Georgetown Basketball

It's a sad day if you're a Georgetown Hoya fan.

With one heartbreaking press release this morning, Georgetown announced that sophomore Greg Monroe will be declaring for the NBA draft and hiring an agent, ending any possibility that he'll return to Georgetown for his junior year.

As much as it may suck, it's difficult to argue that Monroe made the wrong decision.

Last season's Big East Rookie of the Year improved on every facet of his game this year, averaging 16.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game. Before this season, no Georgetown player under John Thompson III had averaged 15 points per game; this season, Monroe, Chris Wright, and Austin Freeman each exceeded the 15-ppg benchmark.

Monroe looked flat-out dominant at times this year—a 24-point, 15-rebound night against national runner-up Butler or his 23 points 13 rebounds, and 7 assists against Marquette immediately come to mind. Remember, coming into college, Monroe was figured to be a one-and-done player; the fact the Hoyas got him for two years was a blessing in and of itself.

JTIII and Monroe concisely summed up the decision-making process in the press release, and again, it's hard to argue with Monroe's choice here.

"Greg and I, along with his family, have examined the situation and he has made an educated decision," Thompson said. "We have watched him grow as a player and as a young man while here at Georgetown. We support him and I look forward to watching and cheering him on for many years to come."

"It was mentally what I wanted to do," Monroe said. "I feel like I'm ready to make this step after working with our coaches for two years. I've enjoyed being able to represent Georgetown. I've enjoyed my experience and while I am leaving campus, I still will always be part of Georgetown."

It's understandable for a Georgetown fan to be slightly bitter at this decision. After all, the Hoyas had no graduating seniors on their roster, meaning if Monroe returned for his junior season, the Hoyas would lose no one, gain four incoming freshman, and have an extra year of experience under their belts. 

ESPN's Andy Katz may have fanned the flames a little yesterday , suggesting, "[Monroe] could return for his junior season and contend for player of the year and have the Hoyas in the national title hunt."

Yes, dreams of Big East titles, net cutting ceremonies, and One Shining Moment was already going through most Hoyas' fans minds as the days until the draft deadline neared and Monroe remained undeclared.

But let's be honest with ourselves here. Monroe has already given Georgetown his fair share of highlight reel moments. Again...a 23/13/7? In a single game? That sounds like Jeremiah Rivers' career stat-line from Georgetown!

Let's acknowledge the fact that Georgetown had the privilege of having one of the most talented big men in all of college basketball don the Hoya blue and gray, and not begrudge his all-too-logical decision to advance his career to the next level.

Besides, I forget where I read it this week, but consider this: If you're in journalism school, and ESPN calls you and wants to make you the next Rick Reilly, paying you millions for it...you're not sticking around to graduate from your college. You're getting the hell out of there, and you're thanking all kinds of gods for getting you millions of dollars when 10 percent of the country currently can't find any job.

Where Does Monroe's Declaration Leave Georgetown?

Hoya fans, even without Monroe, Georgetown comes back stacked next year.

Remember, before his late-season diabetes-related swoon, Austin Freeman was playing well enough to be considered a dark-horse Big East Player of the Year. And once Freeman went down, Chris Wright took over the leadership role brilliantly, willing the team on to win on more than one occasion in the final few weeks.  (His 27/6/6 against Syracuse in the Big East Tournament speaks for itself.)

Speedy sophomore Jason Clark showed flashes of being the team's best defender, using his freakish 6'6" wingspan (Clark's only 6'2") to crowd passing lanes and harass shooters. That's not to mention Clark's beautiful three-point stroke (he shot 42.4 percent from downtown on the year), as he's one of the only three players on Georgetown that should be jacking shots from downtown routinely.

Don't forget about freshman Hollis Thompson, as he came into his own in the final few weeks and started flexing his shooting muscles.  In a HORSE game between Clark, Freeman, and Thompson...I'm not so convinced that Thompson doesn't win. The kid's got the prettiest three-point shot on the whole team, and once it starts falling with any regularity, Hollis could be staring at a Sixth Man of the Year next season.

The four recruits coming in give Georgetown a balanced bench for the first time in three seasons. PF Nate Lubick (6'9") provides Georgetown some extra depth inside, but he can step out and knock down 17-footers regularly; 6'9" C Moses Abraham gives Georgetown a rotation of four big men with Monroe's departure; 6'2" PG Markel Starks will give Vee Sanford a run for his money for minutes next season; and 6'5" SG Aaron Bowen is seen as a little more of a four-year project, but could prove to be a surprise along the lines of Sanford or Jerrelle Benimon this past season.

The real key to next season, now that Monroe's officially leaving, falls on Georgetown's two most tenured big men: Julian Vaughn and Henry Sims. (Perhaps better known as #swagman and #regularman lately. )

Vaughn, who played center alongside Monroe this past season, had a breakout 18-point, seven-rebound game against Washington, proving that he could provide quality minutes down low.

Sims, on the other hand, didn't take the freshman-sophomore leap like Hoya fans hoped he would. Sims actually averaged more minutes, points, and rebounds his freshman season, as Jerrelle Benimon's early-season acumen for rebounding pushed Sims further out of the rotation.

I'm not John Wooden here, but I'd guess the first step to Sims' improvement would be feeding the kid nothing but chicken, raw eggs, and protein shakes from now until October. A 6'11" player should not weigh 220 pounds, unless he wants to be outweighed by small forwards and power forwards alike.

Sims showed improvement defensively this season, and he's shown flashes of being a voracious shot-blocker on occasion. He's certainly got the potential to become a talented player, but the leap needs to happen this summer for Georgetown to become an elite team next year.

Yes, now that Monroe's gone, Georgetown's biggest concern this summer should be the improvement of Henry Sims. Earlier this week, Hoya Prospectus did an excellent breakdown, more or less proving that Georgetown works best with two guards, a wing, and two big men on the court.   

Sims needs to be that other big man.

If Sims takes the same leap that Julian Vaughn did this past season, then Georgetown's got two quality starting big men, with Lubick and Abraham coming as relief off the bench.  It's clear that Wright, Clark, and Freeman can handle most of the team's scoring load, but Sims and Vaughn need to stay true defensively, and become the twin-tower shot-blocking menace that Monroe and Vaughn established last season.

Georgetown is far from screwed without Monroe.  But if you're looking for the newest key to next season, keep an eye on Henry Sims and his development this summer.

Come on, #regularman.  It's time to transform your super identity once more.

Georgetown did not have a senior day this past season. After all, with no four-year veterans on the roster, why would they?

I’ll tell you why.

Sometimes a team subsists beyond those on the court. Sometimes, a team transcends the 40 minutes during which it is on the court. Sometimes, a team is defined by a community.

Though the Hoyas did not lose any players to graduation, they did lose an integral contributor to the Georgetown basketball program. Arguably, the Blue and Gray lost the heart and soul of their team.

For the first time in what seems like forever, cheerleader Eric Cusimano will no longer be manning the sidelines.

I know what you’re thinking. Really? A cheerleader ?

Believe it or not, Cusimano has emerged as the singular face of Georgetown Basketball over the past four years, and for good reason. Eric is no ordinary cheerleader.

In his four years on the hilltop, Eric developed the uncanny ability to ignite even the bleakest of crowds. Whether it was personally running through the student section to ensure that the crowd was fired up, spontaneously starting “We Are Georgetown” chants with such force that his voice could be easily identified when watching on television, or waving that Georgetown flag with vigorous pride worthy of a D-Day soldier, Eric never held anything back.

If you have ever seen the spirited manner by which Cusimano charged onto the court to introduce the Hoyas game in and game out, you will also know that the word “passion” can only begin to describe the perpetual zeal expressed by this extremely talented individual.

Above all, the New Orleans native is an athlete. In fact, his background in football is largely responsible for his initial decision to start cheerleading

“In high school I was a football player,” said Cusimano. “Katrina hit in August my senior year, so the season was cut short, but we had it nonetheless. After the season was over, I hit this gap of not going to practice in the afternoon….No incentive to stay in shape.”

Enter, cheerleading

“My stepmom was the cheerleading coach, and because it was an all male school, she was required to have same amount of guys as girls, and people moved because of Katrina so she needed some people. After a few practices I just fit in.”

When he arrived at Georgetown, Eric decided to continue jogging down the cheerleading path.

“I saw it as an opportunity to get involved and just a chance to be different”  

From enthralling NCAA tournament buzzer beaters to monumental upsets (thanks, Ohio), Eric has seen it all in his immaculate four-year career. For the Capitol Hill intern however, one moment particularly stands out.

“The singular most memorable moment would be the president coming to the Duke game this past year. During games we do this move called the cupe, when you hold the girl above your head. It’s always the kind of thing that’s a little shaky, but for whatever reason, that one stuck. I knew the President could see it, and not many people get to cheerlead in front of the President.”

Eric was not always the bold, confident, overwhelmingly charismatic individual that will receive his degree in about a month’s time. Cusimano cites his growth as a cheerleader through the most demanding of pregame rituals; waving the massive Georgetown Hoya flag.

“In the beginning I was terrified. I was a freshman. I had taken over for a guy who had done it for awhile. What if you fall? What if the flag breaks? There are so many what ifs the first time you actually do it.”

Eventually, the honorable procedure became old hat for “Showtime” Cusimano.

“As time goes by it becomes part of what you do on gameday. It’s always kind of a moment because you’re the first one on the court. For the bigger games when the stadium is full, there is nothing else like it.”

For Cusimano, cheerleading is not just a sport. It is a lifestyle. In fact, his undying dedication to cheerleading enabled him to become not just the face of Hoya basketball, but the face of the entire Georgetown Community.

“Being a cheerleader in high school was just the next activity,” said Cusimano. “Here, it enabled me to do everything else. People already knew who I was…. Oh, you’re a cheerleader, come do this. That’s how I got involved in NSO (New Student Orientation), in GAAP, tour guiding. Being a cheerleader made it easy for me to see all these other opportunities on campus and dive into to them. It helped knowing a lot of people, and hoping that those people would trust me to be a good representative of the school.”

Eric has been more than a good representative of the school. In many ways, he has cemented himself as a legend.

Yeah, he may not be Greg Monroe. But Eric has definitely left some pretty big shoes to fill.

From start to finish, it was an up and down year for the Hoyas of Georgetown. They were plagued with inconsistency, going through marvelous highs, and disappointing lows, since the season first tipped off.

When this Hoya team was on, they were unstoppable, beating the likes of Duke, Villanova, and Syracuse and doing it quite easily on two of three occasions. 

When off their game, however, this team hit lows you wouldn't have thought possible if you watched them on nights when they were playing well. They lost to a miserable Rutgers squad, a sub-par South Florida team, and finally, the Hoyas capped off their season with a blowout loss in the first round to the Ohio Bobcats.

Although extremely talented, Georgetown failed to put its best effort out on the floor night in and night out, which lead to a first-round KO in the tournament. However, next year could be a completely different story if big man Greg Monroe decides to stay in school for another year.

Here are six reasons why this Georgetown team will make a run at the national championship if Greg stays a Hoya.

No. 1: Georgetown Will Be Returning Every Player on its Roster

Not one senior was on the Hoyas' roster this year, meaning if Greg forgoes the draft, the Hoyas will have all their players back. This already extremely talented team will have nine months of improvement going into next season, taking this team to a different level.  

Players like Austin Freeman and Chris Wright, who both had great seasons this year, will only be better and dominant teams more next season.

Jason Clark, a sophomore guard who can really stroke the ball, found his touch last year and was a big difference maker for the Hoyas. Clark is continuing to improve his game to a higher level than it has been at any point in his career. If he continues his development, he could be an even bigger contributor for Georgetown next year.

This team had one of the best starting five's in the country this season, and with a year of improvement and becoming familiar with each other under their belt, the sky is the limit for this starting five.

No. 2: The Dominance of Greg Monroe

You could argue the case that Greg Monroe was the best center in the nation this year, dominating opponents and putting up big numbers of 16 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks per game.

Monroe has outstanding moves in the post and can drive to the basket effectively on slower, less athletic big men. Greg is also one of the nation’s best passers, posting huge assist numbers for a center. He is the facilitator for that offense and reads zone defenses like a book.

Now, imagine this beast today, then a summer of bulking up and improving his game, and coming back to college and playing in a league that loses a lot of the bigs who challenged him this year, like Onuako and Hamady Ndiaye from Rutgers.

Scary to even think about that for opposing teams.

No. 3: The Development of Hollis Thompson

This freshman from California started off slowly at the beginning of the year, not getting much playing time or contributing with the time he got.

This is not uncommon for freshman adjusting to Georgetown’s complicated Princeton style offense, but his true talents were limited at first because of this new set offense Hollis needed to take in.

As Thompson began to fit in and find his role as a Hoya, things took a swing for the better for Hollis. He began to see more time on the floor, showing off his natural stroke and a great ability to slash to the basket and score.

Most people who aren't Georgetown fans don't know who this kid is. But he is a great talent and could be a Kris Joseph-like guy for the Hoyas next season, creating instant offense off the bench.

John Thompson III has done an outstanding job developing Hollis over the course of this year, and the kid is only going to get better over the offseason. He has proven he can contribute off the bench for the Hoyas next year in games late this season, like against Ohio, where he scored 16 points while going 3-for-5 from distance.

He was one of the only bright spots in that game, proving his worth to Hoya fans. If he can continue to get stronger and develop his game, he could be one of the best sixth men in the Big East or possibly even the nation next season.

No. 4: Senior Leadership

The Hoyas lacked leadership throughout most of this year. That was one of the big reasons for their inconsistency. They had no one that could lead their team down the stretch, pull out close games, or put away inferior teams.

Coming into next season, however, there will be three seniors in the starting lineup in Austin Freeman, Chris Wright, and Julian Vaughn.

The roster will be stacked with upperclassmen, most of them with big game experience, who can lead this Georgetown team on the floor more effectively than last season. 

Having seniors on a team is a big factor for any team in March, and having a lot of seniors on their squad next season will certainly help the Hoyas fair better when the Madness starts next season.

No. 5: Georgetown Has a Top 25 Recruiting Class Coming In

To go along with Georgetown returning all of their players from last season, the Hoyas also have talented freshman coming in next year to help fill their roster.

No. 48 ranked Nate Lubick at forward, No. 71 ranked recruit Markel Starks at point guard, center Moses Abraham, and forward Aaron Bowen have all committed to the Hoyas, giving them more depth in their now thin roster.

The Hoyas had only 11 players on their team this season, but with the addition of these young, talented freshmen, it will give John Thompson more options for people to put in the game.

No. 6: A Perfect Amount of Depth

A weak bench this season was one of the Hoyas biggest problems as a team. It was a main contributor to their struggles with consistency because if a starter ever got hurt, was in foul trouble, or was playing poorly that game, there were very few players to replace him.

The Hoyas were last in the nation in points off the pine, with only around eight a game. However, this team’s bench coming into next year is looking as strong as ever due to the development and addition of new players.

Since there was no back-up point guard last year for Georgetown, the Hoyas relied heavily on Chris Wright to stay out of foul trouble and perform his best every night. When he was able to, Georgetown was close to unbeatable, winning countless games when Wright scored in double figures.

When he struggled, however, Georgetown had trouble breaking presses, getting into sets on the offensive end, and executing their game plan. Things seemed to just fall apart when Wright was out of the game because there was nobody to replace him.

However, with the addition of Markel Starks, a heady four-star point guard who is very similar to Chris Wright when he first came to Georgetown, will be able to give good minutes in place of Wright, which will be big for the Hoyas come next season if Chris ever needs to sit. Vee Sanford, a freshman point guard this year who didn't see many minutes could also see some playing time next year, as he is developing into a solid player on both ends of the ball.

To go along with newly acquired depth at the point, the Hoyas will have new big men to come into the game and give quality minutes. Nate Lubick and Moses Abraham are two bigs that are very good on the defensive end, blocking shots and hustling to loose balls. They should solid for Georgetown next year.

All and all, the Hoyas should have five or six guys seeing minutes off the bench, with players at lots of different positions that all contribute in different ways. This is a perfect bench in my eyes, a solid amount of guys with a lot of talent and players at every position.

Georgetown will be coming back next season with a new and improved squad that is absolutely stacked. I am already pumped to see the Hoyas through on the jerseys next season and make up for that devastating first round loss to Ohio by going out and having a great year.

P.S. Greg, stay with Georgetown for just one more year, please. The Hoya faithful are thirsty for a few tournament wins, and that is more than possible if you stay for 2011.

On the wildest first day of March Madness in recent memory (or ever?), the biggest upset of the day came in the early evening, when the No. 14 seed Ohio Bobcats destroyed the No. 3 seed Georgetown Hoyas in Providence, R.I., 97-83.

The Bobcats, who finished 7-9 in the Mid-American Conference, and only punched their tourney ticket by winning the MAC tournament, shot so well against Georgetown that Hoya fans started having flashbacks to the 1985 NCAA championship game against Villanova. (Ohio shot 58.2 percent from the floor, and 56.5 percent [13-23] from downtown.)

The 97 points that Ohio scored represents the most than any team has scored against Georgetown in the NCAA tournament, and also happens to be the most points any team seeded No. 13 or below has ever scored in the NCAA tournament.

Okay, so it might be easier to find the Fountain of Youth than to find the silver lining for Georgetown in a loss like this.

But if you’re like me today, you probably feel like chugging a bottle of rubbing alcohol. (Or if you're like the guys at CasualHoya , you may be considering jamming your hand down your garbage disposal.)  

So let's join together and try to put this loss in perspective.

If you’re looking for an analysis of how Ohio shocked the Hoyas, why the Hoyas suddenly forgot to play defense in their most important game of the year, or why Julian Vaughn played a total of 10 minutes…stop reading here.  That article will be coming later this weekend, and it’ll have a decidedly less “sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows" tone.

Until then…here’s why a loss to Ohio isn’t the end of the world for Georgetown fans.  (Even though it may feel like that for the next three weeks.)

Greg Monroe’s Post-Game Quotes

From the Twitter account of Fanhouse’s own Dan Graziano: Georgetown's Greg Monroe, asked if this was his last game at GU: "No. It wasn't."

And from the post-game media session , in a follow-up question about his future, Monroe responded, “The season just finished. Basically I'm not looking to the future right now. I'm ready to go back and see how I can help my team next year.”

Whoa, whoa, whoa, Miss Lippy.

Look, I realize that it’s pure lunacy to take a guy’s word 20 minutes after what had to be one of the most deflating losses he’s ever experienced. 

But the fact is, a week ago today, Monroe completely undressed Marquette with a 23/13/7 game, and the thought of him returning to G’town next year appeared all but dead.  If there's any hope of Monroe returning because of this game, then it wasn't a total wash.

Maybe Monroe realizes that if he can't fight through a double-team of mid-major white guys, he needs to continue bulking up to have any shot at making an impact in the NBA. Or maybe, as Georgetown coach John Thompson III continually points out, Monroe legitimately enjoys college, and doesn't want to leave Georgetown with zero NCAA tournament wins on his resume.

Hope springs eternal.  And if Monroe somehow decides to come back for his junior season, the Hoyas wouldn't lose a single player from this season's team (barring transfers), while adding Nate Lubick, Markel Starks, and Aaron Bowen.  That's got the makings of a top-five team, if the Hoyas could escape their inconsistencies.

And let's be real: If you asked me on Monday if I'd take a first-round NCAA knockout this year if it meant Monroe came back next year, I'd absolutely, unequivocally, 100 percent say yes.  

I'd still make the same choice today, despite the dark cloud that would be hanging over my head for the next three weeks.

Austin Freeman's Health

In the midst of a February slump, Hoya fans got a huge dose of reality slapped in their face when junior guard Austin Freeman, Georgetown's leading scorer, was suddenly diagnosed with diabetes.

Freeman returned with a tour de force against Cincinnati in Georgetown's final game of the regular season, dropping 24 points in 30 minutes while looking like the same old Awesome Freeman.  After the game, Freeman swore that his newly-diagnosed disease had no effect on his energy, and promised that he'd continue being the same old Austin.

In Georgetown's next five games (four in the Big East tournament and the fifth in the NCAAs), Freeman scored eight, 18, 12, 14, and nine points respectively.  He averaged 16.5 per game on the season.  He only cracked the 50 percent shooting plateau once (against Marquette), despite going nine of 12 against Louisville a week before his diagnosis.

And for a guy with a 44.4 percent three-point average on the season, Freeman suddenly went cold at the worst possible time.  A-Free knocked down only three three-balls total in all five games (two against WVU, one against Ohio).  

Clearly, something was suddenly bothering him.  

You'll be hard-pressed to find an athlete who will admit that an injury or a disease hampered him/her in any way.  Athletes pride themselves on their toughness and no athlete wants to be accused of using an injury as a crutch or an excuse.

Freeman will likely never admit that his recent diagnosis affected his play.  But diabetes isn't something you can brush off and forget about.  (In the spirit of full disclosure, my dad's brother died of diabetes in his early-20s.)

Freeman now has a full offseason to acclimate himself with living with the disease.  He'll learn how to regulate his energy better, and he'll have an opportunity to push himself and learn his limits without having to worry about if he can recover in time for a basketball game.  

John Thompson III's Development

Amazingly, some Georgetown fans have tried coping with the loss by throwing coach Thompson under a bus.

Forgetting about the Final Four appearance, the three Big East tournament championship berths in four years, and the back-to-back Big East regular season championships (something that his famous father could never accomplish at Georgetown), these Hoya fans are up in arms about JT III's recent tournament record. And it's hard to fault them there.

It's not hard to fault any Hoya fans that are overreacting and calling for III's head. (Being a Philly fan, this reeks of the love-hate relationship that Eagles fans have with Andy Reid/Donovan McNabb.)

Anyone mouthing off about the Princeton offense today clearly didn't watch the game against Ohio—defense lost that game, not offense.

And anyone saying "III can't get his players motivated"...well, golly, if the team can't get motivated for their first NCAA tournament game in two years, III's got much bigger problems on his hands.  He shouldn't have to motivate them.

JT III's lived and died by the "one game at a time" motto. When Jeff Green, Roy Hibbert, and Jon Wallace were all at Georgetown, III's teams appeared to buy in to that mentality, as they'd handily beat bottom-feeders as expected.

If anything, this game should alert Thompson that his message to his players isn't getting through.  And while it's frustrating to hear him refer to the team as a "young" team that's going through "growing pains" in March, III will have most (if not all) of his roster come back next year.

Those "growing pains" resulted in this team outperforming last year's by leaps and bounds.

If those "growing pains" result in a Final Four berth next year, or God forbid, a national championship...wouldn't it all be worth it?

Keep hope alive, Hoya fans.  This year may be over, but the future is still bright for Georgetown.

There's a lot of head-hanging and soul-searching going on in the Big East - not to mention some roughed up brackets - after a brutal start to the first round.

Third-seeded Georgetown was embarrassed by an energetic Ohio team. Marquette and Villanova were punched out in close games. The only team that came out victorious was Villanova. And that was an overtime win. Over a 15-seed. With some very favorable calls. Not something that inspires a lot of confidence.

Even President Obama must have been surprised by the upsets. His bracket was otherwise flawless, except getting hit hard from the three Big East losses. (Georgetown might have lost some major political allies.)

There are four more games in the 1st round for the beast conference to redeem themselves. But that little bit extra amount of pressure is now on them.

So what happened to get the Big East to get them to this point? What made the most favored conference have such a dismal showing in their first four games?

CBS's Mike Freeman doesn't offer any excuses, Hoyas and others messed up:

This isn't meant to be disrespectful to Ohio, but teams like Georgetown aren't supposed to lose to teams like the Bobcats. It's like the Road Runner losing to Wile E. Coyote... Yet here they are, just like a bunch of their Big East counterparts after a jaw-dropping Bloody Thursday.

NBC's Josh Alper finds humor, but offers the same put-up or shut-up attitude for the East:

If things don't get better in a hurry for the beasts of the East, we might be stuck rooting for Kansas State to make a deep run simply because they are from Manhattan. Manhattan, Kansas, of course, but beggars can't be choosers.

A writer at FOX sports thinks they were over-seeded going into the tournament anyway:

I heard it all season. The Big East this, the Big East that. The league got eight teams in the Big Dance and was also vastly over-seeded - with Villanova earning a No. 2 despite losing five of its last seven [and] Notre Dame going from an NIT team to a No. 6 in the span of three weeks...

Blogger Jerry Carino from Jersey thinks their own conference tourney is still in the back of their heads:

What happened here? Notice that the three losing teams all had strong showings in the Big East Tournament. That’s not a coincidence. The BET is a great event for fans and hype, but it’s a drain on the players who advance deep into it. West Virginia beware.

I tend to agree with Freeman and Alper. No matter all the other factors, there is an intensity level required to win in the NCAA tournament. These top seeded teams have no reason to expect their previous record to float them into the elite eight or better. They have to be up for every game as if it is their last. They have to turn that sh*t up to 11. Is that a coaching concern? Possibly. But that doesn't excuse the players on the floor from that disgusting effort, especially when we know how they are capable of playing.

Seniors going home have to live with that regret. Those at Villanova better deflate that ego and start acting like a top-seeded team. And those at Syracuse, West Virginia, Louisville, and Cornell better take this as a warning.

The first day of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament was a basketball fan's dreams come true. There was nearly no seed or lead safe as the first half of the opening round games were played.

With 16 games being played on day one, only a handful were without drama near the end as the madness of March was on full display. This could have been one of the best opening rounds in recent memory full of upsets, overtimes, and broken streaks.

While there are 16 more games left to be played in the first round, let us not forget the great things we saw on day one.

Enjoy the look back at the Thursday’s games while you watch Friday’s games. Here is a breakdown of the opening-round games.

BYU survives against Florida

In one of the first games of the day, the BYU Cougars needed two overtimes to get past the Gators. Florida, who many believed snuck in the tournament instead of Mississippi State, gave BYU all it wanted and then some.

The Gators had a chance to pull off the upset but could not close out the Cougars. Florida’s loss broke a streak of 12 straight tournament wins. The Gators rallied but came up short in overtime.

BYU also snapped a streak of seven straight first round loses. The Cougars were able to move on behind Jimmer Fredette’s 37 points and will face Kansas State in the second round.   

Robert Morris gives Villanova all it wanted for 45 minutes

The rough first day for the Big East almost caught up with the Wildcats. They started slowly and Scottie Reynolds started on the bench and could not find his shot.

Robert Morris had a six-point halftime lead and was trying to hold on in the second half. After losing starters from fouling out, committing 21 turnovers and, missing three-point shots doomed the Colonials.

Villanova still needed to fight its way back into the game in the final minutes of regulation and hold on in overtime to win by three points.

The Wildcats will have to play better in their second round game against St. Mary’s if they want to make a return trip to the Final Four.

Old Dominion stuns Notre Dame

Notre Dame was the first team in the tournament to catch the upset bug and start the down fall of the Big East. After racing to a 15-point lead early in the first half the Fighting Irish could not keep it.

The Monarchs battled their way back into the game after being down by six at halftime. ODU was not scared of a Big East team having beat Georgetown earlier in the season.

Still, the Irish kept the game close and had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds. Notre Dame had chances to tie the game but could not and fell by a single point to become the tournament’s first upset victim.

The Monarchs earned their first win since 1995, when they needed triple overtime to beat Villanova. Old Dominion, the Colonial Athletic Association champion, now moves on to face Baylor in the next round.

Murray State ruins Vanderbilt, SEC’s day 

The SEC could not escape half of its tournament field being eliminated on day one. After Florida’s loss, the SEC was down to just three teams and no wins when the Commodores took the court.

Murray State showed no fear of the big bad SEC and took it to Vandy. The Racers had a four-point lead at the half.

Vanderbilt battled back in the second half and had a lead with less than five seconds to go in the game. The Commodores could not seal the deal after the Racers missed a three-point shot by losing the ball out of bounds with 4.2 seconds left.

The Racers made the first buzzer beater of the tournament by hitting an 15-footer as time expired. It was Murray State’s first tournament win since 1988 over North Carolina State.

Vanderbilt was bounced from the tournament for the second straight year as a four seed. Murray State’s win marked the third straight year that a 13 seed has beaten a four seed.

The SEC would finish the day at 2-2 after Kentucky and Tennessee pulled out wins. Next up for Murray State is Butler.

Ohio bounces Georgetown to stun the Big East for the second time on day one 

The biggest upset of the day was not really that close at all. From nearly the opening tip to the final buzzer, the Ohio Bobcats dominated the Georgetown Hoyas.

Ohio finished the regular season with a losing conference record and was the ninth seed in the conference tournament. They reeled off four wins to capture the MAC title and the conference’s automatic berth into the tournament.

Georgetown was nearly the Big East tournament champion and a solid team all year. The Hoyas even beat No. 1 seed Syracuse in the in conference tournament.

That all changed in the open round of the tournament as the Bobcats sent the Hoyas packing in the first round. Ohio started off fast and raced to a 12-point halftime lead.

Georgetown battled back but could never pull even with the Bobcats. Ohio always found an answer every time the Hoyas made a run.

The 12-point win by the Bobcats was the largest margin of victory for a 14 seed over a three seed. Ohio’s victory was the first for the school since 1983 and made 13 of 23 three-point attempts.

Ohio will play Tennessee in the second round on Saturday.

Marquette beaten by Washington on last-second shot 

After the first day of the tournament maybe the regular season thoughts were wrong. The Big East, considered by most to be the best conference, went 1-3 and could have, maybe should have, went winless.

The Pac-10 was thought of as the weakest of the major conferences in the regular season and it showed with only two tournament bids. Washington helped the Pac-10 make the most of one of those bids by upsetting the Eagles.

Marquette would not go quietly into the night like Georgetown. The Eagles were in this game every step of the way.

Washington took a one-point lead into the half and never could put Marquette away as the game swung back and forth. The Huskies have been on a run since winning the conference tournament and making it to the second round for the second straight year.

Marquette's fate was sealed after Quincy Pondexter made a leaning jumper with 1.7 seconds left in the game. The field goal would prove to be the game winning score as the Huskies won 80-78 as the 11th seed.

Washington’s win marks just the second time since the tournament expanded in 1985 to 64 teams that a Pac-10 team has beaten a Big East opponent. The Huskies were also the second 11 seed to advance on day one.

Washington advances to face New Mexico in the second round.

St. Mary’s wins battle of mid-majors over Richmond

The Gaels had not won a tournament game since 1959 when they beat Idaho State to advance to the final eight in a 23-team tournament. St. Mary’s earned the automatic bid by beating Gonzaga in the conference tournament.

Richmond never was a real threat in this game after being tied in the first half. The Spiders took a one point lead at 40-39 with over 17 minutes to play before the Gaels took over.

St. Mary’s has been on a role since winning the West Coast Conference tournament. The 10th-seed Gaels ended up winning by nine points and now face Villanova in the next round.

Two nine seeds advance 

Texas found a way to choke away a six-point lead in overtime to lose to Wake Forest. The Longhorns battled their way back into the game and had a chance to win it in regulation at the free-throw line.

The Longhorns tied the game on a free throw at 68-68 but missed the second free throw that would have given them the lead late in the game. After regulation, Texas raced out to an early lead in the overtime period.

Wake Forest gave up a lead to Texas in the second half and had to fight back after getting into a hole in overtime. The Demon Deacons hit the game winning shot with 1.3 seconds left on Ishmael Smith’s jumper. Wake Forest plays Kentucky next.

In the other nine/eight match-up of the day, Northern Iowa was able to defeat pesky UNLV. The Rebels hung around all game long but were unable to get the victory.

The Panthers ended a 20-year tournament drought after hitting a three-point shot with 4.9 seconds in the game. Northern Iowa was down by a point at the half and then battled with the Rebels in the second half.

Northern Iowa will face top-ranked Kansas next.

Taking care of business  

Not every game came down to the final seconds or was an upset. Kentucky had little trouble with East Tennessee State.

Butler sailed into the second round after taking care of C-USA regular season champion UTEP.

Sam Houston State provided little resistance against Baylor.

Kansas State started slowly but once they got rolling, wasted little time getting past North Texas.

Kansas ended up in a dog fight with Lehigh but midway through the second half took control and finished strong.

Tennessee battled San Diego State but pulled away late to make it into the second round.

Montana gave New Mexico all it could handle for most of the game until falling behind late and losing.

The first day of the tournament was great and had everything we love about it. One can only hope that day two of the NCAA Men’s Tournament is just as good as day one and the rest of the tournament is too. 

As I sit back and review the first day of the NCAA Tournament, one thing that sticks out to me is that the Big East may be the most overrated conference in the tournament this year. It is only the first day, and they have completely embarrassed themselves getting upset left and right.

It all started off with the Notre Dame vs. Old Dominion game. In the first half it appeared as if Notre Dame was just a little to tense, and would eventually start to take control of the game. Well, I was wrong, and Old Dominion was able to pull of the first major upset of the day beating Notre Dame 51-50.

Big East: 0-1

At the same time that game was going on, a possible epic upset was taking place with another Big East team, Villanova. Many, including I, did not even consider Robert Morris as a contender in this game. But, they dominated throughout the whole game, until the end, where Villanova was able to force the game into overtime. Villanova was able to take control early in overtime, but Robert Morris game them a scare at the end that fell just short. Villanova won 73-70 in OT.

Big East: 1-1

Then, the break in-between games came, and the Big East looked like they were poised to win their next two games. Well, they did not get exactly what they were looking for. What happened next was the most embarrassing part of the day for the Big East.

First, Georgetown started off playing against Ohio. Oh, well this should be a walk in the park. Right? No, actually this was a walk in the park for their contestant, who trampled over the Hoyas from beginning to end. Ohio was leading by 10 or more throughout most of the game, and anytime it looked like Georgetown may be coming back, Ohio held their ground and would not let them back in it. Georgetown loses 97-83.

Big East: 1-2

The next thought that went through my mind was, "Can this get any worse for the Big East today?" I thought that with Marquette playing Washington the, Big East would at least finish the day at 2-2. But, the Big East had decided to add more shock to this already peculiar day.

When I looked at this game my first thoughts were: "Ah, a top-notch Big East team vs. a Washington team who had win the Pac-10 Tournament to get in, which isn't really saying to much." Marquette looked like they were going to finally pull away with a 15-point lead and only 14 minutes left in the second half. But, Washington continued to battle and found themselves tied with the ball for the last shot of the game. Quincy Pondexter drove to the basket and made the lay-up, giving Washington a 2-point lead with 1.7 seconds left. Marquette's Lazar Hayward then missed a half-court heave, and Marquette went down in defeat. Marquette loses 80-78.

Big East: 1-3

So, did we think to highly of the Big East, or did we think to lowly of the rest of the conferences?

One thing is for sure; the play of the Big East teams was the biggest disappointment of the day. We expected them to come in and dominate the NCAA Tournament. But, they have done the complete opposite.

They were expected to win every game today, but failed to win all but one. If the Big East does not pick perform better tomorrow, they may end up having all of their teams fizzle out of the tournament in a hurry.

Bob Huggins doesn’t recruit basketball players.

He recruits tough guys who happen to play basketball. He did the same thing at Cincinnati with hard-nosed players like Danny Fortson and Steve Logan, and he’s doing it for the West Virginia Mountaineers if tonight’s rough and tumble play was any indication.

In the Big East tournament, especially tonight in the Mecca of college basketball arenas, that recruiting strategy served him and his program well. Guys like Wellington Smith, Devin Ebanks, and Kevin Jones bludgeoned a pretty athletic Georgetown team, grabbing 17 man-sized offensive boards to the Hoyas' six.

The Mountaineers also showed terrific mental toughness, hitting on 15 of 16 foul shots, each attempt bigger and more important than the next.

But when talking toughness, I’d be horribly remiss if I didn’t mention Da’Sean Butler, the toughest player, mentally and physically, I’ve seen in quite sometime.

Not only is the Butler asked to bang, board, and defend like some garbage man role-player you’ll find on most teams (you know this player, he’s usually wearing the sports goggles and two knee braces), but since Butler is the one player on WVU’s roster that can get his own shot consistently, he’s asked to do more than just dirty work.

For the Mountaineers, Butler has to stop opponents scoring runs with big shots. He’s asked to manufacture offense when the shot clock is running down.

Most importantly, especially recently, is that Butler is asked to win games in crunch time, which is exactly what he did in this tournament.

Twice.

Two walk-off homers that would make Mickey Mantle blush.

Tonight, Butler’s game winning driving layup with five seconds to go was fitting since the hard-nosed senior absorbed all kinds of contact before tear-dropping the game clincher.

If there’s a tougher player in college basketball than Da’Sean Butler, I’d like to see him. If he’s a better basketball player to boot, I’ll eat my hat.

As for the game specifics, as I mentioned, it wasn’t for the faint of heart. This will usually be the case in games involving these West Virginia Mountaineers, because not only are they recruited and coached to play physical, but their unique personnel group thrives on the defensive end. The reason West Virginia is unique defensively is that they don’t really have defined positions.

They basically start four big forwards and a single guard. Having these similarly-sized players allows the Mountaineers to switch on screens more than most teams, so every player on the floor is used to guarding on the perimeter as well jostling in the low post.

It’s also a reason that teams, like Georgetown, without really good back-to-the-basket threats will struggle against them. These types of teams can’t really punish the mismatches caused by multiple switches to the degree needed to be effective. It’s the main reason Georgetown struggled offensively until Austin Freeman warmed up.

Credit must also be given to the Hoyas for hanging around and making this an instant Big East classic.

Greg Monroe was limited by Wellington Smith, but Freeman and Chris Wright picked up the slack and fueled the late Hoya comeback bid with some hot shooting and clever ball handling.

Speaking of toughness, a tip of the cap to Chris Wright for hitting a big shot after his Fred Brown like brain cramp of intentionally fouling in a tie game with twenty seconds to go. It could have been a Chris Webber moment for the poor kid. It was good to see Wright bounce back with a big shot, even though Butler’s heroics trumped Wright’s running layup to tie the game and make amends.

So what does this game mean for both teams?

For the West Virginia Mountaineers it’s doubtful they earned a one-seed for their performance in the conference tournament, unless the Duke Blue Devils lose to Georgia Tech tomorrow. Either way, I think Duke and West Virginia end up in the same bracket regardless of what seed number you assign the team. It’s really six in one, half a dozen in the other. Strongest two and weakest one.

West Virginia going to Duke’s bracket means Ohio State probably ends up in the Syracuse bracket. Kentucky and Kansas are going to get the top two seeds, which is very important this year. It’s a huge advantage to avoid the the pseudo-ones (as I call them), West Virginia and Ohio State, because there’s a significant fall-off in talent after the Mountaineers and Buckeyes.

So, tomorrow’s selection show should be interesting and exciting, but nothing compared to the magic that went down tonight at Madison Square Garden. I had no rooting interest in the game, and I still had goosebumps when the final horn sounded.

It’s such a treat to watch basketball played to the point where each player has left everything he has out on the hardwood. That statement as it’s applied to West Virginia is certainly true, especially Mountaineer forward Kevin Jones.

Watching the 6′8″ man-mountain weep in Bob Huggins’ arms at midcourt as John Denver’s tribute to West Virginia, “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, played over the MSG’s public address system says it all as far as I’m concerned. That’s what the Madness is all about.

I guess even tough guys cry.

______

This article originally appeared on March To March

Follow Kevin Berger on Twitter: @MarchToMarch

No one thought these two teams would be matched up in the Big East Championship game, but, nonetheless, they have done it. And by they I mean the eighth seeded Georgetown Hoyas and the third seeded West Virginia Mountaineers.

While West Virginia boasts a better conference record and seed, I see them falling later tonight to the feet of John Thompson III, as well as to a player that is as hot as any player in college basketball: Greg Monroe.

He is my reason why the Hoyas emerge victorious tonight.

Monroe has lead Georgetown through South Florida, Syracuse, and Marquette already, so why not add yet another team to the list? Yes, that's correct, West Virginia will be added to Monroe's list.

Dating back to the last conference game against Cincinnati, Georgetown has put together a nice four game winning streak, due in large part to sensational sophomore Greg Monroe. What is even more impressive is the time of year that the Hoyas have put this streak together, as well as how they've done it.

The Hoya guards have been known to shoot a lot, but when you have shooters like Austin Freeman and Chris Wright, you can settle for some three point attempts. But, the recent success has came from feeding Monroe in the post. The bench has also improved its play, but that's a whole different story.

Take a look at Greg Monroe's numbers over the past four games:

Against Cincinnati : 19 points and 15 rebounds

Against USF: 16 points and eight rebounds

Against Syracuse: 15 points and ten rebounds

Against Marquette: 23 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks

And to add to that, he also had 22 points and nine rebounds in a losing effort on the first of March.

So, add all those together and the end result looks promising, doesn't it? And you can argue that that West Virginia will win because they just by a 13 point margin a little over a week ago.

In that game, players were sick, and Greg Monroe had just began his hot streak; and like Monroe, the team hadn't hit their hot stretch.

It's going to be a whole different game tonight.

Which Mountaineer can guard and match up with Greg Monroe?

No one.

Monroe's ability to play inside, as well as outside on the perimeter, will guide JT3's Princeton-style offense. Monroe will make plays for himself, as well opening things up for Freeman and Monroe.

I'll go out on a limb and say that he gets a triple-double tonight, and, with those stats above, that doesn't sound out of reach with a guy like Monroe.

While West Virginia has two great players in Da'Sean Butler and Devin Ebanks, Bob Huggins's team rarely can shoot, resulting in more drives. Usually, it can work for their team like it has so far this tournament, but they haven't had a Greg Monroe and his long arms manning the lane.

The defensive abilities of Monroe will give West Virginia problems. He may not block shots, but like the other great shot blockers in the history of the game, Monroe will alter the shots of his opponents.

Greg Monroe will be the difference maker tonight at MSG. He's so hard to match up with, and I'm a firm believer that West Virginia can't handle him, just like he did in the earlier loss to the Mountaineers.

Georgetown is healthy now, and hotter than ever; expect the end result from the previous matchup to mean nothing in this one.

With his recent performance, this may be the last Big East game we see Greg Monroe play; but, after the game tonight, I think he'll be hoisting up the Big East Championship Trophy and bringing yet another title back to Georgetown University.

Get ready for another outstanding Big East Championship Game.

When West Virginia faces Georgetown tonight in the Big East Tournament finals, the Mountaineers will have a chance to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. West Virginia defeated Georgetown 80-68 two weeks ago.

In that game, Georgetown was without start guard Austin Freeman, who was out with an illness. He would be diagnosed later that week with diabetes, and has since returned to the line-up. He has averaged 15.5 points a game since his return, and the Hoyas are 4-0.

Freeman is the Hoyas' leading point scorer on the season, and shoots 45 percent from three. He is arguably the biggest reason the Hoyas have earned a trip to the Big East finals, scoring 18 points in their win versus No. 3 Syracuse.

In the first game, center Greg Monroe and guard Chris Wight carried the Hoya team. They combined for 43 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists. They have carried that performance into the Big East tournament, and the return of Freeman has helped the Hoyas win their last four games by nearly 20 points a game.

All three are expected to have big games versus the Mountaineers.

West Virginia comes into this game struggling to score points, averaging just 53.5 points in their two Big East Tournament games. Though they scored just 53 versus the slow paced Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the semifinals, they did shoot 48.8 percent from the field, but just 16 percent from three.

The Mountaineers have earned a trip to the Big East Championship game on the back of senior forward Da’Sean Butler. He comes in averaging 19.5 points in his two games, and shooting 57.6 percent. Only Butler and Kevin Jones have scored in double figures in both games for West Virginia.

The key for the Mountaineers to win will be to shoot better from three. Other than Butler, only reserve guard Jonnie West has made a three-point shot for the Mountaineers. Butler has gone 6-13 from three, while the rest of the team has gone a combined 1-26. West Virginia shot 34 percent from three during the regular season.

This will be only the second time West Virginia has made the Big East Tournament Championship Game, and a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament will be on the line. Georgetown will be seeking its eighth Big East Tournament Championship, and its first since 2007. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 pm. ET.