The Morning Mix

The last day of finals week is here. Not very much happened on the court last night. But that’s OK, because we have a lot to get to, you know, with the Big East imploding and everything.

What’s that? You don’t know what I’m talking about? Strap in and buckle up, because we have a lot to get it.

Lets hit the links.

Friday’s Top Games:  Only five games on the schedule tonight feature a match-up of D-I teams
7:00 p.m. – Central Florida @ Old Dominion
7:00 p.m. – Maine @ Army
7:00 p.m. – Charlotte @ Miami (FL)
8:00 p.m. – East Tennessee State @ Ole Miss
9:00 p.m. – LSU @ Boise State
 
 
Read(s) of the Day:
This is, unquestionably, the best article I’ve read regarding the implosion of the Big East. Jeff Jacobs of the Hartford Courant has no sympathy for the Big East, and can we blame him? No we cannot. Please, I’m begging you. Read this. (Hartford Courant)

Read(s) of the Day:
Dana O’Neil’s strong profile piece on “The Game of Change” is something you need to read before tip between Mississippi State and Loyola (IL) on Saturday. Read it. (ESPN)

Read(s) of the Day:
Luke Winn’s Power Rankings. Need I say more? Read it every Friday. (Sports Illustrated)
 
 
Top Stories:
Why the Big East’s breakup isn’t all bad: For us East Coasters born on traditional Big East basketball, this is as good of an outcome as we could have gotten. Rob Dauster explains why.

VIDEO: John Feinstein talks about the departure of the Catholic 7: Via CSNWashington, John Feinstein takes a look at what today’s Big East news means for Georgetown and for college basketball as a whole.

Report: Butler and Xavier to join the Catholic 7: According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Butler and Xavier will be a part of the newly established conference made up of the seven catholic schools that disbanded from the Big East on Wednesday.

Exam week essay about the likelihood that a D-I player scores 100 points in a game: Jack Taylor, the Grinnell College sophomore, scored an NCAA-record 138 points in a game earlier this season. It was a result of the rapid and concentrated scoring style that Grinnell implements in every game. Do you believe that Division I will ever see another 100-point game in the modern era?

Holiday wish list for Arizona: The Wildcats are on the cusp of joining the group of elite teams in the country. In order to do so, they are asking for Mark Lyons to take care of the ball better, and for their young big man to continue to grow.
 
 
Hoops Housekeeping
- Rutgers head coach Mike Rice has been suspended three games and fined $50,000 for mistreatment of players, which includes throwing basketballs at their heads. (New Jersey Star-Ledger)

- Louisville center Gorgui Dieng had his cast removed from his hand and returned to practice. He should be able to return to action by December 22. (Card Chronicle)

- Kansas junior Justin Wesley suffered a broken pinkie in practice yesterday and will miss approximately the next three weeks (KUSports.com)

- Illinois State guard Geoffrey Allen suspended indefinitely following arrest. (Chicago Tribune)

- New Mexico State center Tshilidzi Nephawe underwent surgery to fix torn ligaments in his right hand. It is unsure if he will return or not this season. (Las Cruces Sun-Times)

- Former Washington State point guard Reggie Moore will transfer to Western Washington after being dismissed in September. (College Basketball Talk)

- Maryland freshman Jake Lyman was benched by coach Mark Turgeon during the first half against Monmouth because he failed to meet academic standards set by the head coach. (Washington Post)
 
 
Observations & Insight:
- Pete Thamel provides an excellent read on the in’s and out’s of the implosion of the Big East and the logistics behind the “Catholic-7″ (Sports Illustrated)

- Jason McIntyre’s take on the collapse of the Big East is also worth your time (The Big Lead)

- A great profile on the Big East “Catholic” Conference’s additions based on NCAA history and attendance (Rumble in the Garden)

- Another great take from Dana O’Neil on the calculated risks being taken by the “Catholic-7″ (ESPN)

- Brian Ewart wonders exactly how the “Catholic-7″ will go about leaving the Big East (VU Hoops)

- Jeff Eisenberg on the winners and losers from the “Catholic-7″ split (The Dagger)

- Now that the “Cahtolic-7″ had split, and Butler and Xavier are expected to join, the A-10 is now on red alert for program poaching (Eye on College Basketball)

- With the Big East is a current free fall, what are the chances that Louisville and Notre Dame can join the ACC early than previously expected (Eye on College Basketball)

- Creighton officials declined comment on Thursday on whether or not the Bluejays would have any interest in joining a new basketball conference made up of the seven former members of the Big East (Omaha World-Herald)

- Gonzaga is one of the programs that is currently reaching out to the new Catholic conference about potential membership (Slipper Still Fits)

- The MAAC is set to vote on membership for three NEC schools. Quinnipiac is thought to be a lock, as is Monmouth, with Wagner having an outside shot (New York Daily News)

- Tennessee got a hard-fought victory over No.24 Wichita State last night, handing the Shockers their first loss of the season (Rocky Top Talk)

- Billy Donovan nearly left Florida a few years back to pursue the head coaching job with the Orlando Magic, but at the last-minute he decided to stay. But the long-time Gator head coach isn’t ruling out the possibility of coaching in the NBA some day (Gainesville Sun)

- Andy Glockner on the new challenges and environment that have Larry Eustachy in a “perfect fit” at Colorado State (Sports Illustrated)

- Tom Izzo wishes he could spend less time recruiting and more time with his family. I can’t imagine he’s the only coach who feels this way (MLive.com)
 
 
Odds & Ends:
- Eamonn Brennan fills us in on an interesting situation regarding a radio show featuring Wake Forest head coach Jeff Bzdelik, and the show’s decision to censor the caller interaction. As you would imagine, this did not sit well with the fan base (ESPN)

- Jabari Parker is set to make his college decision on the 20th, but he still isn’t exactly sure what school he is going to decide on (SNY.tv)

- College of Charleston lost a stunner last night to D-II Anderson University 65-49 in an exhibition game. Here is what reactions to the score look like in .GIF form (King Kresse)
 
 
Video(s) of the Day:
An awesome trick-shot video put together by Oklahoma freshman James Fraschilla, the son of ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla. The video benefits the Hayden’s Hope Foundation. (ESPN)
 

 
Video(s) of the Day:
Vin Parise and Erik Kuselias discuss the departure of the “Catholic-7″ from the Big East. (NBC Sports Talk)
 

 
 
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