BOX SCORE (.html)
BOX SCORE (.pdf)
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Seton Hall men’s basketball team was on the verge of winning their fifth straight game in regulation, but Rutgers had other things in mind. The Scarlet Knights overcame a 12 point second half deficit to force overtime, but sophomore Eugene Harvey (Brooklyn, N.Y.) scored eight of his 26 points in the extra session to preserve an, 84-71, victory to keep the winning-streak alive.
Senior Brian Laing (Bronx, N.Y.) scored 23 points and had six rebounds. Senior Jamar Nutter (Bloomfield, N.J.) also scored several key buckets at the end of regulation, and finished with 11 points.
With 9:19 in the second half, Harvey went coast-to-coast off a rebound on the defensive end to put Seton Hall (15-6, 5-3) on top, 53-43, but was assessed a technical foul. Rutgers (10-12, 2-7) took advantage and made it, 61-59, after a pair of free-throws by Mike Coburn with 3:05 on the clock.
Nutter scored four of the next six points for the Pirates, including a tough runner in the lane to put Seton Hall ahead, 67-61, with 1:34 remaining in the period, but the Scarlet Knights made one last push.
J.R. Inman took advantage of all three Pirate centers fouling out of the game with a put-back on the next possession, and Nutter lost control of the ball and fouled Jaron Griffin on the other end with 30 seconds remaining.
Griffin made both foul-shots and Rutgers fouled Harvey with 20 seconds to go. Harvey missed the front-end of a one-and-one and Corey Chandler scored another second-chance basket to tie the game with 17 seconds left.
Coming out of a timeout, Harvey penetrated to the hoop and missed a layup as time expired in regulation. That was the last shot Harvey missed in the game.
Coburn scored the last of his 23 points to give the Scarlet Knights their first lead of the game early in the extra session, but Harvey answered with four straight from the charity-stripe to put Seton Hall back on top, 71-69.
After the teams traded a pair of free-throws, Harvey scored another deuce on a drive, and found Paul Gause (Pittsgrove, N.J.) streaking down the floor for a layup and a foul for an old-fashioned three-point play with 1:47 left to put the game away.
Laing capped an 8-2 run to open the game on a fast-break dunk, but the Pirates got into foul trouble and were in the penalty with 11:36 left in the half to keep Rutgers in the game. However, the Knights were just 5-of-12 from the charity stripe for the half, and SHU took a 35-26 edge to the locker room.
The Pirates shot 46.8 percent from the field, and held Rutgers to 32.8 percent, but the Scarlet Knights held a 49-36 advantage on the glass.
Hamady N’Diaye had six points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks, and Chandler scored 16 off the bench for the Scarlet Knights.
Gause scored all five of his points in overtime and had three steals in his first game back after missing seven games due to a broken bone in his right hand.
Seton Hall will face Georgetown on Saturday, February 2, in Washington, D.C. Tip-off is set for noon.
