The March To The Madness: Your Daily Gus Alert Goes To George Mason

((HT: NCAA/TNT/youtube))

It was one of those 8-9 games... granted...
Point taken into evidence, but when Gus gets a game that goes down to the wire...

It's vintage Gus...


Viva Larranaga...

Incredible Finish.... Four Point Play Lifts Rutgers Over Villanova

Rutgers senior forward Jonathan Mitchell is a hero in Piscataway, New Jersey. His four-piont play at the end of the game was one of the most memorable finishes in college basketball the last few years. Mitchell's heroics doomed Villanova as the Scarlet Knights won 77-76.

Check you the last few minutes of the game. (Thanks Big East Network/Youtube.com)



“We’ve been here before." Mitchell said after the game. "I always want to take the last shot. I want the game on my shoulders. JB (James Beatty) did a great job of separating off the screen, kicked it out to me and I just let it fly. I got the whistle and the shot went in.”

“He said before the huddle, ‘we’ve been here before.’" Rutgers head coach Mike Rice said in a press conference after the game. "I think it was when we stole the ball twice and scored six points in 20 seconds. He said, ‘we’ve been here. We’ve been in one or two possession games.’ It was a simple pick and pop. He did it in Notre Dame. He has been hitting with people on him.”

“We wanted to switch and deny everything." Villanova head coach Jay Wright said. "We switched and Cory Fisher(#10) was going out to deny. They caught him right in the middle, he was going to deny and they threw the pass right at that split second. He was there denying and just went through his hand and committed the foul. It was perfect execution and perfect timing on their part. This is not Cory’s faults, he was putting his hand out to deny just as the ball gets there and Jonathan Mitchell(#24) goes up through and stuff like that happens.”

Broseph's Bits And The Weekend Gospel

Another full weekend of college basketball is almost upon us. Time to alert the reader of the games to pay attention to and the potential upset specials.

Saturday:
#23 Louisville @ #5 UConn, Noon -- This one's intriguing because Louisville's got the pieces to make it interesting. Rakeem Buckles will be out for at least three more weeks making the Cardinals a more perimeter oriented team.

#21 Georgetown @ #8 Villanova, Noon -- The Hoyas are such a sketchy team. They are talented with Austin Freeman and Chris Wright but they have struggled from time to time. Last year, Georgetown beat then #2 Villanova 103-90 in DC.

Xavier @ Richmond, Noon -- Atlantic 10 supremacy is at stake in this one. I think the Spiders flex their muscles and defeat the Muskies. Justin Harper and Kevin Anderson are two players you are going to want to know about in March.

#16 Minnesota @ #12 Purdue, 1pm -- I had to include this game even though Big 10 basketball bores me for the most part. Purdue is probably going to win because they are real tough at home.

#9 Syracuse @ Marquette, 3pm -- Can the Orange stop their slide against a Marquette team that plays pretty much all close games against the better competition. They have lost by eight to UConn, five to Notre Dame, one to Louisville, one to Vanderbilt and eight at Pittsburgh.

Villanova Pondering Move To Big East Football...???

Villanova University says the Big East Conference has informed them they it wants to add its football program to the conference.

The Wildcats compete in the Big East in all other varsity sports except football, but they won the FCS ((Division I-AA for those of you confused by letters like the rest of us...)) national championship last year and would, then, move up to Division I.

Villanova President Peter Donohue wrote a letter to Villanova alumni saying the university will "evaluate the opportunity."

"This is a complicated issue with numerous, multi-dimensional factors that come into play, and it is important that we investigate scenarios related to making — or not making — such a move..."

Donohue did not say when they would finally make up their mind, but it won't be until the board of trustees "conducts a careful and complete analysis" of all the factors. Among the decisions would include upgrading their football stadium or finding somewhere else to play. Goodreau Stadium currently seats 12,500. You would need to, at the very least, double that capacity.

The HQ doesn't think that'll happen on campus...

Probably, the last issue would be fixed by going to either what's left of Franklin Field or playing at Lincoln Financial Field... but the Linc is booked with Temple...

So, who knows... Nova would also have to make sure their schedules were cleared enough to plug in all the Big East teams far enough in advance... that may take three or four seasons...

Here's what the Big East thinks they may get...
((HT: ESPN/NCAA/Youtube))

Temple-Villanova Highlights, On and Off The Field- Field Goals And Fights

You know it's football season when there are wacky finishes on the field and fights in the stands... especially in Philadelphia...

Since the stuff in the stands happened first, technically, here you go...
"Fire hydrant head butts Villanova fan..."
We've been told to listen for the "old guy..."
((HT: mlandisjr))


And it wasn't even in the upper deck...

For the record, here's your "Alcoa Fantastic Finish..."
Thanks to our friends at the Colonial Athletic Association...


Enjoy your Saturday...

Division I-AA Poll ((Week of September 21st))

1) Richmond (132)
2) Villanova (6)
3) Northern Iowa (5)
4) Montana
5) William and Mary (2)
6) James Madison
7) New Hampshire
8) McNeese State
9) Southern Illinois
10) Appalachian State
11) Weber State
12) Central Arkansas
13) Elon
14) SC State
15) UMass
16) Cal Poly
17) South Dakota State
18) Wofford
19) Eastern Washington
20) Eastern Kentucky
21) Holy Cross
22) Jacksonville State
23) Texas State
24) Eastern Illinois
25) Liberty

Division I-AA Poll ((Week of September 14th))

1) Richmond (122)
2) Villanova (13)
3) Northern Iowa (6)
4) Montana
5) William and Mary (2)
6) New Hampshire (1)
7) James Madison
8) McNeese State (1)
9) Southern Illinois
10) Appalachian State
11) Elon
12) Cal Poly
13) Weber State
14) Wofford
15) SC State (1)
16) Central Arkansas
17) UMass
18) S Dakota State
19) Texas State
20) Maine
21) Eastern Washington
22) Eastern Kentucky
23) Holy Cross
24) Jacksonville State
25) Harvard

Division I-AA Poll ((Week of September 7th))

1) Richmond (103)
2) Appalachian State (10)
3) Villanova (3)
4) Northern Iowa (3)
5) Montana
6) James Madison
7) William and Mary (3)
8) Southern Illinois
9) New Hampshire
10) Elon
11) Weber State
12) Cal Poly
13) Central Arkansas
14) Wofford
15) SC State (1)
16) McNeese State
17) UMass
18) Eastern Washington
19) Texas State
20) Maine
21) South Dakota State
22) Eastern Kentucky
23) Jacksonville State
24) Harvard
25) Holy Cross