Men's Basketball Ready For Saint Mary's Saturday
12/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
SETON HALL (3-1) vs. SAINT MARY'S (5-3)
Saturday, December 2, 2006 - 1:00 p.m.
Continental Airlines Arena - East Rutherford, N.J.
THE MATCHUP: The Pirates will take on Saint Mary’s for only the fourth time in the program’s history and first time since the 1983 season. That year, Seton Hall defeated the Gaels, 58-53. The Pirates enter the game winners of two straight, while Saint Mary’s is coming off a 78-60 drubbing of San Jose State on Wednesday.
TV: None
RADIO: The game will be broadcast by 1050 ESPN Radio, with Gary Cohen on play-by-play and Dave Popkin as the analyst. The game will also be broadcast by WSOU 89.5 FM, Seton Hall’s student radio station.
SHU ON THE WEB: Tune in to hear a live audio stream of all games on www.shupirates.com
BIG EAST CONFERENCE: www.bigeast.org
SCOUTING SAINT MARY’S
Saint Mary’s is coming off a 78-60 drubbing of San Jose State on Wednesday, which improved their record to 5-3. Sophomore Diamon Simpson leads the team in scoring (11.4) and rebounding (6.9) on the early season. The Gaels return four starters from a team that posted a 17-12 overall record during the 2005-06 campaign. The loss is a big one for the Gaels, as they lose the school’s all-time leading scorer Daniel Kickert, who in four seasons, helped the Gaels post a 76-48 overall record during his time at Saint Mary’s. The players that return to keep much of the offense and defensive punch from last season are guards John Winston, Todd Golden and Wayne Hunter, wingmen Brett Collins and Ian O’Leary, and post players Diamon Simpson and Blake Sholberg.
SETON HALL-SAINT MARY’S SERIES
Seton Hall and Saint Mary’s will meet for only the fourth time in the program’s history, with the Gaels owning a 2-1 lead. In their last meeting, Seton Hall defeated the Gaels, 58-53 in the Fiesta Classic.
POUNDING THE PEACOCKS
Seton Hall used a 15-2 run to begin the second half vault them to an 80-60 victory over St. Peter’s. Junior Brian Laing finished with 18 points and nine rebounds, just missing his second straight double-double. Freshman Eugene Harvey scored 15 points while pulling down six rebounds and handing out six assists. He also had a team-high four steals for the Pirates. Seton Hall shot 45.3 percent from the floor for the game and again displayed a suffocating defense that forced 22 turnovers.
SULTANS OF STEAL
Through four games this season, the Pirates have enjoyed the fruits of their relentless full-court press, picking up 57 steals as a team. Their average of 14.3 steals per game leads the BIG EAST Conference by more than two. Sophomore Paul Gause recorded a career-high five steals at Morgan State and then tied his new mark with five more vs. St. Peter’s. As a result, Gause leads the BIG EAST with a 3.75 steals per game average. Junior Jamar Nutter ranks fourth in the conference with 2.50 steals per game, while freshman Eugene Harvey is tied for seventh with 2.25 steals per game.
#2 BECOMES #99
With 15 points against St. Peters, junior Jamar Nutter surpassed the 500-point mark for his career. Nutter is the 99th Pirate in the program’s history to surpass the milestone. Junior Brian Laing has the second-most career points among active players with 314.
GETTING OUT OF THE GATE
Seton Hall has had no trouble at the start of games so far this season. The Pirates have scored first in all four games and have gone on runs to begin the game in three. In the season-opener, the Pirates started the game with a 15-2 run, and scored the first nine points of the game at Morgan State and the first seven points of the game against St. Peter’s.
FLY’IN BRIAN
Poised for a major breakout season, Brian Laing has not disappointed in the season’s first four games. His 18.8 points per game rank him second in the BIG EAST and his 8.3 rebounds per game tie him for sixth. Against Fairleigh Dickinson, Laing recorded career-highs with 25 points and nine rebounds in nearly 40 minutes of action. Then, at Morgan State, he recorded his first career double-double with 13 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. The junior forward has scored in double-figures in all four games this season. Laing tied his previous career-high in the season-opener vs. Caldwell with 19 points. For his efforts, he was named to the BIG EAST Conference Weekly Honor Roll for the week of 11/13-11/19.
SWISHING AND DISHING
Freshman Eugene Harvey has looked every bit the veteran so far in his rookie season at Seton Hall. A starter in all four games this season, he is averaging 12.8 points per game and a team-high 5.8 assists per game. He scored a team-high 20 points in his first road game as the Pirates soundly defeated Morgan State, 83-63. Harvey followed that performance with a 15-point, six-rebound, six-assist, four-steal showing in an 80-60 victory over St. Peter’s. The 6-foot guard dished out a career-high nine assists in the season-opener vs. Caldwell and added six more, a game-high, in the victory over Morgan State. Harvey is averaging 5.75 assists per game, which ranks him fifth in the BIG EAST.
DON’T TAKE BILLMEIER FOR GRANTED
After only playing a combined 11 minutes in the Pirates’ first two games, senior Grant Billmeier broke out with one of the best performances of his career at Morgan State. The captain scored 14 points, grabbed four rebounds and even added a block and a steal in 33 crucial minutes for the Pirates. Most notably in Billmeier’s stat line is the fact he was called for only two personal fouls.
NO PAUSE IN GAUSE
Sophomore sparkplug Paul Gause has made two starts this season, but has shined in coming off the bench the last two games. Against St. Peter’s, Gause hit three clutch three-pointers and finished with 12 points. He also added three rebounds and tied his career-high with five steals in 18 minutes of action. At Morgan State, Gause contributed 13 points, eight rebounds and set a career-high with five steals. In four games, he has been a key component to the Pirate’s trapping defense.
SETON HALL AT THE ARENA
Seton Hall is 195-94 all-time at Continental Airlines Arena and 2-1 this season. The Pirates were 13-4 at home last season, and 48-16 over the last four years. The Pirates’ first full-season in the arena was 1985-86 when the team played seven games there. The first Seton Hall game was December 4, 1981, an 87-85 overtime victory over Houston.
PIRATES vs. THE WCC
Seton Hall owns a 11-4 all-time record against current teams of the West Coast Conference. The Pirates have won their last four games against teams from the WCC, including their last meeting vs. San Francisco, a 77-51 victory in 2002. Seton Hall doesn’t have a losing record against any team in the WCC. The Pirates have never lost to Gonzaga (1-0), Pepperdine (2-0), San Diego (1-0), Portland (1-0) and San Francisco (3-0).
HEAD COACH
BOBBY GONZALEZ
Career Record: 132-78
At Seton Hall: 3-1
BIG EAST Record: 0-0
Bobby Gonzalez became the 18th Seton Hall University head basketball coach in the program’s history earlier this year and comes to the Pirates after a tremendous seven-year run as the head coach at Manhattan College. He led the Jaspers to four 20-win seasons and two NCAA Tournaments in seven years, including finishing .500 or above in the league in each season. His record at Manhattan was 129-77, and his team won the MAAC regular season championship three times and the tournament title twice.
Gonzalez is widely known as one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the NCAA, an intense competitor, outstanding game coach and tireless recruiter.
Manhattan went 20-11 this past year and Gonzalez was named the MAAC Coach of the Year. The Jaspers advanced to the National Invitation Tournament and won two games, defeating Fairleigh Dickinson and winning at Maryland. Gonzalez led the team to a 14-4 record and the MAAC regular season title.
His best season came in 2003-04, when he guided the Jaspers to a 25-6 overall record, 16-2 in the MAAC. Manhattan was a No. 12 seed in the NCAA Championship and defeated No. 5 seed Florida in the first round before losing a close game to No. 4 seed Wake Forest. Gonzalez received numerous accolades following the season, being named NABC District 2, USBWA, and NYBCA Division I Coach of the Year as well as receiving Metropolitan Coach of the Year recognition for the second straight year.
Gonzalez coached Luis Flores, Manhattan’s all-time leading scorer, who was drafted in the second round by the NBA’s Houston Rockets in 2004. Flores played with both Denver and Golden State in 2004-05.
In 2002-03, Gonzalez led Manhattan to the MAAC regular season and league championship with a 23-7 record, 14-4 in the league. Named the MAAC Coach of the Year for his efforts, Gonzalez took Manhattan College to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1995. The Jaspers fell to eventual national champion Syracuse in the first round.
Gonzalez is no stranger to the BIG EAST and to big-time college basketball. Prior to becoming a head coach, he was an assistant on Pete Gillen’s staffs at Xavier (1993-94), Providence (1994-98) and Virginia (1998-99).
Known for his strong recruiting classes, Gonzalez possesses outstanding contacts and ties to the metropolitan area. He was assistant high school coach at Rice High School in the Bronx in 1992-93 and assistant at St. Nicholas of Tolentine from 1988-91. He was also an assistant coach at Binghamton University (1987-88) and Broome Community College (1986-87).
GONZALEZ SIGNS THREE
Seton Hall head coach Bobby Gonzalez announced that three marquee recruits, Michael Glover, Jeremy Hazell and Augustine Okosun, have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Seton Hall University beginning in the 2007-08 academic year. The 6-foot-6, 200-pound Glover is the gifted brother of former St. John’s standout Anthony Glover and will provide the Pirates with a strong rebounding presence and good finisher around the basket. Last season, he guided his prep school, Boys to Men Academy (Ill.), to a national championship. The 6-foot-5, 185-pound Hazell was ranked in the nation’s Top 20 by Scout.com among post graduate players. A standout for coach Chris Chaney at Patterson School (N.C.), he is widely regarded as an excellent shooter and will provide the Pirates with great depth at the guard position and the top scoring punch in this class. Augustine Okosun is a 6-foot-10, 240-pound junior college transfer who will have junior eligibility when he joins the Pirates next season. The Nigeria native comes from well-respected Harcum College (Pa.) and coach Drew Kelly and will add some much-needed size and experience to the Pirates’ frontcourt.
SCORING EASILY
The Pirates have had no difficulty scoring points so far this season. In four games, the Pirates are averaging 81.2 points per game and have four players averaging in double-figures. Additionally, they have held their opponents to only 62.8 points per game for an 18.4 scoring margin, which ranks them fifth in the BIG EAST.
PIRATES IN THE NBA
Four former Seton Hall players are now playing in the NBA - Andre Barrett and Adrian Griffin (Chicago Bulls), Sam Dalembert (Philadelphia 76ers) and Eddie Griffin (Minnesota Timberwolves). Barrett, Dalembert and Eddie Griffin all played on the same Seton Hall team in 2000.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE 2006-07 SCHEDULE
Seton Hall will play at least nine games against teams that participated in the NCAA Tournament last year, but only three of the games will be on the road (Monmouth, Pennsylvania, Georgetown, at Marquette, West Virginia, Villanova, at Connecticut, at West Virginia and Pittsburgh... The Pirates will play 18 night games and 12 day games this season... SHU will face Rutgers, West Virginia and Providence twice, but will not see Syracuse or DePaul as part of the BIG EAST’s unbalanced schedule... Pittsburgh (#4), Georgetown (#8), Marquette (#16) and Connecticut (#18) are Seton Hall opponents ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll.
PILLAGING PIRATES
Caldwell had no response for the Pirates’ suffocating defense in the season-opener. Seton Hall forced a staggering 31 turnovers and recorded 19 steals, led by senior Jamar Nutter and sophomore Paul Gause who had four each. Even in the loss to FDU, the Pirates forced 21 turnovers, 11 more than they committed. Nutter had a team-high four steals vs. FDU as well. A direct result of coach Bobby Gonzalez’ intense conditioning regiment, the Pirates appeared rested throughout, were quick to trap on defense and pounced on loose balls.
CRUSHING CALDWELL
In the season-opening victory, Seton Hall scored 91 points, the most the team has scored in a season-opener since a 104-76 victory over Rider to begin the 2000-01 campaign. The Pirates shot .531 from the field and connected on 10-of-24 three point attempts with senior Jamar Nutter connecting on four himself.
FAB FRESHMAN
All three players in coach Bobby Gonzalez’ first recruiting class impressed in their collegiate debuts. Eugene Harvey has started all three games so far this season and recorded a team-high 20 points and six assists in the victory over Morgan State. Harvey is averaging 12.0 points and 5.67 assists per game. Larry Davis is averaging 4.3 points per game in 13.7 minutues per game. Kashif Pratt has impressed on defense and is logging 16.7 minutes per game thus far.
NEW FACES
The Pirates added three highly talented freshman to the roster for the 2006-07 and all three look to make a difference immediately. Larry Davis, Eugene Harvey and Kashif Pratt are three guards that come from well-respected metropolitan high school programs. Davis led Christ the King to a 24-5 record and the New York City Catholic High School title game while averaging 13.2 points per game his senior year. Harvey joins Seton Hall as one of the nation’s most highly regarded point guard prospects and could be running the Pirates’ offense sooner than later. Pratt averaged 15 points and six rebounds for Rice High School, but is even better known as a defensive specialist. The SHU backcourt is in good shape for years to come.
IN NEW PLACES
Seton Hall lost five players from last season’s roster, including their top two scorers, Donald Copeland and Kelly Whitney. Copeland and Whitney graduated, while Marcus Cousin, David Palmer and Mike Pilgram transferred. Copeland and Whitney combined for 31.3 points per game and were both named Second Team All-BIG EAST last season. Whitney also led the team with 7.9 rebounds per game.
THREE CAPTAINS FOR 2006-07
Seniors Grant Billmeier and Stan Gaines as well as junior Brian Laing will serve as team captains for Seton Hall during the 2006-07 season. Billmeier was the lone Pirate captain last season and brings his hard work and unselfishness to the leadership position again. Gaines, a former transfer from Minnesota, is playing in only his second season with the Pirates, but his infectious energy and enthusiasm make him an excellent choice as captain. Laing, the lone non-senior of the trifecta, is a real breakout candidate this season and will provide an experienced leader when it is time to look towards next season.
BENCHMARKED FOR SUCCESS
Joining head coach Bobby Gonzalez on the bench this year are three experienced and talented assistant coaches that will surely prove to be a positive influence on the 2006-07 Pirates. Kevin Murphy followed Gonzalez to Seton Hall after three years as his assistant at Manhattan. There, he helped guide the Jaspers to the 2004 MAAC title and NCAA Tournament berth. Geoff Billett joins the SHU staff after five seasons as an assistant at Monmouth. As a player, Billett scored 1,480 career points for Rutgers and graduated as the school’s all-time leading three-point shooter. Dermon Player brings a standout basketall acumen and remarkable recruiting skills to the Pirates. As a coach and athletics administrator, Player is no stranger to the metropolitan high school and AAU scene.
HOLLOWAY RETURNS
Shaheen Holloway, the school’s all-time assist leader who played from 1996-00 and helped lead the Pirates to the 2000 NCAA Sweet Sixteen, has returned to Seton Hall as the team’s administrative assistant. Holloway scored 1,588 points during his career, which ranks him 12th all-time at SHU. He dished out 681 assists and had 231 steals (2nd all-time), while also hitting 185 three-pointers (5th all-time) in 116 games. In 2000, he was named the BIG EAST’s Most Improved Player, and he earned all-league status three times in his career.
TV SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
Seton Hall will have at least 17 regular-season games televised nationally or regionally in 2006-07, starting Dec. 9 with a game on YES against Penn State. The Pirates will be on MSG seven times, YES and Fox Sports New York three times, ESPN 360 twice and a game a piece on ESPN and ESPNU.
RADIO INFORMATION
The Pirates will once again be on WABC 770 AM, or its affiliates ESPN Radio or Radio Disney. Gary Cohen and Dave Popkin return for their fourth season of coverage on the broadcasts. Cohen will handle play-by-play duties with Popkin as the analyst. WABC will carry 15 games this season. WEPN, ESPN Radio 1050 AM will broadcast four, and Radio Disney WQEW 1560 AM will carry 10.
LOOKING AHEAD
SETON HALL
VS
MONMOUTH
Monday, December 4, 2006 7:30 p.m.
Continental Airlines Arena East Rutherford, N.J.
TV: None; Radio: WQEW 1560 AM / WSOU 89.5 FM
Seton Hall vs. Monmouth: 7-0 all-time
NOTEBOOK: The Pirates will host in-state rival Monmouth for the eighth time in the program’s history. The Pirates have never lost to Monmouth and have hosted every game in this series. Last season, Seton Hall defeated the Hawks, 61-45, improving their record to 5-2. Kelly Whitney scored a game-high 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the victory. The Pirates won depite shooting only 37.5 percent from the floor for the game.
Monmouth is coming of their third NEC title in six seasons and a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2005-06. They were selected by the conference coaches to win the NEC again this year. The Hawks are being led by senior Dejan Delic who is averaging 15.0 points and 4.3 rebounds in seven games. Monmouth is only averaging 60.7 points per game so far this season.
