Miracles on the Hardwood: The Hope-And-A-Prayer Story of a Winning Tradition in Catholic College Basketball, Hardcover

In MIRACLES ON THE HARDWOOD, author John Gasaway traces the rise of Catholic college basketball--from its early days (Villanova made an appearance in the Final Four in the first NCAA tournament in 1939) to the dominance of the San Francisco Dons in the 1950s and the ascendance of powerhouses Georgetown, Villanova, and Gonzaga--through their decades-long rivalries and championship games. Featuring interviews with notable coaches, players, alums, and fans--including Loyola Chicago's most famous and dedicated fan, 100-year-old Sister Jean--to get at the heart of how these universities have excelled at this sport.

Small in number but devout in the game's spirit, these teams have made the miraculous a matter of ritual, and their greatest works may be yet to come.

About author(s):John Gasaway writes for ESPN's Bubble Watch column. He is a college basketball analyst at ESPN.com and a lecturer on basketball analytics in Columbia University's Sports Management Master's degree program. Prior to joining ESPN, he teamed with Ken Pomeroy on the launch of Nate Silver's Basketball Prospectus website. He was also a regular contributor to The Count feature at the Wall Street Journal.