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The seven Catholic Big East schools will form their own league beginning next fall and will retain the Big East name, according to an ESPN Report Thursday.

Big East presidents and athletic directors will meet in Atlanta Friday to discuss the terms of the imminent split, multiple outlets reported. Mark Blaudschun of AJerseyGuy.com reported that the Big East will “sell” its name to the Catholic Seven. The cost of the league name is unknown.

Georgetown and Providence are both leaving the Big East. The league name could be going with them. (AP)

Initially scheduled to leave in 2015, the Catholic Seven would agree to take “considerably less money” from a Big East reserve pool earned from exit fees and NCAA basketball tournament shares, Blaudschun said. In total, it’s a reported excess of $60 million. A nice chunk of that could go to UConn, one of the few remaining members of the conference formerly known as the Big East.

Several Big East coaches have supported the Catholic Seven retaining the Big East name.

“It almost seems fitting they should have the name,” Notre Dame coach Mike Brey told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “It’s how they’ve carried the flag, those Catholic schools. It’s going to be a heck of a league. It’s a league we investigated a little bit…We ended up in the ACC and we’re excited about that challenge, whenever it happens and it looks like it might be a little longer. I think it would be fitting for them to have name with the history of those Catholic schools in the league.”

Louisville’s Rick Pitino shared similar thoughts.

“I think without question, the Catholic Seven deserves the Big East name,” Pitino said, according to CBSSports.com. “They should have, in my estimation, broken away from the football schools three years ago. I think they waited way too long. They should have been fed up a long time ago…You have some of the great, great traditions in college basketball. They should have gotten together, made their strong basketball league, sell their own deal and they should be the Big East. They should be playing in Madison Square Garden.”

According to ESPN, the Catholic Seven will add Butler and Xavier for the 2013-14 season. Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com reported that the new Big East may stop at nine teams (the Catholic Seven, Xavier and Butler).

“Nine teams would be ideal in the sense that each team would be able to play every team twice in the league,” a source told Goodman.

The impending exit of the seven Catholic schools could change Notre Dame’s plans. The Irish were set to join the ACC in 2014, but ESPN reported that it could join this summer. If unable to do so in 2013-14, Notre Dame would consider spending one season in the Catholic Seven league before moving to the ACC in 2014, a source told ESPN.

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Here’s what went wrong for UConn in the final minutes of Wednesday’s 79-78 double overtime thriller against Georgetown.

FIRST OVERTIME

0:05—After DeAndre Daniels blocks Otto Porter’s turnaround, Ryan Boatright catches the ball with 5.5 seconds remaining. At 2.7, he’s at halfcourt with wide-open Daniels sprinting down the middle of the floor. With 2.2, Daniels is at the 3-point arc. He gets to the block at the 1.3 mark, which means he probably could have had a layup. Boatright opts to keep the ball, and misses a running 3-pointer.

Ryan Boatright in the first overtime

SECOND OVERTIME

1:51 — Playing man-to-man defense, DeAndre Daniels gives Otto Porter some space. Porter, standing about 23 feet from the basket, buries a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 78-74.

Otto Porter's 3-pointer

1:17— On an isolation, Shabazz Napier jab-steps 6-foot-6 forward Aaron Bowen and launches a contested 3-pointer with eight seconds on the shot clock. The ball hits the backboard. UConn retains possession, and Omar Calhoun’s layup is blocked by Jabril Trawick. Shot clock violation.

Shabazz Napier clearout

0:51 — Napier sinks into the lane while guarding D’Vauntes Smith Rivera, a 33 percent 3-point shooter. Porter receives a screen to pop up to the 3-point line. Daniels fights through, and Napier provides help, leaving Smith-Rivera open on the right wing. The freshman buries a clutch 3-pointer. 78-77, UConn.

D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera open on the wing

0:21 — With the shot clocking winding down, UConn again clears out for Napier. He takes Smith-Rivera right, but is stripped with 16 seconds remaining. Smith-Rivera quickly gets the ball to Porter at halfcourt. He catches it on the run, and Daniels is never able to recover into good defensive position. Omar Calhoun, who could have slid into the lane for help, remains outside the paint as Porter glides in for the game-winning layup.

Otto Porter's game-winning layup

0:4.4 — Unlike the first overtime, Boatright didn’t have many open teammates. His only opportunity to pass was with 4.4 seconds left. He could have reversed the ball to  Calhoun, who was open at the top of the key. From there, Calhoun had enough time to either shoot or draw a defender and find Niels Giffey under the basket. Instead, Boatright changes direction. Now, he’s committed to a shot attempt.

Ryan Boatright in the final seconds

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A lethargic first half turned into the wildest game of UConn’s truly insane season.

Otto Porter Jr. and Aaron Bowen (AP)

The Huskies stormed back from a 12-point deficit with 4:36 remaining in regulation. Then Georgetown, trailing 78-71 with 2:03 left in the second overtime, scored eight unanswered points — the final two on an Otto Porter layup with 9.5 seconds remaining — to leave Gampel with a shocking 79-78 win.

“This was a very, very, very, very emotional game,” said UConn guard Ryan Boatright.

Yes, the Huskies (19-8, 9-6 Big East) were very, very, very, very close to securing another huge victory. Notes, quotes and links from Wednesday:

*My column — DeAndre Daniels outplayed Otto Porter Wednesday. But Porter, responsible for the final eight Georgetown points (he scored two baskets and assisted on the other) got the best of it in the end.

*Chris Elsberry column — No one ever thought Ollie, UConn could pull off this season

*Playing with an eight-point lead, UConn’s offense wasn’t crisp down the stretch. A Napier turnover led to Porter’s game-winning layup, and Boatright launched a desperate heave after dribbling to the corner with his head down.

In regards to that final attempt, Ollie said, “We weren’t looking for that shot…You try to push it and get to the rim, see if we can get an offensive rebound, see if we can get a kick-out. They played good defense. They bottled (Boatright) up in the corner and he just had to make a play.”

Boatright explained it like this: “When I made my initial move, (the defender) kind of knocked me off line and I lost the ball. I had to move myself and try to get to an open spot. I thought I had an open shot, but I ran into Smith-Rivera. Once I hit him, I knew I only had two seconds so I went right up with it.”

*Shabazz Napier was in a walking boot for postgame interviews. He “tweaked” his right foot on the first possession of the second half when he landed on the shoe of Georgetown forward Mikael Hopkins. Napier scored 16 points, but needed 16 shot attempts (and 11 3-pointers) to get there. Still, he delivered some big shots in overtime, including a 3-pointer that put UConn ahead 75-71.

*John Thompson III’s take: “I know it’s easier for me to say than Kevin (Ollie) right now, but it was a terrific basketball game.”

*Ollie’s advice for the media: “You can say we’re small, we don’t rebound. You can write whatever you want, but at the end of your articles I hope you write that we’ve got heart.”

Another great Ollie-ism: “Adversity is the intersection between character and opportunity.”

*Highlights below. Enjoy.

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Otto Porter Jr. went coast-to-coast for a layup with eight seconds to complete a miraculous comeback in the second overtime and propel Georgetown to a 79-78 victory Wednesday at Gampel Pavilion.

Shabazz Napier, heroic in overtime all year, drilled a clutch 3-pointer in the second extra period to give UConn a 75-71 lead.

D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to cut UConn’s lead—which was six at one point—to 78-77. From there, Napier turned the ball over and Porter coasted past the Huskies defense for the lay-in.

STAR OF THE GAME: DeAndre Daniels outplayed the likely Big East Player of the Year, Georgetown forward Otto Porter Jr. UConn’s 6-foot-8 sophomore defended Porter down the stretch, blocked his shot three times, poured in 25 points and corralled 10 rebounds.

KEY TO THE WIN: Georgetown hit eight 3-pointers in the first 11 minutes of the second half and finished with 11 for the game. The Huskies were 11-for-29 from deep, none bigger than an Omar Calhoun longball from the left wing that forced overtime with 2.2 seconds remaining. Boatright’s final attempt, a desperation 3-pointer from the corner, skimmed the backboard and rattled out.

*Tied at 69 with under a minute remaining in the first overtime, Napier launched a difficult fadeaway On the ensuing possession, Daniels got a piece of a Porter fallaway, and a running Boatright 3-pointer nearly banked in, sending the game to double-overtime.

*Down 12, UConn went on a quick 9-0 run, powered by Daniels, to cut the lead to 60-57. Two late UConn miscues—a Napier turnover and a Ryan Boatright missed free throw—gave way to some Georgetown mistakes, and overtime ensued.

*After a drive to score his first points, Shabazz Napier landed on the shoe of Georgetown’s Mikael Hopkins, re-injuring the right foot that has bothered him since the summer. Napier had surgery on the foot in September. After last Saturday’s win over DePaul, the junior guard said the foot was “still bothering him a little bit.” He returned with 14:20 and struggled to 16 points.

*Phil Nolan, scoreless in Big East play prior to Wednesday, had more first half points than Shabazz Napier, Ryan Boatright and Otto Porter combined. Porter finished with 22.

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Despite two combined points from Ryan Boatright and Shabazz Napier, UConn took a 22-19  lead into halftime Wednesday against seventh-ranked Georgetown.

In a half played at Georgetown’s pace, the Huskies were able to leak out for a few easy buckets, including Tyler Olander and R.J. Evans layups.

The Hoyas, who went 11:02 without a field goal, shot just 6-for-21 from the floor. The Huskies, at 9-for-26, weren’t much better. DeAndre Daniels led the way with nine points while Otto Porter Jr. — Georgetown’s stud small forward — tallied just one.

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A few hours until tip here at Gampel Pavilion.

Otto Porter Jr. (AP)

Georgetown, riding a nine-game win streak, vistis UConn for a late-season matchup with conference title implications. The Hoyas (11-3) are in first place; UConn, at 9-5, trails by just two games.

Some pertinent links along with rosters and stats for tonight:

*Georgetown, Porter up next for UConn

*A look at Otto Porter Jr., leading candidate for Big East Player of the Year

*What to watch for in Wednesday’s game

WHEN: Tonight, 7

WHERE: Gampel Pavilion

RECORDS: Georgetown 21-4, 11-3 Big East; UConn 19-7, 9-5

LINE: Georgetown by 2

ON THE AIR: ESPN2 (Mike Patrick, LaPhonso Ellis); WTIC-AM 1080 (Joe D’Ambrosio, Wayne Norman)

UP NEXT: Saturday at Cincinnati, 2 (SNY)

GEORGETOWN

Jabril Trawick G 6-5 So.: 4 pts, 5 assists vs. Syracuse

Markel Starts G 6-1 Jr.: 12.1 ppg, 40 % 3-point FG

Otto Porter Jr. F 6-8 So.: 15.9 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 51 % FG, 45 % 3-point FG

Nate Lubick F 6-8 Jr.: 7.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg

Mikael Hopkins F 6-9 So.: 6.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg

D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera G 6-3 Fr.: 40 pts, 6 3-pointers in past 2 games

Moses Ayegba F/C 6-9 Jr.: 10 rebs vs. Syracuse

UCONN

Shabazz Napier G 6-0 Jr..: 11-for-16 3-point FG in past 2 games

Ryan Boatright G 5-10 So.: 17 pts, 6 assists vs. DePaul

Omar Calhoun G 6-5 Fr.: 9-for-14 FG in past 2 games

DeAndre Daniels F 6-8 So.: 4 pts, 5 rebs vs. DePaul

Tyler Olander F 6-9 Jr.: 5 pts, 5 rebs vs. DePaul

Niels Giffey F 6-7 Jr.: 8.8 ppg in past 4 games

R.J. Evans G 6-3 Sr.: 3.1 ppg, 1.3 rpg

Phil Nolan F 6-9 Fr.: Has not scored in Big East play

Leon Tolksdorf F 6-8 Fr.: Scoreless in 4 mins vs. DePaul

STORY LINES

AN XLENT ON-CAMPUS ARENA: Wednesday marks the season’s first marquee matchup at Gampel Pavilion. Most of UConn’s big games have been at the XL Center. “If I had a chance to pick our home games, they would all be at Gampel,” said UConn guard Shabazz Napier. “I think the crowd is just so right there on you, it could be devastating for the other team. It helps when we go through stretches where we don’t score, and it also helps when we go through spurts where we do score. I just appreciate everything about Gampel.”

BUGGING HIM FOR THE WRIST OF THE SEASON: Omar Calhoun suffered a sprained right wrist versus Villanova on Feb. 16. Since sprains usually take a few weeks to heal, Calhoun expects the injury to be somewhat troublesome for the remainder of the year. “The wrist is still bothering me,” Calhoun said. “It still hurts, but I’ll fight through it like I’ve been doing.”

POSTSEASON AWARDS: Wednesday’s game has major implications at the top of the Big East standings. It also could determine a few postseason awards. UConn’s Kevin Ollie and Georgetown’s John Thompson appear to be the frontrunners for Big East Coach of the Year. Hoyas forward Otto Porter Jr. is the favorite for Big East Player of the Year, but a UConn win and a huge Napier performance could put the 6-foot-1 guard back in the discussion.

Live Updates

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Georgetown puts its nine-game winning streak on the line Wednesday at Gampel Pavilion. UConn seeks its 20th win — an accomplishment few thought was possible at season’s start — and a third “signature” victory for Kevin Ollie, who has already coached the Huskies to upsets of Michigan State and Syracuse.

Here’s what you should look for Wednesday:

*The Break: It’s a battle UConn must win. In a purely halfcourt game, the Huskies are toast. Georgetown is too long, too active on defense. If the Hoyas are successful in limiting Shabazz Napier’s open looks (and you’d imagine they’ll try), UConn could have worlds of trouble scoring in the halfcourt. During Georgetown’s nine-game winning streak, only two opponents — DePaul and Rutgers — have reached 60 points.

DeAndre Daniels (AP)

*DeAndre Daniels: You never know what you’re getting with Daniels. He’s been enormous at times — his performance versus Providence kept the Huskies alive before Napier took over in OT — and damn near invisible at others. UConn needs him on both ends tonight. He’ll likely defend Otto Porter Jr. and, above all, he’ll be counted on to rebound. No boards = no transition points. And no transition points is a problem for the Huskies.

*Frontcourt rotation: With Enosch Wolf indefinitely suspended, Ollie has been forced to get creative with his rotations. Tyler Olander, the biggest body left, has still received solid minutes (26.6 per game) since Wolf’s suspension. He hasn’t been very productive, though, and has been outperformed on the boards by Daniels and small forward Niels Giffey. If Olander gives Ollie little production against Georgetown, it will be interesting to track how long he sticks with the 6-foot-9 junior before opting for a frontcourt of Giffey and Daniels (the only drawback: Olander’s size makes him a better post defender than Giffey).

*Big guards: Wednesday’s game certainly isn’t the first (or the last) in which Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright will face a much longer backcourt. D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera is 6-foot-3, 227 pounds and sophomore guard Jabril Trawick stands 6-foot-5. The Huskies need crisp ball movement and consistent dribble penetration to free Napier and Boatright from the Hoya defenders.

*The Gampel Advantage: I’d be remiss not mention Gampel Pavilion, a superior setting to the XL Center for such a big game. Home court advantage is real, and the intense crowd noise (expect a sellout) could play a major role in Wednesday’s outcome.

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UConn hosts Georgetown Wednesday in its final marquee matchup of its postseason-less campaign.

Much of Tuesday’s discussion centered on Otto Porter Jr., Georgetown’s do-it-all sophomore forward. Here are some of the highlights:

*Kevin Ollie on Porter: “He’s a great player. A typical wing player who can it on the floor, shoot at a high rate — I think he’s leading the Big East in 3-point field goal percentage with 46 percent — he gets offensive rebounds, goes down on the block…anything else I miss?”

*Shabazz Napier on Porter: “He’s a good player, but I think DeAndre (Daniels) — if (Ollie) plays DeAndre on him — then I think DeAndre will play good defense. DeAndre always comes up big in games where we need him to be big. I think DeAndre is ready for the task. Hopefully he goes out there and plays strong and we help him with help defense.”

*Napier on playing in Gampel: “If I had a chance to pick our home games, they would all be at Gampel. I think the crowd is just so right there on you, it could be devastating for the other team. It helps when we go through stretches where we don’t score, and it also helps when we go through spurts where we do score. I just appreciate everything about Gampel.”

*Niels Giffey on the “playoff” atmosphere: “These last games are like our playoffs right now, and I think that’s the way we’re preparing for it and that’s the atmosphere the coaches want us to have. That’s really what the team is doing right now.”

*Ollie on Georgetown: “They’re the most disciplined team we’ll play…They’re the best team defensively in the league, so if you’re not getting easy buckets on them, it’s going to be very difficult for you to score, so it’s paramount not only for us to get on the break, it’s paramount for us to rebound.”

*Former Huskies Stanley Robinson, Taliek Brown and Tony Robertson were at Gampel Tuesday.