knights could have them thinking upset. Here's the full updated Big East Tournament bracket and TV schedule:

Tuesday, March 6 (First Round):

Noon ET/ESPN2, ESPN3D: (9) Connecticut Huskies 81, (16) DePaul Blue Demons 67
2 p.m./ESPN2, ESPN3D: (12) Pittsburgh Panthers 73, (12) St. John’s Red Storm 59
7 p.m./ESPNU, ESPN3D: (10) Seton Hall Pirates 79, (15) Providence Friars 47
9 p.m./ESPNU, ESPN3D: (14) Villanova Wildcats 70, (11) Rutgers Scarlet Knights 49

Wednesday, March 7:

Noon/ESPNU, ESPN3D: (9) Connecticut Huskies vs. (8) West Virginia Mountaineers
2 p.m./ESPNU, ESPN3D: (13) Pittsburgh Panthers vs. (5) Georgetown Hoyas
7 p.m./ESPNU, ESPN3D: (10) Seton Hall Pirates vs. (7) Louisville Cardinals
9 p.m./ESPNU, ESPN3D: (14) Villanova Wildcats vs. (6) South Florida Bulls

Thursday, March 8:

Noon/ESPN, ESPN3D: (WINNER of Wed. Noon Game) vs. (1) Syracuse Orange
2 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (WINNER of Wed. 2 p.m. Game) vs. (4) Cincinnati Bearcats
7 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (WINNER of Wed. 7 p.m. Game) vs. (2) Marquette Golden Eagles
9 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (WINNER of Wed. 9 p.m. Game) vs. (3) Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Friday, March 9:

7 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (WINNER of Thurs. Noon Game) vs. (WINNER of Thurs. 2 p.m. Game)
9 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: (WINNER of Thurs. 7 p.m. Game) vs. (WINNER of Thurs. 9 p.m. Game)

Saturday, March 10 (Championship Round on ESPN):

9 p.m./ESPN, ESPN3D: WINNERS of Semifinal-Round Games

For more on the Big East Tournament, check back to this SB Nation Philly StoryStream. Meanwhile, SB Nation's blog The 'Nova Blog has everything on the Wildcats, while Big East Coast Bias is all about the Big East.

Big East Tournament 2012, Villanova Vs. Rutgers Final Score: Wildcats Control Second Half, Advance To Play South Florida On Day 2

A big run by the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at the end of the first half put them up 34-30 going into intermission of Tuesday night's 2012 Big East Tournament game. The Villanova Wildcats came out of the gate hot, however, going on a 12-2 run coming out of the locker room. Nova never looked back, expanding their lead all the way to the final buzzer.

Eli Carter was the story of the first half, at one point draining three consecutive 3-pointers on his way to 15 points. Rutgers scored just 15 points total in the second half, eight of which came from Carter. The Wildcats played smothering defense, controlling the paint with 39 rebounds and four blocked shots on their way to a 70-49 win.

Mouphtaou Yarou turned in a complete game, picking up 13 points and 12 rebounds along with two blocks and two steals. Maalik Wayns provided the fireworks, however, throwing his body at the rim all night for 28 points and six boards.

JayVaughn Pinkston never got rolling on the offensive end after a poor first half. He finished with seven turnovers and six points on 2-for-5 shooting. He made his presence felt on the defensive end, however, particularly on a big second half block on Carter.

The Wildcats once again drew the late game for the second round of the tournament, and will go up against the South Florida Bulls on Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. ET in Madison Square Garden. Nova lost both meetings between the two teams during the regular season, but their big second half Tuesday could have the Wildcats feeling good about their chances at an upset.

For more on the Big East Tournament, check back to this SB Nation Philly StoryStream. SB Nation's blog The 'Nova Blog has everything on the Wildcats, while Big East Coast Bias is all about the Big East.

Big East Tournament 2012, Villanova Vs. Rutgers Halftime Score: Wildcats Down 34-30 As Eli Carter Heats Up

Tuesday night's 2012 Big East Tournament game between the Villanova Wildcats and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights has so far been one of runs. The Wildcats took a 24-16 lead on a 9-2 run midway through the first half. The Scarlet Knights promptly went on 18-3 run featuring five 3-pointers, including three in a row from Eli Carter, to retake control of the game.

Maalik Wayns has nine points to lead Nova, while Mouphtaou Yarou and James Bell have chipped in six. Yarou has just three rebounds, but already has two blocks. The Wildcats hope to get JayVaughn Pinkston in rhythm in the second half. He went just 1-for-4 from the floor with five turnovers and zero assists.

Carter has 15 points so far to lead all scorers on 6-for-11 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Dane Miller and Myles Mack had six points each, combining to go 3-for-4 from long range. The Wildcats countered the Scarlet Knights' hot shooting somewhat by going 8-for-11 from the free throw line.

Nova heads into the locker room down 34-30. They almost made it closer, but an attempt at halfcourt just rattled out of the rim.

For more on the Big East Tournament, check back to this SB Nation Philly StoryStream. SB Nation's blog The 'Nova Blog has everything on the Wildcats, while Big East Coast Bias is all about the Big East.

Big East Tournament: Schedule And Bracket For Day One

The 2012 Big East Tournament tips off Thursday at Madison Square Garden, and one of the two programs that will cap the first-day action of the 16-team, five-day, single-elimination event is the Villanova Wildcats, who enter as a No. 14 seed.

The Wildcats will face the No. 14 Rutgers Scarlet Knights at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU, the winner advances to the second round where they will face the No. 6 South Florida Bulls (9 p.m. ET on ESPN).

Before 'Nova and Rutgers start, however, there will be three other games that had been completed. So, here's a look at the Big East Tournament's Tuesday schedule:

Noon ET: (No. 16-seed) DePaul Blue Demons vs. (9) Connecticut Huskies
2 p.m.: (13) Pittsburgh Panthers vs. (12) St. John's Red Storm
7 p.m.: (15) Providence Friars vs. (10) Seton Hall Pirates
9 p.m.: (14) Villanova Wildcats vs. (11) Rutgers Scarlet Knights

For more on the Big East Tournament, check back to this SB Nation Philly StoryStream. Meanwhile, SB Nation's blog The 'Nova Blog has everything on the Wildcats, while Big East Coast Bias is all about the Big East.

2012 Big East Tournament: Rutgers Vs. Villanova Preview

In the 11 vs. 14 game of the Big East tournament, No. 11 Rutgers finds itself taking on No. 14 Villanova, Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. ET in Madison Square Garden.

In their only previous encounter, the Wildcats beat the Scarlet Knights 77-71 just five days ago at the RAC. What better place for a chance at redemption for Rutgers than right now?

If you're memory needs jogging, Villanova (12-18, 5-13) built a huge lead in the first half of that contest only to watch most of it evaporate before holding on late with a few clutch shots and some free throws. Maalik Wayns and JayVaughn Pinkston led the way as usual with 18 points each.

Rutgers (14-17, 6-12) saw it's star freshmen guards of Myles Mack and Eli Carter shoot a pedestrian 8 of 29 combined from the field.

Both teams likely will need better performances to win. In that game, the Wildcats turned the ball over 20 times while Rutgers was out-rebounded 36 to 27. Neither of those stats will be conducive to winning come postseason basketball.

While neither team is expected to go deep into the tourney, it would be nice for each program to finish its season on a high note with advancement.

The game can be seen on ESPNU and ESPN3

For more on the Big East Tournament stay right on this stream. For more Villanova news and updates, be sure to check out The Nova Blog and SB Nation Philly.

Maalik Wayns Named To All Big East 2nd Team

Big East Tournament 2012: Bracket Finalized As Villanova Earns No. 14 Seed

The 2012 Big East Tournament is almost here, as the field and bracket were finalized Saturday. The Villanova Wildcats enter as a No. 11 seed in the five-day, single-elimination event at Madison Square Garden, March 6-11.