Off The Boards By Jack Scheuer – February 3, 2016 Edition

Here’s an early start on selecting this year’s All Big 5 team, so let the arguments begin.  In my view, the top four players are rather easy to pick, so there really shouldn’t be too much disagreement.  DeAndre’ Bembry and Isaiah Miles both have had outstanding seasons, with Miles also a strong candidate for picking up the Most Improved award.  Josh Hart and Ryan Arcidiacono are cinches  to be selected, but then  it gets a little tougher for the fifth spot. I’ll take the easy way out and make it a six- man team by adding Quenton DeCosey and Jordan Price as the final two members.

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It’s been a very tough year for Dylan Ennis, who played his last two seasons at Villanova before transferring to Oregon.  He suffered a serious foot injury and missed the first 12 games of this year for the Ducks.  Then, after playing in only two games, suffered a re-injury and is out for the year.  The 6-2 guard, who also played one season at Rice, will apply to the NCAA in the hopes of getting one more year of eligibility.

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Trivia Time: Who holds the La Salle record for most points in a game? Answer at the end of the column.

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Saint Joe’s has benefited by inserting Papa Ndao (Now) into the starting lineup.  It was a case of Phil Martelli deciding  to play Papa Ndao and Checco Oliva later.

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This and That: Including last night’s game with TCU, Oklahoma’s Player of the Year candidate Buddy Hield had made 95 of 106 free throws (89.7%)….Trey Lowe, Temple’s good-looking freshman guard is the Big 5’s most slender player.  At 6-6, 165, he’s built like 6 O’clock….  NBA All Star Kyle Lowry has 109 steals this season, second to Russell Westbrook (118).  Lowry also has picked up nine technical fouls…. Don’t remember a season that has had so many players stepping out of bounds while taking (and sometimes) making shots from the corners…. Anybody know why just about every coach except Rick Pitino wears a dark suit during game days?  Even Happy Bob Huggins wears a dark turtle- neck…. Big revenge game for Villanova at Providence on Saturday.

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Answer to Trivia Time: On Feb. 4, 1995, Kareem Townes poured in 52 points against Loyola of Illinois.