Despite Notre Dame's success this season, Mike Brey isn't ready to throw his name in for Big East Coach of the Year. Instead, he's considering three other coaches for the honor. 

Quentin Hillsman believes it can be done. He has seen it before, and he believes Syracuse has every right to be the next team to pull off the feat. 

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — After Kadeem Jack grabbed his own offensive rebound and muscled it up and in over Fab Melo, Jim Boeheim had seen enough. With a quick flick of his finger, the Syracuse head coach signaled for an unorthodox, yet necessary, substitution. 

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Scoop Jardine sized up Jerome Seagears at the top of the key. For much of the

game, Jardine penetrated against the Rutgers' guards, passing or attempting to create his own shot

in the paint.

Iasia Hemingway entered last week on top of the world.

The Syracuse forward was the driving force behind a two-game winning streak, and after scoring a combined 48 points those contests, she was named the Big East Player of the Week.

An emotional Phylesha Bullard sat inside the Carrier Dome Jan. 28, struggling to let go of Syracuse's loss to Cincinnati that day. The SU guard couldn't shake the turnover she committed that set the table for the Bearcats' shocking last-second victory.

Dion Waiters calls C.J. Fair the silent assassin.

Fair certainly played his part Saturday. Syracuse's 10-of-16 3-point-shooting performance continuously knocked Connecticut back, but the sophomore forward was everywhere the Orange needed him to be, knocking down jumpers and cleaning up the boards. 

Syracuse 85, Connecticut 67

For an instant, the fourth-largest basketball crowd in Carrier Dome history went silent. Ryan Boatright zipped a bullet pass inside to Tyler Olander, and the Connecticut forward drew the fourth foul on Syracuse center Fab Melo.

March 11, 2011

Jim Calhoun had no problem declaring Kemba Walker the best player in America. With Syracuse on the verge of breaking through in overtime, Walker took over and asserted himself as one of the most dominant players in the country.

Henry Sims appeared to be in perfect position under the basket. With Syracuse center Fab Melo sealed on his back, the Georgetown center caught a bounce pass and turned to finish at the rim.

Rachel Coffey took charge. Coming out of a timeout, Syracuse was in disarray as its opponent caught the Orange off guard with a change in defense. But the sophomore point guard stayed calm and directed her teammates to their positions on the floor.

After a game like this, Jim Boeheim wasn't going to cherish his accomplishments.

"I'm upset over this game right now," the SU head coach said, "and we'll address all that stuff when I retire. I'm happy to get this win, and I just don't think about those goals."

Scoop Jardine scored three points, went 1-of-7 from the field and turned the ball over four times against Georgetown on Wednesday. Most of the shots that he missed, he missed badly.

Syracuse 64, Georgetown 61

There was no doubt. Kris Joseph rose up in rhythm, launching a pure shot to close the scoring on another chapter of Syracuse versus Georgetown.

C.J. Fair flashed into the middle of the St. John's defense. He caught a pass from Kris Joseph at the free-throw line, faked left, took one dribble to his right and buried a 15-foot jumper. 

Syracuse's shooting struggles have been present throughout the year, so when the Orange finished just 29.5 percent from the field against No. 2 Notre Dame, it wasn't too much of a diversion from the norm. 

Vonn Read spent the night at his Albany apartment relaxing last March. Some of his belongings were packed up in boxes, others in storage, as he started to figure out which coaching openings to apply for.

Each time South Florida took the ball up the floor in the first half, Syracuse's bench players were constantly hollering to their teammates to blanket Bulls' sharpshooters Jasmine Wynne and Inga Orekhova.

The ripple effect took hold of Syracuse and never let go. From one shooter to another, Syracuse found its stroke for the second consecutive game, elevating its confidence and building a lead that ballooned to as much as 33.

NEW YORK — It came out of nowhere.

Michael Carter-Williams, the quiet freshman that takes the backseat to three other guards on the Syracuse roster, triggered an explosion in Madison Square Garden courtesy of a jaw-dropping dunk.  

NEW YORK — Scoop Jardine stood at midcourt waiting for his cousin. Feet planted with his hands on his hips, a smug grin stretched playfully across his face as the game headed to a media timeout with less than 15 minutes left.

Syracuse 95, St. John's 70

NEW YORK — After Syracuse started the game 1-for-6 from the field and fell behind in the first five minutes, it needed something to get going. The young St. John's squad had the momentum and growing upset aspirations as the Orange's open looks weren't dropping.

Enter Fab Melo.

With Fab Melo and Rakeem Christmas relegated to the Syracuse bench, the reality hit C.J. Fair.

If Baye Keita, SU's lone remaining big man with experience at the center position, picked up one more foul over the final 4:58 against West Virginia, he too would be forced to the sideline with five fouls.

It sounded like a good plan. One that would elevate Syracuse from an NCAA tournament outsider to tournament participant. Increase intensity on defense, force turnovers and then convert to points on offense.

Never in his wildest dreams did Steve Prohm expect to be in his current situation.


The first-year head coach at Murray State has led the Racers to a 21-0 mark and the title of the only remaining undefeated team in NCAA Division-I basketball this season.