Men's Basketball Looks To Bounce Back Against Penn Saturday
12/22/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
SETON HALL (6-2) vs. PENNSYLVANIA (6-4)
Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 1:00 p.m.
Continental Airlines Arena - East Rutherford, N.J.
THE MATCHUP: Seton Hall hosts Pennsylvania for the first time since 2000 and owns a 2-1 record against the Quakers. The Pirates (6-2) are coming off an 80-61 loss to Virginia Tech in the Aeropostale Classic at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. Penn is 6-4 and won their last game, a 90-78 decision over Illinois-Chicago.
TV: None
RADIO: The game will be broadcast by WABC 770 AM 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 for a live video stream of Saturday’s game on www.shupirates.com
BIG EAST CONFERENCE: www.bigeast.org
SCOUTING PENN
Pennsylvania enters Saturday’s game with Seton Hall with a 6-4 record, winners of their last game, a 90-78 victory over Illinois-Chicago on Thursday. The Quakers boast the Ivy League’s leading scorer, Mark Zoller, who enters Saturday’s contest with a 21.1 points per game average. He also leads the team with 7.5 rebounds per game. Penn was predicted to win the Ivy League again this year. They have won the last two titles and four of the last five. Ibrahim Jaaber joins Zoller as returning First Team All-Ivy League selections for Penn. The Quakers are enjoying the first season of new head coach, Glen Miller.
SETON HALL-PENN SERIES
Seton Hall and Pennsylvania will meet for the fourth time, with the Pirates having an edge in the series, 2-1. In their last meeting, the Pirates defeated the Quakers, 80-78, at Continental Airlines Arena in 2000. The Pirates’ lone defeat came on a neutral court, 76-74, in 1968.
DOWNED AT THE GARDEN
The Pirates had their five-game win streak snapped by Virginia Tech on Thursday, falling to the Hokies, 80-61, at Madison Square Garden. Seton Hall shot a season-low 27.7 percent from the floor while Virginia Tech shot a blistering 51.7 percent for the game. Freshman Eugene Harvey led the Pirates with 18 points in the loss and senior Stan Gaines chipped in 12. Sophomore Paul Gause added to his BIG EAST-leading steals per game average with five more. The loss was the first in four games all-time against the Hokies.
BOARDING BETTER
Despite the loss, Seton Hall out-rebounded Virginia Tech, 47-40, on Thursday. Both Paul Gause and Brian Laing grabbed eight boards, while Stan Gaines pulled down seven and Jamar Nutter had a season-high six. Even though they are one of the smaller teams in the league, the Pirates are leading the BIG EAST in offensive rebounds per game with a 15.13 clip.
THE COMMON OPPONENT
Both Seton Hall and Penn have played Monmouth already this year. On November 28, Penn defeated Monmouth handedly, 80-66, in Philadelphia. The Pirates also played the Hawks at home and recorded their second-largest margin of victory this season, 83-49, on December 4. Penn has also already faced off against two other BIG EAST foes. In their season’s second game, they lost at Syracuse, 78-60, and dropped a high-scoring affair at home to Villanova, 99-89, on December 2.
199 WINS AT THE ARENA
Saturday Seton Hall is going for their 200th victory at Continental Airlines Arena. Currently, they sport an all-time record of 199-94 and are 5-1 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.
LIVE WEB VIDEO STREAMING
Although Saturday’s game against Penn is not being televised, fans can see all of the action via live web video streaming at www.shupirates.com. Fans need to sign up on the site to register for a Hall Pass in order to gain access. Coverage begins at 11:45 a.m. with Gary Cohen and Dave Popkin bringing you all the action.
LEADING THE WAY
With 18 points against Virginia Tech on Thursday, freshman Eugene Harvey became the BIG EAST’s leading scorer among rookies. Currently, he is averaging 16 points per game, which ranks him ninth best in the conference among all players. Harvey has already been named BIG EAST Rookie of the Week twice and scored a career-high 27 points in a come-from-behind victory over Penn State on Dec. 9. The 27 points is the highest point output by a Seton Hall freshman since John Allen dumped in 31 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson on Dec. 13, 2001. A starter in all eight games this season, Harvey is also averaging a team-best and 4.4 assists per game, which ranks him 13th in the BIG EAST. He has scored in double-figures in seven of the team’s eight games, including six straight. 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. Against St. Mary’s, he scored 18 points, picked up a career-high seven rebounds, dished out five assists and recorded four steals.
NO PAUSE IN GAUSE
Sophomore sparkplug Paul Gause has made two starts this season, but has shined in coming off the bench this season. In a tremendous performance against St. Mary’s, Gause scored a career-high 21 points in 33 minutes of action and picked up eight steals, tying the Seton Hall single-game mark for steals held by former Pirate Levell Sanders. More recently, Gause hit three clutch three-pointers down the stretch to help the Pirates defeat Penn State. He also added a game-high six steals in the game. At Morgan State, Gause contributed 13 points, eight rebounds and set a previous career-high with five steals. He had five more in a loss vs. Virginia Tech.
PIRATES vs. THE IVY LEAGUE
Seton Hall has an all-time record of 30-20 against current teams of the Ivy League. Since a 61-59 loss at Princeton in 1987, the Pirates have gone 6-0 against Ivy teams. Their last victory came over Pennsylvania, 80-78, at Continental Airlines Arena on Dec. 13, 2000. The Pirates own a winning record over six of the league’s eight teams and have played Columbia (7-11) more times than any other. Later this season, Seton Hall will play host to another Ivy League institution. Princeton comes to town on Monday, January 29. The Pirates are 8-3 all-time against the Tigers.
HEAD COACH BOBBY GONZALEZ
Career Record: 135-79
At Seton Hall: 6-2
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).
MEN OF STEAL
Through eight games this season, the Pirates have enjoyed the fruits of their relentless full-court press, picking up 103 steals as a team. Their average of 12.9 steals per game leads the BIG EAST Conference and ranks second in the nation. Sophomore Paul Gause has led the Pirate charge in this category. He recorded a career-high five steals at Morgan State and tied his new mark with five more vs. St. Peter’s. Then, against St. Mary’s he re-recorded his career-high and tied the Seton Hall single-game record with eight steals. He chipped in six vs. Penn State and five more vs. Virginia Tech. As a result, Gause leads the BIG EAST and ranks second in the nation with a 4.25 steals per game average. Freshman Eugene Harvey is fourth in the conference with 2.50 steals per game.
FLY’IN BRIAN
Junior Brian Laing is enjoying his best collegiate season. His 14.4 points per game rank him second on the team and 21st in the BIG EAST and his 7.0 rebounds per game lead the Pirates and tie him for 12th in the conference. Against Fairleigh Dickinson, Laing recorded career-highs with 25 points and nine rebounds in nearly 40 minutes of action. He also has two double-doubles this season. For his efforts, he was named to the BIG EAST Conference Weekly Honor Roll for the week of 11/13-11/19.
GAINING RECOGNITION
Senior Stan Gaines has stepped up his game in 2006-07 and is making major contributions. He has started all eight games and is averaging 8.8 points and a team second-best 5.0 rebounds per game. Gaines has scored in double-figures in five of the team’s eight games and is contibuted 12 points and a season-high seven rebounds against Virginia Tech. Cool and calm on the free throw line, Gaines has connected on 22-of-25 shots, an 88 percentile that leads the team and ranks him eighth in the BIG EAST. He also leads the Pirates with 1.0 blocks per game.
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. Billmeier scored 11 points and grabbed a season-high six rebounds in 25 minutes vs. Monmouth and had nine points and a season-high seven rebounds vs. Penn State.
MORTON TO ENTER ANOTHER HALL
Former Seton Hall great, John Morton will be inducted into the New Jersey Sports Writer’s Association Hall of Fame on Sunday, January 28 at the Pines Manor in Edison, N.J. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players to ever wear a Pirates jersey, Morton ranks 11th all-time at Seton Hall with 1,621 career points and was instrumental in guiding the team to the national championship game in 1989. He is currently an assistant coach at St. Peters College.
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.
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 the University of 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.
SCORING EASILY
Despite scoring only 61 points vs. Virginia Tech, the Pirates have had no difficulty scoring points so far this season. In eight games, the Pirates are averaging 78.9 points per game which ranks them fourth in the BIG EAST in scoring offense. They have topped 90 points twice and 80 points five times. Seton Hall has four players averaging in double-figures and a fifth (Gaines) inching closer to that group with 8.8 points per game.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
SETON HALL BASKETBALL HISTORICAL NOTABLES
* The men’s basketball team went to the Final Four in 1989 and lost in the championship game to Michigan by one point in overtime, 80-79. The Pirates won BIG EAST tournament titles in 1991 and 1993 and regular season titles in 1992 and 1993. All of the above was under the guidance of current San Antonio Spurs assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo.
* Seton Hall has a national championship under its belt. The Pirates won the 1953 NIT, then considered the premier national tournament.
* The program’s all-time leading scorer is Terry Dehere (2,494 points, 1989-93). Leading rebounder Walter Dukes (1,697, 1950-53) still holds the NCAA single-season rebounding record of 734 in 1952-53. CBS analyst Bill Raftery coached Seton Hall from 1970-81 (154-141 record).
LOOKING AHEAD - BYU Classic - Provo, Utah
Opponents
ORAL ROBERTS, Thursday, December 28
LIBERTY, Friday, December 29
BRIGHAM YOUNG, Saturday, December 30
SETON HALL VS. ORAL ROBERTS
Thursday, December 28, 2006 9:00 p.m.
Continental Airlines Arena Provo, Utah
TV: None; Radio: WABC 770 AM/WSOU 89.5 FM
Seton Hall vs. Oral Roberts: First Meeting
NOTEBOOK: The Pirates will travel to Provo, Utah to take part in the B.Y.U. Classic, Dec. 28-30. At the Classic, Seton Hall will face Oral Roberts, Liberty and the host, Brigham Young. The Pirates’s first opponent will be Oral Roberts, whom Seton Hall has never faced. Earlier this season, Oral Roberts defeated third-ranked Kansas.
