Each member school will have one men’s and one women’s basketball legend to be recognized at the conference tournaments in March.
NEW YORK – The BIG EAST Conference on Tuesday announced the creation of the BIG EAST Basketball Legends Recognition Program. Each of the Conference’s 11 member schools were tasked with selecting a former prominent coach or player from both their men’s and women’s programs to be honored at the upcoming BIG EAST Tournaments. The program will be conducted annually.
“We are excited to launch this annual celebration of former players and coaches who have had profound impacts on the history and success of our 22 basketball programs,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. “This first group of BIG EAST Legends includes trailblazers as well as more recent stars, all of whom have contributed significantly to their schools and many of whom are part of BIG EAST basketball lore. We look forward to giving them another big round of applause during our upcoming tournament festivities.”
The first class of BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Legends includes Xavier’s J.P. Macura (2014-18), Butler’s Shelvin Mack (2008-11), UConn’s Chris Smith (1988-92), Creighton’s Randy Eccker (1974-78), DePaul’s Wilson Chandler (2005-07), Georgetown’s Reggie Williams (1983-87), Marquette’s Jerel McNeal (2005-09), Providence’s Ernie DiGregorio (1969-73), St. John’s Marcus Hatten (2001-03), Seton Hall’s Terry Dehere (1989-93) and Villanova’s Randy Foye (2002-06).
Macura, who was inducted into the Xavier University Athletic Hall of Fame in February, finished his career with 1,491 career points, which ranks 20th on XU’s all-time scoring list. He also ranks high in Xavier history in career free-throw percentage (ninth at .798) and career steals (11th at 166 ). His impact went way beyond stats, though, for one of the most popular and winningest players in Xavier history.
Xavier made the NCAA Tournament in each of Macura’s four seasons, including the 2017 Elite Eight, the 2015 Sweet 16 and the Second Round in 2016 and 2018, giving him a school-record tying seven NCAA Tournament wins on his resume.
As a senior Macura finished second on the team in scoring to All-American Trevon Bluiett at 12.9 ppg. (23rd in the BIG EAST), helping lead Xavier to a 29-6 record, finishing one win shy of tying the school record for wins. Xavier won its first BIG EAST Conference Regular Season Championship with a 15-3 record and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. XU finished with a school-record No. 3 ranking in the final Associated Press Poll. Macura scored a team-high 23.0 ppg. for XU’s two NCAA Tournament games, including a career-high 29 points in the NCAA win over Texas Southern. He scored a team-high 27 points in the win at No. 19 Seton Hall.
Macurawas named to the five-member 2017 All-West Regional Team after averaging 13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game in the NCAA Tournament, including wins over Maryland, Florida State and Arizona. He finished second on the team and 16th in the BIG EAST in scoring for the season at 14.4 ppg. He scored in double figures in the last five games, including all four NCAA Tournament games. Macura also earned a spot on the Tire Pros Invitational All-Tournament Team. As a sophomore Macura was voted as the 2015-16 BIG EAST Sixth Man Award winner by the BIG EAST coaches.
Women’s basketball Legends, including Xavier’s Ta’Shia Phillips (2007-11), will be recognized during the BIG EAST Tournament Quarterfinals on March 9 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Men’s basketball Legends will be honored during each team’s first game of the BIG EAST Tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York City, with the First Round on March 13 and Quarterfinals on March 14.
The premier class of BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Legends includes Butler’s Julie VonDielingen Shelton (1989-93), UConn’s Laura Lishness (1987-91), Creighton’s Marissa Janning Murphy (2012-17), DePaul’s Khara Smith (2002-06), Georgetown’s Kris Witfill (1989-93), Marquette’s Allazia Blockton (2015-19), Providence’s Kathy Finn Hill (1980-84), St. John’s Debbie Beckford (1979-83), Seton Hall’s Jodi Brooks (1990-94) and Villanova’s Harry Perretta (1978-2020). Included in the list of honorees are seven former conference players of the year, a four-time BIG EAST Coach of the Year, six All-Americans, an all-time program scoring leader and two all-time school rebounding leaders.
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