BET GAME PREVIEW: SETON HALL VS SYRACUSE

March 11, 2009


Seton Hall just will not go away. And, if you think Syracuse is in for a walk through Central Park tonight, think again. The Pirates dispatched South Florida in the Bulls Garden debut last night, 68-54, as NYC natives Jeremy Hazell (23), Eugene Harvey (16) and Robert Mitchell (13) combined for 52 points as the Pirates rallied from a two-point halftime deficit. With friends and family in the stands again tonight, look for SHU to give the Orange everything they have left.

Syracuse comes into the 2009 Big East Tournament as the #6-seed, having won four in a row, highlighted by Saturday's overtime victory at Marquette. Syracuse aims to increase their momentum heading to the 2009 NCAA Tournament as they look to make their return after back-to-back NIT appearances.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's nightcap:

Orange Survived, Then Thrived (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Orange Scouting Report: SU vs. SHU (Syracuse Post-Standard)
SHU Knocks off USF in Big East Tournament (Star-Ledger)
Seton Hall Coach Bobby Gonzalez Surviving, Maturing (Star-Ledger)


This is a game that Bobby Gonzalez can not wait to coach in. These two teams met to open Big East play just prior to the New Year, but 'Gonzo' was not on the Pirate bench due to a one-game suspension for remarks and actions following a loss to Rutgers to conclude the 2007-2008 regular season. The Pirates were embarrassed in the Carrier Dome that night, in a game that was really not even that close.

While SHU was firing away blanks from beyond the arc, going 2-27 from three-point range, they were letting Syracuse do anything they wanted to on the offensive end. The Orange put five in double figures, led by Andy Rautins' 26 points.

That was then, this is certainly 'the now.' The Pirates were without John Garcia in that game and they are a much better team with him available. His size and experience will allow him to go toe-to-toe with SU big man Arinze Onuaku. The Orange definitely have the size advantage as they also start 6'9 sophomore Rick Jackson, and although SHU will use a smaller line-up, SU will not likely be deterred as they will employ their standard 2-3 zone defense against SHU.

In the first game tge SU zone led to the Pirates just bombing away from three-point range to no avail. Tonight, in order to compete, it will be imperative for Eugene Harvey to run an efficient zone offense, attacking the seams and finding players in position for good shots.

In the first game, SHU also pushed tempo and the game quickly turned into something you would see in the summer on the AAU circuit. It is a style that the Orange love to play with Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf attacking the basket in transition for lay-ups and if, by chance, SHU got back on defense, Andy Rautins was open for the three. And, on the rare occasions they missed, Jackson or Onuaku were there to gobble up second chance opportunities.

SHU simply can't afford to let the game turn into that kind of track meet against the Orange again. They will need to play defense, try and keep SU off the boards and strike quickly, but intelligently on offense.

Syracuse is playing pretty well right now and they are mighty confident. While that trait seems to be pretty consistent with this group, their play has been backing up the confidence they have in themselves of late. In the end, they are the better, deeper and more experienced team, and that will lead to a solid win, but expect SHU to make their share of runs at them.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 81
Seton Hall 72

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BET GAME PREVIEW: SOUTH FLORIDA VS SETON HALL

March 10, 2009


Another recent rematch from two weeks ago takes place in the nightcap of the opening round of the 2009 Big East Tournament when Seton Hall faces South Florida.

Seton Hall earned the 11th seed in the conference tournament when they rallied in the second half and ended up beating Cincinnati in overtime on the road Saturday. Bobby Gonzalez's team has continued to play hard all season with just seven eligible scholarship players and will look to earn a Big East Tourney win at the Bulls' expense.


Tonight is a first for the USF program as they are competing in their very first conference tournament game since joining the Big East. Previously, the Big East only invited the top 12 finishers to Madison Square Garden for the annual 'Garden Party', but with the expansion of the conference tourament to all 16 teams, the Bulls have been welcomed in.


Here are some pregame stories and previews from around the internet:

At Last, USF Bulls Feels they Belong in Big East (St. Pete Times)
Bulls Back at Garden (Tampa Tribune)
Seton Hall Enters Postseason with chip on their Shoulder (Star-Ledger)
Bulls Arrive in 'Garden' in Good Spirits (Tampa Tribune)

The Bulls are coming off a pitiful performance on Saturday afternoon when they lost at Rutgers 45-42. USF shot just 29.8% from the field as they fell to 4-14 in the Big East. While the four wins represented the most in a single Big East season for USF, they still have a long ways to go to become a challenger in this conference.

On February 25th, USF saw Seton Hall pull away from a two-point halftime lead to beat the Bulls 75-60 at the Prudential Center, just across the river from NYC in Newark (NJ). In that game, Dominique Jones (20), Augustus Gilchrist (20) and Alex Rivas-Sanchez (18) combined for 58 of the USF 60 points. Only Eladio Espinosa added another two points to the total.

The Bulls will need similar games from that trip as well as some production from Chris Howard and senior Jesus Verdejo, who has missed much of the last three weeks because of injury. Verdejo gave it a go against SHU the first time, but the Bulls second leading scorer was held scoreless in 21 minutes.

Jerem Hazell led SHU in the first meeting, scoring 20, and he also had help from Robert Mitchell (17) and Eugene Harvey (15) in the win. While the Pirates are not deep, neither are the Bulls, and the top five or six that Seton Hall will use is more talented, especially offensively.

The NCAA Basketball Odds have Seton Hall favored by 5 1/2-points tonight. This should be a relatively easy win for Bobby Gonzalez's team.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Seton Hall 78
South Florida 68

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SETON HALL @ CINCINNATI

March 7 , 2009


Cincinnati will host Seton Hall in the Big East regular season finale for both teams on Saturday afternoon. The Bearcats will look to finish the regular season at .500 (9-9) in the Big East and hold out hope that a few wins next week in the 2009 Big East Tournament will get them back into the NCAA Tournament discussion.

For Seton Hall, hopes of at least an NIT bid seem to be fading and a loss in this contest will certainly put those dreams to rest. The Pirates are 6-11 in the Big East, losers of five of their last six, and 15-14 overall.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet:

Unusual Senior Day for UC (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Bearcats Plan Includes more Fans (Cincinnati Enquirer)

This game will bring a contrast of style as Seton Hall will look to push the pace and outscore their opponent while Cincinnati will work for good shots and create opportunities with their defense.

One area Seton Hall can exploit Cincinnati is with their fullcourt press. The Bearcats are a little short on ballhandlers as Deonta Vaughn is forced to double as the point guard and top scoring threat, leaving him surrounded by young backcourt mates that could get in a hurry as Seton Hall pushes the pace towards frantic levels.

On the other hand, SHU does not have much depth inside and Yancy Gates is a strong freshman in the paint that could have a very big game. Even with the absence of Mike Williams, UC has size and depth in the paint.

The Pirates will have Jeremy Hazell bombing away from the outside with Eugene Harvey breaking down the defense and Robert Mitchell scoring in a variety of ways. This is a game with the amount of offensive talent SHU has, they can compete and even win if they were to dedicate themselves on defense and finding one more player to help on the boards inside.

However, in the season finale, expect the home team to be able to play the game on their terms and this will lead to a win for UC.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Cincinnati 73
Seton Hall 67

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SETON HALL LOOKS TO HALT CARDS' BIG EAST TITLE CHASE

March 4, 2009



Louisville has (T-)willed themselves into position to claim the Big East regular season crown and there is going to be a lot of emotion in Freedom Hall tonight as the fans take the opportunity to bid farewell to the seniors on the UL roster. They will also get a chance to honor Earl Clark, a junior, who has made his intentions of heading to the NBA after this season very clear.

Terrence Williams, Andre McGee and Will Scott will be the trio of seniors playing their final game in Freedom Hall and the Louisville faithful will be very determined to help send them out on a high note with a win over visiting Seton Hall.

The Pirates also have something to play for as they hope to do enough in the regular season to have a shot at a bid to the NIT following the 2009 Big East Tournamant next week at Madison Square Garden. The Pirates are 15-13 overall, 6-10 in the Big East, so the odds are quite slim as a win over Louisville or Cincinnati, both road games, will likely be needed prior to NYC.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's game:

Farewell to four Who Fared Well (Louisville Courier-Journal)
Louisville’s Scott Closing in on MBA, Not NBA (SportingNews.com)
UL Senior Day: Feast for the Eyes, Ears (Courier-Journal)

Last season Seton Hall upset Louisville in the Prudential Center, a fact that Rick Pitino will likely use to help motivate his squad, who last season finished one-game behind Georgetown in the regular season standings. This season, Louisville can claim at least a share of the regular season crown by beating the Pirates and West Virginia this week to close out the regular season. So, with senior night and the regular season title on the line, not to mention the possibility of a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament as well, there is plenty at stake for the Cards.

Seton Hall seemed to unravel a bit against Pittsburgh in their final home game before a sell-out crown Saturday night at 'The Rock' in Newark (NJ). The Pirates lost 89-78, but Pitt led by as much as 19 before a surge in the final minute against the Panthers' walk-ons made the final a bit more cosmetically pleasing. Seton Hall was assessed three technical fouls in the game and their frantic team personality seems to wear on opponents, officials and, even in some cases, each other at times.

The Pirates will likely try and create a frantic pace against UL and turn Cardinal miscues into quick points, usually with Jeremy Hazell firing away from the three-point line. However, unlike most nights, SHU will see a team looking to press them as well, so while the pace of the game may be in the SHU comfort zone, UL just has more players, and more talented players, to make it work for them.

The college basketball betting odds list UL as a 16 1/2-point favorite in tonight's game. With the emotion and high stakes for the Cards, expect them to put forth a strong effort, especially on the defensive end of the court.


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Louisville 85
Seton Hall 67

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: PITTSBURGH @ SETON HALL

February 28, 2009


Seton Hall and Pittsburgh meet Saturday night at the Prudential Center in Newark (NJ) in front of a sellout crowd as the Pirate faithful hope to send off senior Paul Gause a winner in his home finale. In order to do so, they will have to do a first in their history, knock off the #1 team in the country.

While Pitt may be ranked #1, it certainly seems to have been forgotten as the Panthers were stunned on Tuesday night in Providence. The Frairs swarmed a lethargic group of Panthers, closing the first half on a 15-1 run to take a 44-26 halftime lead and held off a charge from Pitt that was too little too late in a 81-73 upset.

While it took Pitt nearly 30 minutes to wake up on Tuesday as they cut a 20-point deficit to five, that lack of focus to begin the game costs them. They will be heading into another charged atmosphere on Saturday night, but you can definitely expect the Panthers to be playing with a little more urgency on both ends of the floor to begin the game Saturday.

Seton Hall is likely to come out and try to push the Panthers into a frantic pace and hope to draw some fouls against the Panthers, especially big man DeJuan Blair. The Pirates are very thin, but they have some offensive talent and could cause some problems for Pitt on defense with dribble penetration and spreading the floor. If they can get Pitt on their heels and able to break down the defense off the dribble, they could challenge Blair and possibly get him in foul trouble.

The other aspect offensively that SHU will hope to have clicking is the three-ball, especially from Jeremy Hazell. If Hazell can knock down a few three’s, it could cause Pitt to go to a smaller line-up to match-up with the Pirates and it will also get the crowd in a frenzy. Hazell has the ability to get on a big time roll from the arc, and if that happens, look out.

Pitt will need Levance Fields to control the tempo and feed Sam Young and Blair on offense. Those two should be nearly unstoppable near or around the basket and SHU will likely have to concede some points in the paint. The dangerous one is Young, when he gets his offense going, his all-around game seems to pick up considerably. If he attacks the basket and knocks down some mid-range shots early, he is tough to stop and opens more room for Blair to dominate the offensive boards. John Garcia will have his hands full against Blair, who is bulkier and more athletic than Garcia.

Seton Hall is likely to put up one of their best efforts of the season in this game. However, Pitt coming off the loss at PC will likely have the Panthers ready to put forth a big effort on their end. While SHU will excite the home crowd at times, look for Pitt to slowly take control and use their depth and strength inside to come up with a win.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Pittsburgh 78
Seton Hall 72

Seton Hall Determined to Make Postseason for Paul Gause (Star-Ledger)
Pitt Hopes to Avoid Deja Vu Against Seton Hall (Tribune-Review)
Young, Fields Flying Under the Radar (Tribune-Review)

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SOUTH FLORIDA @ SETON HALL

February 25, 2009


Seton Hall, 5-9 in Big East and 14-12 overall, hostsd South Florida, 3-11 Big East and 8-18 overall, in a Big East conference match-up Wednesday night at the Prudential Center in Newark (NJ).

The Pirates look to return home after a road loss at St. John's Sunday evening and snap a three-game losing streak at the expense of the Bulls. After dropping their first six conference games, SHU rebounded with five straight wins to build some momentum and reach 5-6 in the Big East. It was the second straight year the Pirates have had a five-game winning streak in Big East play, the hope to make sure those are not the only five wins in the conference.

USF had a season highlight win over Marquette earlier this month. They have matched their Big East-best three conference wins by also sweeping DePaul in their home and home and now will try to get their fourth conference win tonight as they travel to Newark.

Last season the game between USF and SHU went right down to the wire with Seton Hall pulling out a 79-75 win at USF. If the Bulls are able to reverse the tables and grab a win on the road they will need Dominique Jones to carry the load offensively and also a healthy Jesus Verdejo to be a strong offensive contributor.

Despite a thin roster, SHU does possess some offensive firepower, led by shooter Jeremy Hazell and will look to push the tempo and get the Bulls into a track meet. If that gameplan is to be successful in the Big East, they will need a strong floor game from point guard Eugene Harvey, who is coming off a horrible game at St. John's. Feeling the effects of an allergic reaction, Harvey finished the game scoreless and committing five turnovers. SHU can not afford for Harvey to go into a tailspin to close out the season, similar to last season, so a bounceback game from Bobby Gonzalez's point guard is needed.

All in all, SHU has more talent than USF and should find scoring to be quite easy against the Bulls. While USF is certainly going to put forth the effort, they simply do not have the size or the depth to take advantage of the SHU shortcomings.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Seton Hall 76
South Florida 63


USF Continues to Fight as Season Nears End (St. Pete Times)
Bulls' Guard Verdejo Probable for Seton Hall (St. Pete Times)

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SETON HALL @ ST. JOHN'S

February 22, 2009

In a rematch of a February 5th contest, won by Seton Hall 91-81, St. John’s looks to even the score between the two teams when they meet on the SJU campus in Carnesecca Arena Sunday afternoon.

Once again it is a season of streaks for SHU. After beginning conference play 0-6, the Pirates rattled off five straight wins against the lower third of the Big East. Since that streak, SHU has lost two in a row, although they played fairly well, against UConn and Marquette. Now, with USF coming to Newark on Wednesday, the Pirates hope to build some momentum for a tough finishing stretch.

St. John’s made a late rally to make the final score in Thursday’s match-up with Duke look closer than the game really was. The Redstorm are 3-10 in the Big East and are currently mired in a five-game losing streak.

This is a key game for both programs who recruit many of the same players in the NYC/NJ metro area. Bobby Gonzalez has made it pretty clear he circles the local rivalry games and thus far this season they have already swept NJ-rival Rutgers and are looking to complete the sweep against SJU, but much to his dismay, it will have to be accomplished on the Queens campus at Carnesecca Arena and not at Madison Square Garden.

The Redstorm has been hit hard by injuries all season long. They are likely as healthy as they will be for this game with Malik Boothe, Justin Burrell and Rob Thomas all in the line-up after missing some time throughout the season. Their best player, Anthony Mason Jr, was lost for the year in November.

The key to this game will be the Redstorm defense on Jeremy Hazell. A good strategy would be to put DJ Kennedy on him and make his assignment to contest everything. SHU does have other scoring options outside of Hazell, but his three’s seem to ignite the Pirates and for them to win on the road he is likely to need to be ‘on’.

This should be a pretty intense game, but the SHU pressure defense really pushed the pace in the first meeting, leading to the SHU win. If the Redstorm do not get better guard play and control the pace, the same thing is likely to happen.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Seton Hall 80
St. John’s 75

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SHU LOOKS TO KNOCK OFF MARQUETTE

February 17, 2009


Marquette broke their brief two-game slide Saturday by returning home and bouncing St. John's, 73-59, behind a strong defensive effort, much better than the one that allowed 102 points in their previous game. After beginning conference play 9-0, Marquette lost on the road to South Florida and Villanova before the win of the Redstorm this weekend.

Seton Hall started conference play 0-6 before a five-game win streak breathed life back into the Pirates. That streak was ended on Saturday in a 62-54 loss on their home floor to UConn. Despite a valiant effort by junior John Garcia, the Pirates fell as Hasheem Thabeet dominated with 25 points, 20 rebounds and 9 blocked shots.

Marquette is led by the school's all-time leading scorer Jerel McNeal and his senior classmate backcourt partners Dominic James and Wesley Mathews. They will be tested by the SHU trip of Eugene Harvey, Paul Gause and Jeremy Hazell. Each team will use a small forward as their 'big' forward with Lazar Hayward of the Golden Eagles matched up with SHU's Robert Mitchell. John Garcia has a favorable match-up in the paint in this one, if the pace of the game is played more in his favor, like it was on Saturday.

Seton Hall went to a more deliberate pace against UConn this weekend, something out of the norm for the Pirates. While they never really threatened in the game, they kept it close and fought to the end. Marquette will look to push the tempo and if SHU gets pulled in, it will be very interesting, because this is one game where SHU would have an advantage in size AND depth in the paint.

However, the home team with the veteran backcourt is usually more effective in dictating the pace. If that is the case, Marquette should be very comfortable in this game and score a lot of points. The track meet could make Garcia a non-factor and lead to a Golden Eagles win.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Marquette 91
Seton Hall 77

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SETON HALL TRIED TO KNOCK OFF NO. 1 UCONN

February 14, 2009


The two hottest teams in the Big East collide in a high noon showdown at the Prudential Center in Newark (NJ) on Saturday. The Connecticut Huskies, winners of 12 in a row and currently ranked No. 1 in the nation take on…Seton Hall? Yes, that’s right folks, outside of UConn’s 12-game win streak, the SHU win streak of five is the second longest in the conference now after Villanova’s loss last night.

Connecticut enters Saturday’s contest with an 11-1 Big East mark and a 23-1 overall record. The Husky defense has been devastating in recent weeks and they have not allowed more than 61 points in a game since January 21st, a stretch of six games where opponents are averaging just 55 points a game and just 0.815 points per possession.

With college basketball’s most intimidating eraser in the post, 7-foot-3 Hasheem Thabeet, the game plan and preparation of opponents is altered as often as their shots on gameday.

“For Thabeet we’re going to use a hockey stick for a couple of days to try to get ready for it,” SHU coach Bobby Gonzalez said this week in the coach’s conference call with media members.

For Seton Hall, 5-6 in the Big East, a date with the Huskies can be a true measuring stick of their progress this season. The Pirates began conference play 0-6, but have rebounding with five consecutive losses. However, UConn has more conference wins (11) than the aggregate total of the five SHU victims (9-48).

Seton Hall began their streak as the worst (statistically) defensive and rebounding team in the Big East. However, in their five wins, they have limited opponents to 63.4 points a game and a point per possession ratio of 0.97, which is a bit better than their seasonal mark of 0.996 according to www.kenpom.com. In their six losses, SHU allowed 90.5 points a game and 1.23 points per possession. How bad is that mark? Well, of the 344 teams in Divison 1-A basketball, the worst ratio for any team on the season is 1.21.


Here are some pregame stories and previews on the contest:

Huskies Get First Look at What Life After Dyson Looks Like Today (Middletown Press)
Seton Hall Coach Bobby Gonzalez has Never Seen Anything like Hasheem Thabeet (Star-Ledger)
UConn Begins Life After Dyson (Connecticut Post)
Seton Hall Center Leads With His Legs (NY Times)
UConn Men: Stand or Fall (Journal Inquirer)


So, on Saturday we will get a chance to see where SHU is. There are some factors in their favor. One, UConn is dealing with an injury situation as junior guard Jerome Dyson is out indefinitely after tearing the lateral meniscus of his right knee in Wednesday’s 63-49 win over Syracuse. Two, UConn likely can’t help but peek at least a little bit toward Monday’s huge top five showdown with Pittsburgh. And, three, Seton Hall is a confident crew that has their coach believing big things are ahead.
“Seton Hall has been playing basketball for 105 years and they’ve never beaten a team that’s No. 1 in the country, not ever,” Gonzalez said in the conference call. “[UConn] is always going to be great, I’m sure. But eventually we’re going to beat them.”

Will that eventually come on Saturday? That is probably too tall of a task right now for SHU. Although they have a starting five that can play with anyone straight-up, it is when adjustments need to be made and different looks that SHU has no answer for while other teams can go to their bench or call on a different style of play.

SHU guard Jeremy Hazell is the league’s second leading scorer and will be looking to bomb away and he has the confidence to get hot and keep the Pirates in it. But in the end, Thabeet and Jeff Adrien are too much muscle inside and AJ Price is a steadying influence on the perimeter and veterans Craig Austrie and Stanley Robinson have stepped up before when Dyson missed time due to a suspension last year, look for them to do it again this season.


NBE Blogger Preview:

Connecticut 78
Seton Hall 64

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SHU LOOKS TO EXTEND WIN STREAK AT DEPAUL

February 10, 2009


Will DePaul win a Big East game this season? Tonight might be their best opportunity when Seton Hall visits Allstate Arena. If the Blue Demons were to play the Pirates, this might be the best time to do so. Seton Hall is coming off a hard-fought road win over rival Rutgers, 65-60, on Sunday and has a quick turnaround to play DePaul. SHU is not a deep team, playing six players for the most part, and this will be their third game in a six-day span.

DePaul is coming off a 92-69 home loss to Pittsburgh. At times, the Blue Demons looked ok, but they could not sustain good play for stretches and had no answer in the paint for DeJuan Blair.


Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight’s game found on the web:

DePaul’s Jabari Currie Done for the Season (Chicago Tribune)
Blue Demons Still Searching for Big East Win (Courier News)

So, will DePaul win a Big East game this season? The odds of a team, with some talent like the Blue Demons, going 0-18 in the Big East are long, but if anyone can do it, DePaul looks like a perfect candidate. They are already well on their way, being swept by USF in a home and away series and losing to Rutgers and St. John’s by double digits. They have lost their last four games by an average of 20 points, including the last two at home, by 15 to Marquette and 23 to Pittsburgh on Saturday. Now, Seton Hall, who has won four in a row, will pay a visit as DePaul looks to salvage something in this three-game home stand.

Seton Hall, a 2 ½-point favorite on the road, started Big East play 0-6, but has turned the ship around winning four straight. While the wins have come against the bottom of the Big East with two over Rutgers (1-10 in the Big East) and victories against St. John’s (3-8) and Georgetown (4-7), teams with a combined conference mark of 9-35, SHU seems to have separated themselves from that pack. Now, they look to make 0-11 DePaul their next victim.

Everyone knows SHU is not deep, especially in the frontcourt where gimpy John Garcia guts his way through games, but DePaul is not very deep either. The starting line-up for SHU is definitely talented, sometimes inconsistent and prone to curious decision-making and shot selection, but they love to pull teams into a playground-type of frenzied play. DePaul’s biggest problem, one stretching Jerry Wainwright’s entire tenure in Lincoln Park, has been the inability of their point guards to control the pace and dictate the game. If they fail to do so tonight, they could be run out of their own building, once again.

DePaul has some talent, led by sophomore’s Dar Tucker and Mac Koshwal, but the drop-off to the rest of the team is steep. Outside of Will Walker, their top duo has little help at all. That line-up can not get it done in the Big East.

Seton Hall, playing better, is a 2 1/2-point favorite on the road…’nuff said.

NBE Blogger Preview:

Seton Hall 76
DePaul 67

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SETON HALL/RUTGERS REMATCH

February 8, 2009

It is already time for the rematch between Garden State rivals on Sunday when Rutgers and Seton Hall square off at high noon at the RAC. Just 10 days earlier, Seton Hall held off a late Rutgers rally for a 70-67 win in the always hotly contested match-up.

Seton Hall is riding the momentum of a three-game winning streak in the contest which has been largely thanks to the extremely hot hand of Jeremy Hazell. The sophomore scorer-extraordinaire scored 35 in the win over Rutgers, with 28 coming in the second half. In his last outing, a 91-81 SHU win over St. John’s, Hazell scored 31 more.

Rutgers finally got their first Big East win of the year as they beat up on punching bag DePaul last weekend. They followed that up with a 57-47 setback at Georgetown and now face their rivals, looking for revenge from the earlier defeat.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on the game:

Friendly Rivals (Asbury Park Press)
Mike Rosario is Still Working Hard for Rutgers as SHU Comes to the RAC (NJ.com)
RU vs. SHU: The Sequel (mycentraljersey.com)

We keep waiting for Rutgers to show some progress and improvement in Fred Hill’s third season as head coach. The Scarlet Knights were 2-14 and 3-15 in his first two seasons and there was some hype surrounding this year’s club with the additions of Mike Rosario and Greg Echenique. However, it has not translated into success on the court as RU is just 1-9 in the Big East this season.

Rosario has done his part as one of the top freshman in the Big East, unfortunately, the team around him often plays in a dysfunctional manner with little flow on offense and often playing into the opponents preferred style.

Seton Hall will try and get Rutgers into their manic style of basketball. That is often easier done at home than on the road where the crowd and officials can be more favorable to tilt the game in their favor. Now, they will have to get back onto the road and see if their momentum of three straight wins will carry over.

The Pirates just finished a four-game home stand, winning their last three, and now face RU and DePaul on the road before the schedule toughens once again. They certainly have some impressive offensive talent, now they will have to come together on the road for a win.

The college basketball lines this morning show Rutgers as a 1 ½-point favorite on their home floor. While SHU looks to be the better team, Rutgers is likely to play this game as it is their season on their home floor. Look for the Knights to come out with a win, in a very intense battle between the two Jersey schools of the Big East.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Rutgers 73
Seton Hall 70

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: ST. JOHN'S @ SETON HALL

February 5, 2009


The Seton Hall Pirates, on a current two-game win streak, host Norm Roberts and his St. John's Redstorm at the Prudential Center in Newark (NJ) tonight in a Big East match-up. SHU beat Rutgers, 70-67, in their last game behind 35 points from Jeremy Hazell and are 2-6 in Big East play.

The Redstorm have won two of three, beating Rutgers, 70-59, and South Florida, 65-48, at home and losing 75-52 at West Virginia in between. SJU is 3-6 in the Big East.

Pregame stories and previews:

St. John's & Seton Hall Ready for Battle (NY Daily News)

The 'storm received a nice lift to their line-up with the return of Malik Boothe and Rob Thomas from injury in their last game, a win over USF. Boothe had not played since a December 21st loss to Virginia Tech because of an injured thumb. Being the lone SJU true point guard, coach Roberts was anxious to get him back on the court and the sophomore logged 37 minutes against USF.

Thomas provides an offensive lift off the bench, and had scored in double digits in four of five games before injuring a groin in the 1st half of a loss to UConn on January 15th. He had six points in 18 minutes in his return.

SJU had already lost Anthony Mason Jr for the season, so this is probably as full of a compliment of players as they will have this season. Boothe moves back into a backcourt that has a very hot player next to him, Paris Horne. The 6'3 sophomore is averaging a team-best 14.4 points a game, but that number is 18.8 in the last six contests. Fellow sophomore DJ Kennedy, a 6'6 wing, averages 13 points and a team-high 6.8 rebounds for SJU.

Seton Hall is led by Jeremy Hazell, one of the nation's top scorers at 23.4 points a game. The 35-point performance was one of his five 30-pt plus games this year and he averages 24.8 points in Big East games. Hazell has the green light to launch from nearly anywhere at anytime and has the confidence to make them in any situation, no matter how many he has made, or missed, previously.

Robert 'Stix Mitchell adds 15.7 points and game and point guard Eugene Harvey averages nearly 13 points and 5 assists a game. Much is made of the short SHU roster and lack of depth that really hurts their frontcourt, but they definitely have some guys that can fill it up offensively.

The 9 PM contest is being shown by ESPN and the early college basketball odds have Seton Hall favored by 5 1/2 points on their home floor.

Being at home, you have to believe the Pirate offense will outshine the St. John's defensive effort. Their is not a lot of room for error for Seton Hall with a thin roster, but Hazell can certainly carry the load offensively and the frantic pace will likly take St. John's out of their game.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Seton Hall 76
St. John's 67

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: RU-SHU GARDEN STATE RIVALRY RENEWED

January 29, 2009


The battle of New Jersey in the Big East will commence tonight in Newark at the Prudential Center, aka 'the Rock', as Seton Hall will welcome in Rutgers.

This is as true of a rivalry game as there is. In many cases, it is the fans that get worked up for a rivalry game, but this is one that the players, coaches and everyone else associated with each school and program has a deep desire to win.

Last season the two teams split their two meetings, each winning on the other's home court in thrilling fashion. The second meeting, the RU win at Seton Hall, set off quite an interesting post-game with Bobby Ganzalez's tantrum toward the officials that led to his one-game suspension that was served in their conference-opening loss to Syracuse last month. From the handshake between the coaches after the game to the postgame comments, this was a rivalry game that meant something.

Here are some pregame stories and previews from the internet this morning on the game:

Rutgers' Farmer is Approaching 1,000 Points, but all he Wants are Wins (Press of Atlantic City)
Rutgers, Seton Hall Reunite at the Rock (Asbury Park Press)
Rutgers, Seton Hall Excited to Renew Rivalry (Star-Ledger)
Scouting Report for Rutgers-Seton Hall (Asbury Park Press)
SHU Not Taking Rutgers Lightly as RU Looks for First Big East Win
Rutgers Freshman Rosario Makes Most of Transition (NY Times)

Never mind the fact that Rutgers and Seton Hall have a combined Big East W/L record of 1-13. Records will mean very little for the two+ hours that the Scarlet Knights and Pirates will battle tonight in Newark. One could be undefeated and the other winless and this game would still be a battle that will have fans from both schools at the edge of their seats.

There is no question that Rutgers has been a disappointment. While most reasonable prognosticators felt Rutgers would win six, maybe seven in the Big East this season, they are looking like a team that will struggle to exceed last year's total of three conference wins, even matching that will be difficult if they do not find a way to pull out a win very soon.

With star Jersey recruits in Mike Rosario and Greg Echenique making the highly publicized decisions to stay in the Garden State for their college careers, Fred Hill's program was one many thought would begin to rise from the ashes of the Big East cellar. The duo was to join sophomores Corey Chandler and Mike Coburn, junior Hamady N'Diaye and seniors JR Inman and Anthony Farmer to form a line-up capable of playing with the top teams, winning their share against the middle of the pack and pulling themselves out of the bottom. So far, none of that has happened.

While the schedule has not been much of a help, RU has not helped themselves by losing by double-digits on the roas to St. John's and Cincinnati. When looking at RU, you can't really pinpoint their biggest weakness other than they do not have 'it.' What exactly 'it' is can vary from one explanation to the next, but this team seems to have some form of a dis-connect somewhere, which leads to the poor results. Progress was needed in the third year of Fred Hill's tenure, not an 0-7 start with a season looking to be going down the drain quickly like his previous two, and with it is likely any recruiting momentum built with the signings of Echenique and Rosario.

Seton Hall picked up their first conference win on Saturday with a 65-60 win over slumping and floundering Georgetown. The Pirates have also not had much luck with a tough early conference schedule, but they also had lost two of their last three out of the conference to the likes of IUPUI (home) and James Madison (away). The schedule eases significantly now with Rutgers twice in 11 days and St. John's at home in the middle and DePaul following the second meeting with RU. That is as winnable of a four game stretch any team will face in the Big East this season and the Georgetown win has given Bobby Gonzalez's team a new thrust of energy.

The Pirates are led by long-range bomber Jeremy Hazell and forward Robert 'Stix' Mitchell going inside and out. Point guard Eugene Harvey runs the show with defensive dynamo Paul Gause, the lone SHU senior, teamming in the backcourt with him.

Where the Pirates are really thin is the frontcourt where oft-injured John Garcia, the under-performing Mike Davis (fouled out in two minutes against Georgetown) and the still-developing Brandon Walters make up the ranks. Walk-on Matt Cajuste has been getting playing time lately to help counter the lack of depth.

Will Rutgers take advantage of their size advantage with JR Inman, Echenique and N'Diaye inside? They have been too content much of the season to let Rosario shoot them into, or just as easily, out of games. Rosario will likly bethe target of the SHU defense and the fans. If RU can find some sort of balance offensively, they would be helping themselves out tremendously.

In the end, SHU seems to have the confidence in themselves and each other, despite the losses. I do not see that with Rutgers. If RU is off to a slow start, it could be lights out for the game...and their season...

Seton Hall is a 7 1/2-point favorite in this game tonight.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Seton Hall 74
Rutgers 65

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: GEORGETOWN @ SETON HALL

January 25, 2009

At 2 PM in Newark (NJ), two Big East teams will tangle and both are looking to gain some footing in the conference. Seton Hall will host Georgetown and the Pirates look to avoid their 7th straight conference loss to start Big East play. On the other-hand, the Hoyas look to keep their head above water and avoid falling below .500 in Big East play.

After Pulling Off UConn Upset, Hoyas Fading Quickly (FoxSports.com)
’Blip’ Exposes Hoyas Lack of Leadership. Experience (Washington Times)

We have seen a pattern with Georgetown. Hit the boards hard and play physical defense with an athletic line-up, you will have success against them. Add in depth, and you could rough them up, even on their home court. See examples of Pittsburgh, West Virginia.

Luckily for the Hoyas, none of that is the strength of the thin and defense-challenged Seton Hall Pirates. The Pirates will score, but even with their lack of depth, they look to play fast-paced and frantic from tip to horn.

When an opposing team re-focuses and gets away from the pick-up game style to play some defense and set-up a halfcourt game, they get just about what they want. Look for Georgetown to do that often against SHU today. They Hoyas are 8 ½-point road favorites.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 78
Seton Hall 68

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SHU HOSTS PC FRIARS

January 22, 2009


The Prudential Center in Newark (NJ) is the site to an interesting Big East contest tipping off at 7 PM. The Providence Friars, who were victorious on their home court over Cincinnati on Monday, return to action to meet the Seton Hall Pirates, who are getting desperate for a win.

The Friars completed a two-game sweep of Cincinnati this season as the rebounded from a disappointing loss at home Saturday night against Marquette, where they squandered a 13-point lead.

The Friars bounced back on an extremely short turn-around to get a win over Cincinnati to keep their conference record above .500. A road win tonight would give PC a little cushion ahead of a demanding three game stretch with games against Syracuse, Connecticut and their first of two with Villanova.

For the Pirates, they have lost seven of eight games after a surprising 8-1 start to their season. The losses were not limited to the Big East either as IUPUI came into the Prudential Center and won and they dropped a road game to James Madison. With a winnable stretch of games ahead, finding confidence in being able to win in the Big East will be a must.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight’s game:

Xavier’s Toughness no Lost on SHU’s Gonzalez (Providence Journal)
PC at Seton Hall Preview (Providence Journal)


Here are two teams that are probably a little bit glad to see each other. Neither team tends to match-up very well with the brute force of many of the Big East’s top teams and both would rather get out and push the pedal to the medal a bit offensively and score some points.

With that, defense and rebounding will likely decide the winner and which team accepts the call to dictate the game in those areas will likely come out on top.

I actually believe that Providence does put their effort in on the defensive side of the ball. It will be challenged as Seton Hall will look to outscore them, but players like Geoff McDermott, Weyinmi Efejuku and Sharaud Curry have the potential to make life tough for Robert Mitchell, Jeremy Hazell and Eugene Harvey to get their points. No doubt they will get their points, but making them work a little harder for it will make Providence find it easier to get their own points.

PC will also find a little more consistency with their inside game as Randall Hanke and Jonathan Kale, while nothing exciting or special, will play consistent roles in this game. Mike Davis, John Garcia and Brandon Walters certainly could produce and play key roles, but nobody has an idea from game to game what the SHU plan is with the trio.

The linesmakers have the Friars as a slight 1 ½ point favorite. They have more depth and have shown the ability to rise defensively and on the boards to win this year in Big East play. Seton Hall, although they have played tougher teams, have yet to do so. So, until they show it…we will go with the Friars.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Providence 80
Seton Hall 74

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SETON HALL VISITS UCONN

January 18, 2009


“Right now we’re 0-4…We gotta win. We gotta find a way to win,” said Seton Hall head coach Bobby Gonzalez during this week’s Big East coach’s conference call.

That might be easier said then done. SHU, who have lost six of their last seven overall, must now travel to Hartford to take on Connecticut in a Big East conference match-up.

Since dropping their conference opener, UConn has reeled off four straight league wins, including three straight on the road. The Huskies have a schedule that builds to a crescendo down the stretch, so they hope to avoid any pitfalls along the way.

The difference between these two teams is greatest in the frontcourt. Bobby Gonzalez is well aware of the challenge his undermanned and undersized front line will face.

“They’ve got kind of an NBA front line with [Hasheem] Thabeet and Jeff Adrien,” Gonzalez said this week. “Thabeet can change a game by himself. Jeff Adrien is a warrior.”

UConn can also add 6’9 Stanley Robinson to the floor as well and you have an NBA sized trio. On the other hand, Seton Hall uses a 6’5 forward and a 6’9 center with gimpy knees and three guards…ouch.

Seton Hall will also look to run and gun, playing right into the hands of UConn’s preferred style of play as Jim Calhoun will look for freshman guard Kemba Walker to push the pace as everyone on the UConn team can get out and run. If AJ Price can find his niche with the ball in Walker’s hands more, look out…this is a team that has yet to hit their stride and are 18 ½ point favorites today.

Here are some links to pregame stories and previews found on the web:

Hazell is a Scoring Machine for Seton Hall (Connecticut Post)
UConn Taking Hall or Nothing Approach (Journal Inquirer)

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Connecticut 94
Seton Hall 74

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SETON HALL @ NOTRE DAME

January 10, 2009


Notre Dame extended their home court winning streak to 44 games on Monday with a win over Georgetown. They will look for win #45 in a row at the Joyce Center when Seton Hall comes to town on Saturday afternoon.

The Irish rebounded from a surprising loss to St. John’s last weekend and are now 2-1 in Big East play. The short-handed Pirates are 0-3 in the conference. They did show some life after blowout losses to SU and WVU to begin conference play by taking Villanova to overtime this week. We will see if they can get their first win in conference play on the Irish home court.

Here are some pregame stories and previews from the web this morning:

Notre Dame Works on Maintaining Intensity (Chicago Tribune)
ND At its Best on Edge (South Bend Tribune)
Irish Try to Avoid Pirate Overthrow (Journal Gazette)

Last year, Notre Dame blitzed Seton Hall on the road, this year they will look to do the same in South Bend. Luke Harangody should have an absolute field day in the paint and the Seton Hall tendency to give wide open shots from the perimeter bodes very well for Kyle McAlarney and Ryan Ayers.

Seton Hall will score points, and the Irish defense is certainly susceptible to yielding points, but Tory Jackson matches up very well with Eugene Harvey and SHU’s penchant for pushing the pace falls into the hands of the preferred style of the Irish. Even with the college basketball lines pointing to the Irish as 14 ½-point favorites, it seems to be a number they will sail past.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Notre Dame 87
Seton Hall 71

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: VILLANOVA @ SETON HALL

January 6, 2009


Seton Hall returns to action on their home curt, just three days after being blasted by West Virginia, 92-66, at the Prudential Center. In two Big East games, the defenseless Pirates have yielded an average of 96 points a game while being outscored by a combined 50 points in losses to WVU and Syracuse.

Villanova opened their conference slate on the road on New Year's Day and fell to Marquette in the Bradley Center in a competitive and entertaining game. The Wildcats will look to even their conference record at 1-1 when they take on the Pirates tonight.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the web today:

Villanova at Seton Hall (Sports Network)


Villanova makes the short trek from Philly to Newark (NJ) for a Big East conference match-up against the Seton Hall Pirates. Villanova lost at Marquette in Thursday's conference opener as they shot just 41% from the floor and hit ony six of 20 from three-point range in the 79-72 loss. If your offense is ailing, a game with SHU is likely to fix that.

In Big East play (2 games) opponents are shooting 55% from the field in a mix of dunks, lay-ups and open three-point shots (20-40) against SHU. sure, maybe they ran into a couple of hot-shooting teams, but the Pirates try to force tempo without numbers and the results have been a lot of easy baskets for the opposition.

Offensively, SHU is just four of 36 in two games from three-point range. Jeremy Hazell is averaging 26 points a game in the first two league games, but nobody else has been a consistent offensive threat.

A healthy John Garcia provides a big lift for the Pirates and the 'Nova post players do not have anyone with his bulk to match-up. However, the injured knee limits Garcia's effectiveness and the style of play the Pirates lean to also cancels out the effectiveness of Garcia in the paint. Quicker post players like Antonio Pena and Dante Cunningham could pose problems for Garcia and the thin SHU frontcourt.

The Villanova gaurds have not been shooting the ball very well, so it will be interesting if Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher are able to find the mark. The Pirates will try to keep Corey Stokes from getting any open looks, but if the game starts to open up, look for the sophomore shooting specialist to find his spots and dial in from long rage tonight.

The Pirates need to improve their offensive effeciency and not just work on volume in the Big East. Their shots are due to start to fall for others other than Hazell, but will they have enough inside to take advantage of Villanova's small line-up? Probably not...

With Villanova a 6 and a half point favorite according to the latest college basketball odds, the Wildcats are a good bet to even that conference record with a road win.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Villanova 78
Seton Hall 70

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: WEST VIRGINIA @ SETON HALL

January 3, 2009


West Virginia opens their Big East schedule with a trip to Newark (NJ) and a meeting with the Seton Hall Pirates. SHU opened Big East play on Tuesday and with head coach Bobby Gonzalez serving a one-game suspension, they were left defenseless against Syracuse in a 100-76 loss.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the web:

Butler Returns to Garden State (ZagsBlog.com)
Mountaineers Start Big East Play (wvmetronews.com)
WVU-SHU Preview (msnsportsnet.com)
West Virginia Begins Big East at SHU (Martinsburg Journal)
Butler, Others Excited to Be Home (Charleston Gazette)

Seton Hall was not only missing their head coach against the Orange, but their most productive big man as well as John Garcia was out with an injured left knee. The 6’8, 260 pound Garcia would bring a huge lift back to the Pirates in battling the athletic front line of the Mountaineers that love to gobble up second chance opportunities.

SHU has lost three of their last four, including a loss at James Madison and at home to IUPUI in addition to the SU debacle. Garcia has missed all four of the games. With Garcia out of the line-up, SHU is strictly a perimeter team with Jeremy Hazell, Robert Mitchell and co. teeing it up from distance often. Against SU, that was not working, but they kept trying, going two for 27 in three-point attempts. They will need many more of those shots to fall and Garcia’s presence to bring some balance to their attack.

West Virginia is coming off an impressive road win at Ohio State last weekend, 76-48, as they knocked the Buckeyes from the ranks of the unbeaten. Alex Ruoff and Da’Sean Butler have taken turns being ‘the man’ offensively as WVU looks to replace the scoring of Joe Alexander from last year’s Sweet 16 club. Freshman Darryl Bryant has been a pleasant surprise playing point guard for the injures Joe Mazzulla and Devin Ebanks continues to bring a new element to the club each time out. Add in several 6’7+ forwards like Wellington Smith, Kevin Jones, John Flowers and Dee Proby, and you see why the Mountaineers are a tough match-up, especially for a thin team like SHU.

The current NCAA basketball odds list WVU as an 8 1/2-point road favorite. While SHU will play hard from start to finish, Bob Huggins’ team will have just too many pieces in the end to lose this game.

Prediction:

West Virginia 80
Seton Hall 71

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SETON HALL @ SYRACUSE

December 30, 2008


Syracuse begins conference play at the Carrier Dome tonight when they host Seton Hall at 7 PM.

The 13th-ranked Orange are expected to have Eric Devendorf back in their line-up tonight. Devendorf, who missed the entire conference season last year with a knee injury, missed the last two games (wins at Memphis and vs. Coppin State) after a student judiciary board suspended him for the remainder of the academic year (through Spring of '09) for an altercation with a female student in the early morning hours of November 1st. The Syracuse Appeals Board withheld his suspension, however, they ammended the length and allowed Devendorf to apply for reinstatement after completing community service and other requirements. It appears as everything is in order and Devendorf, who averages 14 points a game, will return to action tonight.

For Seton Hall, their depleted line-up takes a new twist tonight as head coach Bobby Gonzalez will serve a one-game suspension following his outbursts in a regular season loss last season to Rutgers in the final game of Big East conference play in the 2007-2008 campaign. Gonzo's sideline antics have always been a point of contention with officials and administrators and his post-game remarks infuriated Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese. Before the conference acted, the SHU athletic department imposed a one-game Big East suspension on their coach.

Here are some pregame previews and stories found on the web this morning:

Syracuse Hosts Seton Hall in Big East Opener (Syracuse.com)
SU's Second Season Gets Started Tonight (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Orange Scouting Report: SU vs. SHU (Post-Standard)
Beasts of the East (Mycentraljersey.com) - with a SHU-SU preview about halfway in

The odds makers have the Orange listed as 13 1/2-point favorites to run away from the Pirates.

Seton Hall is a painfully think team and with the injury to John Garcia that is likely to keep him out of action tonight, they have virtually no inside game. Paul Harris and Arinze Omuaku should dominate the boards and with SU having athletic options off the bench that include freshmen Mookie Jones and Kris Joseph, they can go smaller, but still be quite a bit bigger than SHU. The emergence of sophomore Rick Jackson also makes the SU zone longer and bigger on the baseline.

The Pirates will most likely be forced by the SU zone to sit on the perimeter and launch three-pointers. Sophomore Jeremy Hazell might find that to his liking and the streak shooter gets more than enough shots to find a groove in nearly every game with the limited options of the Pirates. The key will be how point guard Eugene Harvey attacks the zone and manages the offense, which at times, you wonder if the Pirates have an offensive system, especially in the half court, and that does not bode well against the zone defense of SU, unless they are hitting a high volume of three's.

After losses last week to IUPUI and James Madison, the SHU faithful got something to cheer about with a blowout of in-state foe FDU on Saturday, 101-70, when Jeremy Hazell pumped in 35 points. SHU finished the pre-conference schedule at 9-3 and the fanbase would love a reason to begin scooping up Seton Hall tickets for future games. it will be a tough task to give them a reason with a win tonight in the Dome.


NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 84
Seton Hall 68

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