Box Score (html)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.- Freshman Eugene Harvey (Brooklyn, N.Y) had a career-high 27 points, and sophomore Paul Gause (Pittsgrove, N.J) knocked down three clutch three-pointers to help the Seton Hall men’s basketball team defeat Penn State, 69-59, on Saturday. The Pirates (6-1) shot only 28.9 percent in the first half, and trailed by as many as 11, but outscored the Nittany Lions 43-27 in the second to comeback for the win.
Penn State’s Geary Claxton scored the Nittany Lions (6-3) first eight points, and Seton Hall had five turnovers in the opening 7:08 of the game of the game as they fell behind 15-4. Seton Hall cut the Penn State lead to three, at 25-22, with 4:47 remaining in the half, but the Nittany Lions ended the first on a 7-2 run, to take a 32-26 lead at the break.
Penn State extended its lead to 43-33 with 12:22 to go, but that’s when the Pirates started to make their move. Freshman Larry Davis (Middle Village, N.Y.) scored five points and drew Claxton’s fourth personal foul during a 12-2 run to tie the game at 47-47.
The Nittany Lions regained the lead and began to pull away at 53-48, but two layups by senior Grant Billmeier (Pennington, N.J) and a three by Gause gave the Pirates their first lead of the game at 55-53, with 4:46 to go. After two Claxton free-throws tied the game, senior Stan Gaines (Chicago, Ill.) had his shot blocked by Claxton. Junior Brian Laing (Bronx, N.Y.) came up with the ball and kicked it out to Gause, who hit another three to give the Pirates the lead for good.
Senior Brian Laing (Bronx, N.Y.) posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Gause added six steals, and Billmeier finished the game with nine points and seven rebounds.
Claxton finished the game with 29 points and 11 rebounds. David Jackson had 12 points on 5-6 shooting for Penn State.
The Pirates host William Paterson for an exhibition game at Walsh Gym on Friday, Dec. 15. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.
