Men's Basketball Prepares For Georgetown Friday
1/18/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
SETON HALL (11-6, 3-2) vs. GEORGETOWN (12-5, 2-2)
Friday, January 19, 2007 - 7:30 p.m.
Continental Airlines Arena - East Rutherford, N.J.
THE MATCHUP: Seton Hall and Georgetown will face each other for the only time this season on Friday, January 19 at Continental Airlines Arena. Seton Hall is coming off a thrilling, 69-68 victory over Providence on Wednesday. The Hoyas defeated Rutgers, 68-54, also on Wednesday.
TV: The game will be televised by FSNY. Dave Sims (play-by-play) and Jim Spanarkel (analyst) will call the game.
RADIO: The game will be broadcast by WQEW 1560 AM, 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 audio stream of all games on www.shupirates.com
BIG EAST CONFERENCE: www.bigeast.org
SCOUTING GEORGETOWN
Selected to finished second in the BIG EAST Pre-Season Poll, Georgetown currently has a record of 12-5 overall and 2-2 in conference play. Winners of eight of their last 10 games, the Hoyas bring a 4-2 road record into Continental Airlines Arena. They are led by 7-foot-2 center Roy Hibbert, considered by many in the pre-season to be a contender for BIG EAST Player of the Year. Averaging 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, he leads three Hoyas averaging in double-digit scoring. Jeff Green is also having a stellar season with 11.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. As a team, Georgetown’s potent defense is holding opponents to only 55.7 points per game.
SETON HALL-GEORGETOWN SERIES
Seton Hall and Georgetown will meet for the 89th time and the first time in two seasons due to the BIG EAST’s unbalanced schedule. The Hoyas own a 49-39 series lead, which includes a 56-51 victory over Seton Hall in their last meeting, which ousted the Pirates from the BIG EAST Tournament.
PIRATES PAYBACK PROVIDENCE
In one of the more entertaining games of the season, Seton Hall held on to edge Providence, 69-68, and avenge a 22-point loss to the Friars 11 days ago. Five Pirates scored in double-figures, led by sophomore Paul Gause who scored 14 off the bench. Junior Brian Laing nearly had his fifth double-double of the season, finishing with 11 points and nine rebounds. The game marked the return of redshirt freshman John Garcia who scored six points and grabbed three boards in nine minutes. Freshman Eugene Harvey scored 13 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists. Senior Grant Billmeier left due to injury in the game’s first two minutes and did not return.
GARCIA RETURNS
After missing nearly a year and a half, John Garcia returned to the court vs. Providence on Wednesday to a standing ovation. The 6-foot-9 redshirt freshman scored six points and tied his career-high with three rebounds in nine minutes. Garcia looked comfortable around the basket, but isn’t in full basketball shape yet. Look for Garcia’s minutes to gradually increase as the season continues.
HOME SWEET HOME
Wednesday’s victory was Seton Hall’s eighth straight home victory of the season. To date, they are 9-1 at Continental Airlines Arena this season. With the victory over Penn on Dec. 23, Seton Hall reached the 200-win mark at Continental Airlines Arena. The Pirates are now 203-94 all-time at the arena. They 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.
THE COMMON OPPONENT
Seton Hall and Georgetown have had three common opponents so far this season...Oral Roberts, Notre Dame and Rutgers. Georgetown won all three games, while Seton Hall went 1-2 against the same teams, but Georgetown played two at home and Rutgers on the road, while the Pirates faced only Rutgers at home.
A CAREER YEAR
Junior Brian Laing is enjoying a breakout campaign. He has twice been named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll and currently ranks fourth in the conference in scoring with 16.8 points per game. He led the Pirates again in scoring at Notre Dame with 20 points and nearly recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and nine rebounds while playing all 40 minutes in a win over Providence. He has led the Pirates in scoring in 11 of the team’s 17 games. Laing was also named to the B.Y.U. Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team.
SOMBER ANNIVERSARY
There will be a moment of silence prior to the game to remember those lost and injured in the Boland Hall fire on Jan. 19, 2000. Friday is the seventh anniversary of the tragedy.
HEAD COACH
BOBBY GONZALEZ
Career Record: 140-83
At Seton Hall: 11-6
BIG EAST Record: 3-2
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).
WIN ONE, LOSE ONE
Seton Hall has not put together a two-game streak of wins or losses in their last 11 games. Since defeating Penn State on Dec. 9, the Pirates have followed every win with a loss and every loss with a win.
NUTTER IN THE CLUTCH
Junior Jamar Nutter’s night started off with the frustration of an 0-for-7 start vs. Providence, but when the team needed him most, he came through. Nutter made his only three field goals, all three-pointers, in the final 3:32 second of the game, with Seton Hall clinging to a slim lead. He buried his first shot of the night at the 3:32 mark with the Pirates leading 6-57. Nutter’s second "three" came with 2:41 remaining and the score, 63-59. His final three-pointer was drained with only 47 seconds remaining with the Pirates leading by only one, 66-65. Nutter finished with 10 points on the night and is averaging 12.8 points per game on the season.
TOP BIG EAST ROOKIE
No freshman’s impact has been greater than that of Eugene Harvey through his career’s first 16 games. His 16.1 points and 4.8 assists per game lead all BIG EAST rookies and only Notre Dame’s Luke Harangody has matched Harvey’s three BIG EAST Rookie of the Week honors. He has started all 17 games this season and scored a career-high 27 points in a come-from-behind victory over Penn State on Dec. 9. Harvey has scored in double-figures in 16-of-17 games, including 15 straight. In his first BIG EAST game, he scored 21 points, including four clutch free throws with under 20 seconds remaining to seal a victory over rival Rutgers. He had 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in a tremendous all-round game vs. St. John’s. Harvey also ranks fifth in the conference for averaging 34.88 minutes per game.
MEN OF STEAL
Through 17 games this season, the Pirates have enjoyed the fruits of their relentless full-court press, picking up 190 steals as a team. They recorded 15 steals a piece in their final two games at the B.Y.U. Holiday Classic. Their average of 11.2 steals per game leads the BIG EAST Conference and ranks among the national leaders. 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 and Liberty. As a result, Gause leads the BIG EAST lead and ranks among the national leaders with 3.29 steals per game and freshman Eugene Harvey is 10th in the conference with 1.94 steals per game.
LAING LIKES UTAH
Junior Brian Laing has clearly found a second home...Utah. In three games at the B.Y.U. Holiday Classic, he averaged 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Laing led the Pirates in scoring in all three games and added career double-doubles #3 and #4. For his efforts, Laing was named to the B.Y.U. Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team. BYU’s Keena Young was named the tournament’s M.V.P.
SEEING 20/20
Five Pirates have scored at least 20 points this season, and the mark has been reached 12 times. Junior Brian Laing leads the team with five 20-point games, freshman Eugene Harvey has had three, junior Jamar Nutter has had two and freshman Larry Davis and sophomore Paul Gause have both had one each. Against Rutgers, Laing and Harvey topped 20-point mark. Both members of that scoring tandem are among the Top 10 in the BIG EAST in scoring. Laing is averaging 17.2 points per game, while Harvey is averaging 16.3.
AN IMPRESSIVE STARTER
As the season continues, freshman Larry Davis continues to blossom as a major contibutor. He has started the last three games and in fourth starts this season is averaging 12.3 points, and 4.5 rebounds - a far cry from his 8.8 points and 3.7 rebounds overall.
HARVEY, DAVIS LOVE PA TEAMS
The highest scoring output by a Seton Hall player this season was 27 points accomplished by a pair of freshmen against Pennsylvania teams. Eugene Harvey scored his career-high 27 points against Penn State on Dec. 9. He played all 40 minutes and also pulled down five rebounds. Larry Davis matched Harvey with 27 against Penn on Dec. 23. He also added 10 rebounds for his first double-double. The totals are the highest individual point totals for a Seton Hall freshman since John Allen scored 31 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson on Dec. 31, 2001.
NO PAUSE IN GAUSE
Sophomore sparkplug Paul Gause has made three 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. Against Liberty and Rutgers, Gause made a steal in the final moments of the game which sealed the victories for the Pirates. Gause finished that game with 14 points and five steals. Currently, he leads the BIG EAST lead in steals per game (3.29) and ranks among the national leaders.
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.
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.
LIVE AUDIO STREAM
Go to www.shupirates.com to hear a live web audio stream of all Seton Hall men’s basketball games this season. Gary Cohen and Dave Popkin will bring you all the action.
DOUBLE YOUR FUN
The Pirates have recorded six double-doubles this season. Brian Laing picked up his third and fourth double-doubles of the season against Oral Roberts and Liberty in the B.Y.U. Holiday Classic. Laing’s first career double-double came with a 25-point, 12-rebound performance vs. FDU. Two Pirates, freshmen Eugene Harvey and Larry Davis, both recorded their first career double-doubles in a win over Pennsylvania on Dec. 23. Harvey had 14 points and 11 assists. Davis had career-highs of 27 points and 10 rebounds.
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.
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 Billet joins the SHU staff after five seasons as an assistant at Monmouth. As a player, Billet 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.
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.
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.
LOOKING AHEAD
SETON HALL at MARQUETTE
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 8:00 p.m. ET
Bradley Center Milwaukee, Wisc.
TV: ESPN 360
Radio: WQEW 1560 AM / WSOU 89.5 FM
Seton Hall vs. Marquette: Tied, 1-1
NOTEBOOK: The Pirates will travel to Milwaukee, Wisc. to face Marquette for the first time on the road in the program’s history. The series is tied, 1-1, all-time with Seton Hall’s lone win coming on a neutral floor on March 17, 1956. Last season, the Golden Eagles defeated the Pirates, 67-63 at Continental Airlines Arena.
Marquette features three players averaging in double-digit scoring, led by Dominic James who is averaging 16.5 points per game. The Golden Eagles were picked to finish fourth in the BIG EAST this season and so far have not disappointed, racing to a 16-4 overall record and a 3-2 mark in conference play.
