Earlier yesterday afternoon, former Lincoln High star and Cincinnati freshman Lance Stephenson edged out Rutgers’ Dane Miller for the Big East’s Rookie of the Year award.
Then, in the final game of yesterday’s first round of the Big East Tournament, Stephenson managed to drive by Miller, get fouled and make one of two foul shots to give Cincinnati a 69-68 win.
“It was a goal, but I didn’t try to put pressure on myself,” Stephenson said of winning the award. “I just try to win the game, try to get my teammates involved, try to be positive.
“I’m not surprised (that I won) … I think I worked hard. I get in the gym a lot, and I think I deserve it. I think anybody who works hard and tries to show everybody that they’re one of the best players, they deserve this award.”
Stephenson used all of his 6-foot-5 frame to get past Miller and get to the rim, where he was fouled by Rutgers senior center Hamady N’Daiye. He made the first free throw, and intentionally missed the second, which all but ran out the final
“Lance Stephenson is a great player,” Rutgers coach Fred Hill said. “He has a lot of talent. I really thought that he probably had his best four games when we watched him on film, the last four at the end of the season. Like most freshmen, there was a little bit of up and down throughout the course of the year.”
What I thought Dane did for us, I thought he was extremely consistent throughout the whole Big East season, and in fact maybe even kept getting better and better and better as the whole year went on,” Hill said.
“So, you know, they did a great job, and give them credit. (Stephenson) got to the free throw line, got a foul, and he made a big free throw.”
When he was asked what it would take to make the tournament before the game started, Stephenson didn’t hesitate, saying he thought the Bearcats needed three wins – in other words, to reach the tournament’s semifinals – to have a chance.
“Of course,” he said when asked if his team was capable of doing that. “Anything’s possible.”