Golden Eagles

Taylor Watson was racing through her words Friday night. As with her style of play, the Seneca guard was trying in vain to keep her energy in check. She explained how much the Golden Eagles' 62-54 win over Ocean City in the South Jersey Group 3 semifinals had meant to her team, how every time the Golden Eagles were down this year, they would use the prospect of this matchup as motivation. Her teammates agreed: Ever since they were ousted by the Raiders in last year's postseason, a rematch has been on the their minds.

NEWARK, N.J. - During its nightmarish first half in the NCAA East Regional semifinals, Marquette had to be wondering how it could have traveled to North Jersey from Milwaukee without its shooting eye. North Carolina had no such problems finding the basket. The second-seeded Tar Heels scored 19 consecutive points during a period of more than 81/2 minutes in the first half while the No. 11 Golden Eagles struggled, and rolled to an 81-63 victory at the Prudential Center. After winning its 10th consecutive game in a regional semifinal, North Carolina (29-7)

When fans talk to Steve Novak, they always bring up one topic. They love to talk about the Golden Eagles' 94-79 upset over then-No. 2 Connecticut on Jan. 3, when Novak scored 41 points. As much as the memory is a fond one, Novak is trying to put it out of his mind. "If you dwell on it too long, it can come and hurt you," he said. Marquette (16-6, 6-3 Big East) and Novak say they are ready to move on to a new upset - trying to beat No. 4 Villanova (16-2, 7-1) this afternoon at the Pavilion.

Sinewy guard Dan Earl twisted down the lane for a layup, then followed it with a free throw with 41 seconds remaining in last night's National Invitation Tournament semifinal at Madison Square Garden, and it seemed that another inexplicable Penn State win was imminent. Apparently, though, the Nittany Lions had used up their allotment of miracle comebacks for one tourney. Despite a season-high 26 points by Earl and a 16-point first-half lead, Penn State couldn't keep up with Marquette's quicker hands, and the Golden Eagles won, 87-79, before a sparse crowd of 8,023.

No, coach Jay Wright insists, he has not magically transformed Villanova overnight from a controlled offense to a style that mostly resembles the run-and-gun days of Paul Westhead and Loyola Marymount. But the 13th-ranked Wildcats are in the middle of a scoring blizzard that is unprecedented for them in the Big East Conference. Last night, they ran from the opening tip and never slowed down, putting five players in double figures and defeating No. 10 Marquette, 102-84, at the Pavilion.

Sean Cassel can't bring himself to say that word. Even though his Seneca baseball team returned just one starter and a pitching staff that had logged all of four varsity innings entering the season, Cassel won't concede that this is a rebuilding year. Maybe this attitude explains how in a very short time, Seneca has launched itself into elite South Jersey baseball circles. The first varsity team competed in 2005. By 2007, the Golden Eagles had won the state Group 3 championship.

"Must-win" is a don't-say term around Villanova. The Wildcats (18-8 overall, 6-6 conference) refuse to talk about tonight's Big East game at No. 12 Marquette (21-7, 8-5) as a necessary victory, but it could determine their future. "I wouldn't say it's a must-win, but at the same time we want to win," senior Curtis Sumpter said. "We're not saying we've got to win this game to make it to the tournament. We want to win this game for us. The guys understand what we have to do. " Villanova missed an opportunity to stake a claim in the NCAA tournament on Saturday when it lost, 58-55, to No. 14 Georgetown.

Shortly into a phone conversation, Greg Bauer already was speaking of the confidence he has in first-year Seneca's wrestling team. "I believe in my guys," said Bauer, the Golden Eagles coach. "I always believe in my guys. " If Seneca continues to post victories, it will make believers among area wrestling fans. That's because the Golden Eagles have been one of this season's early surprises. After finishing third in the Haddonfield Invitational on Dec. 18, Seneca (2-0)

CLEVELAND - Oh, is there ever a Buzz in the NCAA Tournament. Brent Williams is better known as Buzz - Coach Buzz if you play for Marquette - and his postgame celebrations have become the stuff of legend. Last night, he might have had his wildest yet. His bald head glistening with sweat, he leaped in the air, pounded his fists on tables, shared tears and hugs with his family. He saluted the fans, slapped hands with band members and anyone he could touch wearing the Golden Eagles' gold and blue.

Sean Cassel can't bring himself to say that word. Even though his Seneca baseball team returned just one starter and a pitching staff that had logged all of four varsity innings entering the season, Cassel won't concede that this is a rebuilding year. Maybe this attitude explains how in a very short time, Seneca has launched itself into elite South Jersey baseball circles. The first varsity team competed in 2005. By 2007, the Golden Eagles had won the state Group 3 championship.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Marquette has perfected the art of the comeback. Down late yet again, Jae Crowder scored six points during a decisive 14-2 run, and the third-seeded Golden Eagles pulled away from Murray State for a 62-53 victory Saturday that sends the Golden Eagles into next weekend's West Regional semifinals. Crowder finished with 17 points, 12 in the second half, and also had 13 rebounds. Darius Johnson-Odom also had 17 for Marquette (27-7). "When you're playing a team like Murray State, they're going to keep throwing punches and throwing punches, and you have to find a way to slow them down," Johnson-Odom said.

The labels are fitting and accurate: Most successful player in the eight-year history of Seneca girls' basketball. Leader of the best team the program has had. To some, those are badges, worn and flaunted. To Brittany Snow, they're just words. The senior, this year's Inquirer South Jersey Player of the Year in girls' basketball, doesn't dwell on celebrations or pomp or praise. She remembers battling players under the basket and eking out close wins. She remembers her sister Erica's buzzer-beater, from just inside half-court, to beat Lenape.

Michaela Mabrey is a fitting figurehead for her Manasquan girls' basketball team. At 5-foot-9, she's not very tall. She's not especially quick, or even overly intense or physical. But it took all of 20 seconds for Mabrey to show why she's a McDonald's All-American, why she's one of the most highly regarded high school basketball players in the country, and why she was simply too much for the Seneca girls' basketball team to handle in the Golden Eagles' 85-60 loss in Thursday night's state Group 3 semifinals at Williamstown.

Johanna Metzger said she hadn't slept in five days. The anticipation, Metzger said, was four years in the making for her and the four other seniors on the Seneca girls' basketball team. You could almost see the fire in their eyes - particularly Metzger - in the first half. Every rebound was a statement, every steal was emphatic, and every loose ball was jumped on as if it was a bomb that needed diffusing. Pent-up emotion, aggression, and energy overflowed for two quarters.

CINCINNATI COACH Mick Cronin took the courtside microphone and thanked the crowd for its raucous support on Senior Night and all season long. "We'll see you in New York," Cronin said, referring to the Big East Tournament. "Then in the NCAA Tournament. " With a double-digit win last night, the Bearcats are a little closer to the field of 68. JaQuon Parker scored a career-high 28 points, leading Cincinnati to a 72-61 victory over No. 8 Marquette that embellished the Bearcats' NCAA Tournament chances.

With Villanova having enough problems making shots or stopping the opposition from scoring, the Wildcats play with a thin margin for error. A poorly timed mistake can cost them momentum, and maybe a game. The mistake that happened Saturday - a technical foul called on Maalik Wayns - touched off an 8-0 run that gave No. 17 Marquette the lead for good, and the Golden Eagles overcame an 18-point first-half deficit to defeat the Wildcats, 82-78, before a crowd of 15,878 at the Wells Fargo Center.

Deja Bullock's 17th rebound of the day enabled host Triton to run out the clock on its first win of the season, 40-37, over Pennsauken on Tuesday in Olympic Conference girls' basketball. Bullock, a junior forward, also totaled 15 points and six assists for the Mustangs (1-12). In other Olympic action: Shawnee gained a share of the Patriot Division lead in dominant fashion, using a 25-7 second-quarter surge to pull away to a 64-37 win at first-place Timber Creek. Erin Molina scored 14 to lead the Golden Eagles, with Olivia Askin and Taylor Ryan chipping in 11 points apiece.