BIG EAST TOP POINT GUARDS 2008-2009: 7) EUGENE HARVEY

November 5, 2008


Another player sliding down our rankings this year is Eugene Harvey of Seton Hall. At first glance, number of 13 points, 5 assists and 2 steals a game for a sophomore floor general is very solid. However, considering that at the end of December, Harvey was averaging 18.4 points a game, he definitely slid once conference play began.

The worry we had heading into last year was if Harvey would adapt into a point guard looking to make the team better after coming in and scoring a lot as a freshman. His rookie campaign saw him average 16.5 points a game, but with some added talent to help him as a sophomore, Harvey seemed to struggle in managing the game, and it showed as the season wore on and the tough Big East conference began to take its toll.

The Pirates lost eight of their last 10 games and Harvey struggled mightily in those final 10 games, averaging just 7 points a game, shooting 30% from the field, 12.5% from three point range and averaging a tough to swallow 4.6 turnovers a contest. Not numbers you want from your lead guard.

Still, writers for the NBE Basketball Report see promise in Harvey and his playmaking skills from his days at St. Benedict's prep where he showed the ability to be a true point guard. This season, Bobby Gonzalez needs Harvey to step up his leadership, and his appointment as captain this year should be a positive sign he is taking a leadership role. If Seton Hall is to ever improve their NCAA basketball odds of reaching the post-season this year, having their point guard on the same page of the coach is going to play a big role of making it happen.