Box Score (.html)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The Seton Hall men’s basketball team had four players in double-figures as they defeated St. John’s, 79-63, in BIG EAST action Thursday. The Pirates improved to 10-5 overall, and 2-1 in conference play.
Freshmen Eugene Harvey (Brooklyn, N.Y) and Larry Davis (Middle Village, N.Y) were the story once again. Harvey scored 17 points, pulled down a career-high eight boards, and dished out seven assists. Davis, making his second career-start, finished the game with 17 points and nine rebounds.
Junior Jamar Nutter (Bloomfield, N.J) found his shooting touch early and scored eight quick points to give Seton Hall a 20-11 lead with 12:52 in the first. Nutter finished with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Up by nine, the Pirates went scoreless for the next 5:22, and the Red Storm went on a 16-2 run to surge ahead of Seton Hall, 35-32. The Pirates responded by closing the half with an 8-2 spurt to go ahead, 40-37 at the break.
St. John’s (10-6; 1-2 BE) went cold in the second half, shooting just 32 percent from the field, and junior Brian Laing (Bronx, N.Y.) took over for Seton Hall. Laing scored 12 of his team-high 18 points after intermission, to give the Pirates a 69-50 lead with 3:08 to play.
Senior Stan Gaines (Chicago, Ill.) had a strong defensive while coming off the bench for the first time this season. He held St. John’s leading scorer and rebounder, Lamont Hamilton, to only 13 points and three boards. Gaines also recorded a season-high four blocks.
Seton Hall out-rebounded the Red Storm, 39-to-32, and forced more turnovers, 16-to-9.
Anthony Mason Jr. led the Red Storm with 22 points and 12 boards.
Seton Hall travels to South Bend to take on Notre Dame on Sunday, Jan. 14. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
