GAME NOTES - LIU at SETON HALL (11/28/09)

LIU (2-2) at SETON HALL (3-0)

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Prudential Center - Newark, N.J.

8:00 p.m.

SETON HALL STATUS

The Pirates return home with a perfect 3-0 record after soundly defeating defending Ivy League champion, Cornell, 89-79, in Ithaca, N.Y. on Friday.  Seton Hall's game vs. LIU marks the first of nine straight home games for the Pirates.  Junior Jeremy Hazell erupted for 33 points in the victory at Cornell, while Herb Pope and Robert Mitchell picked up double-doubles.  Sophomore Jordan Theodore scored a career-high 20 points off the bench.  The Pirates are 3-0 for a third straight year, but have not won their first two road games since the 2001-02 season.

LIU'S STATUS

LIU improved to 2-2 on the early season with a 77-71 victory over Saint Peter's in Brooklyn on Tuesday.  Senior Jaytornah Wisseh scored a game-high 28 points on 9-for-12 shooting in the victory.  The Blackbirds' other victory came over Navy on Nov. 21.  LIU returns four starters from last year's team that went 16-14 overall and tied for second in the Northeast Conference.  Wisseh has led the team in scoring each of the last two seasons and is an NEC First Teamer.

SETON HALL - LIU SERIES

This is will be only the 30th meeting all-time between Seton Hall and LIU, but the first since 1994.  Despite great success against teams from the NEC, LIU has a 15-14 edge in the all-time series against the Pirates.  In fact, LIU is the only current NEC team with a winning record against Seton Hall.  The Pirates have won the last three meetings and have scored over 100 points in the last two including a 110-72 victory on Dec. 2, 1994.

LAST 10 GAMES (Tied, 5-5)

Date - Score - Location

Dec. 2, 1994 - SETON HALL 110, LIU 72 - East Rutherford, N.J.

Dec. 9, 1990 - SETON HALL 107, LIU 54 - East Rutherford, N.J.

Dec. 2, 1989 - SETON HALL 85, LIU 62 - East Rutherford, N.J.

March 6, 1973 - LIU 62, SETON HALL 59 - South Orange, N.J.

Dec. 22, 1971 - LIU 78, SETON HALL 76 - Brooklyn, N.Y.

March 1, 1971 - SETON HALL 94, LIU 75 - South Orange, N.J.

Feb. 2, 1970 - LIU 66, SETON HALL 55 - Brooklyn, N.Y.

March 3, 1969 - LIU 62, SETON HALL 56 - South Orange, N.J.

Jan. 4, 1968 - LIU 53, SETON HALL 47 - Brooklyn, N.Y.

Jan. 4, 1967 - SETON HALL 89, LIU 88 - South Orange, N.J.

PIRATES vs. NEC

Seton Hall has had a long history of success against the current teams from the Northeast Conference.  Currently, they have an all-time record of 130-40 against said teams.  The Pirates have already logged a victory over an NEC team this year, an 87-72 victory at Monmouth on Nov. 15.  Seton Hall has never lost to five of the 11 NEC programs.

HAZELL NAMED TO WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

Junior Jeremy Hazell was named to the 2009-10 season's first BIG EAST Conference Weekly Honor Roll.  The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 20.3 points per game through the season's first three games, all of which resulted in victories.  Hazell has totaled 59 points in Seton Hall's last two games.  Last year, Hazell earned Weekly Honor Roll recognition four times.

PIRATES REGISTER BIG WIN OVER BIG RED

Cornell had won 21 straight home games, the fifth longest streak in the nation, before Seton Hall's impressive 89-79 victory Friday night in Ithaca.  The Pirates out-shot, 44.6%-to-44.4%, out-rebounded, 43-to-36, and forced more turnovers, 13-to-8, than Cornell.  Despite falling in an 8-0 hole to start the game, Seton Hall led by as many as 18 before rolling to a 10-point victory.  Cornell had been receiving votes in both the AP and Coaches Polls prior to the loss.

HAZELL EXPLODES FOR 33 POINTS

Junior Jeremy Hazell exploded for a game-high 33 points in a victory at Cornell on Nov. 20.  The guard was 12-for-25 from the floor and made five three-pointers.  During one stretch in the second half, Hazell scored 10 straight points for Seton Hall.  Late in the first half, he also completed a rare four-point play.  The performance marked the eighth time in Hazell's career that he has topped the 30-point mark.

500/500 FOR GARCIA

Fifth-year senior John Garcia needs only one rebound against LIU on Saturday to become the 34th player in Seton Hall history to record 500 career points and 500 career rebounds.  Currently, he has 535 points and 499 rebounds.  Prior to Garcia, the last Pirate to join the exclusive club was Brian Laing, who finished his career with 1,313 points and 554 rebounds.  The last frontcourt player was Kelly Whitney who finished with 1,448 points and 763 rebounds.

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE

At Cornell, both Herb Pope and Robert Mitchell registered double-doubles.  Pope finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds, while Mitchell notched 14 points and 10 rebounds.  It was the first time that two Pirates had recorded double-doubles in the same game since John Garcia and Eugene Harvey recorded them vs. Columbia last season. 

CAREER NIGHT FOR THEODORE

Sophomore Jordan Theodore came off the bench to record a career-high 20 points on 6-for-10 shooting at Cornell.  The 6-foot back-up point guard also grabbed four rebounds and dished out four assists in 28 minutes of action.  It's the eighth time in his career that he has scored in double-figures.

OFFENSE ARRIVES AS PIRATES STOP MONMOUTH

Fresh off their buzzer-beater victory in the season-opener vs. Saint Peter's, the Pirates traveled to Monmouth for the first time in program history.  Behind a strong offensive effort, Seton Hall defeated the Hawks, 87-72.  The Pirates shot a blistering 52.5% from the field, compared to Monmouth's 45.6%.  Seton Hall also out-rebounded their first opponent of the year, 40-to-33.

SLUMP BUSTER

Junior Jeremy Hazell broke out in a big way at Monmouth on Sunday.  After going 0-for-10 in the season-opener vs. Saint Peter's, Hazell scored a game-high 26 points on 9-for-23 shooting including five three-pointers.  He also hit a 30-foot shot at the first half buzzer to send Seton Hall into the locker room up 13 points.

THE POPE ARRIVES IN WEST LONG BRANCH

Sophomore Herb Pope had a break-out game with 15 points and 17 rebounds for his first double-double in a Pirates uniform at Monmouth on Sunday.  Additionally, Pope dished out three assists and blocked two shots in the effort.

JACKSON SHINES IN "THRILLER"

Junior Jamel Jackson played a large role in Seton Hall's dominating first half at Monmouth on Sunday.  Jackson connected on four first half three-pointers and finished the game with 15 points off the bench in only 20 minutes.

JESSE MORGAN TO JOIN PIRATES

Jesse Morgan became the second member of the 2010-11 recruiting class to sign with Seton Hall.  The 6-foot-5, 175-pound, shooting guard is highly regarded as an extremely versatile wing player who can shoot the ball well and score in bunches.  A First Team All-City selection at Olney High School in his native Philadelphia, he averaged 28 points per game, the third-best total among city-league players, and led the Trojans to a 19-3 record.

BUZZER-BEATER SEALS WIN

The Pirates won their season-opener against Saint Peter's with the help of a buzzer-beating game-winning three-pointer by senior Eugene Harvey, 53-51.  Last season's leading-scorer Jeremy Hazell had a rare night where he was 0-for-10 from the field, but other Pirates stepped up.  Harvey led the team with 16 points, while junior Robert Mitchell chipped in 11 points. 

MOVING UP THE ASSIST CHART

For the third straight game, senior Eugene Harvey moved up a spot on Seton Hall's all-time career assist list.  With two assists at Cornell, he moved past John Morton for fourth place.  Now Harvey only trails Shaheen Holloway (681), Andre Barrett (662) and Gerald Greene (528) on the all-time list.

SWISHIN' AND DISHIN'

With 1,327 career points and 453 career assists, senior Eugene Harvey is one of only five Seton Hall players all-time to amass at least 1,200 career points and 400 career assists.  The other members include Andre Barrett (1,861/662), Nick Galis (1,651/410), John Morton (1,621/452) and Shaheen Holloway (1,588/681).

GONZALEZ RECEIVES EXTENSION

Bobby Gonzalez has received a contract extension to remain the Pirates' men's basketball head coach through the 2014-15 season.  "This extension serves as a strong indicator of the University's commitment and support for Bobby Gonzalez as head coach of our men's basketball program," Quinlan said.  "We expect to be successful and believe that Coach Gonzalez has taken the necessary steps to position our program for future success.  He has made progress with the program in only three years and we are very pleased to have him as our head coach."  Gonzalez is in his fourth season as the Seton Hall head coach.  In three seasons, he has a 47-46 overall record in South Orange, which already ranks him eighth on the school's all-time wins list.

2009-10 CAPTAINS

Four players have been named captains for the 2009-10 season.  Seniors John Garcia and Eugene Harvey have been named a captain for a second straight season.  Junior Jeremy Hazell and senior Robert Mitchell are first time honorees.

GARCIA NARROWLY MISSES DOUBLE-DOUBLE

Fifth-year senior John Garcia had a strong season-opener vs. Saint Peter's.  The 6-foot-9 center scored nine points and pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds to go with three blocks.  Last year, Garcia was fourth in the BIG EAST in blocks per game.

AT PRUDENTIAL CENTER

Last season, Seton Hall went 10-6 at Prudential Center and are 22-12 all-time in the building.  Furthermore, Seton Hall is 8-10 all-time at Prudential Center against BIG EAST opponents.

PIRATES HOST FOR 2010 NCAA REGIONAL

Seton Hall University has been named a host institution for the Regional Round of the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.  In conjunction with Seton Hall serving as host, the Prudential Center will be the competition venue for two games of the regional semifinals on March 25, 2011 and the regional final on March 27, 2011.  It will mark the first time the City of Newark has hosted the event.  It is the first time Seton Hall has hosted a round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship since 1999.

HAMPTON ADDED TO 2009-10 STAFF

Colin Hampton has been hired as Coordinator of Basketball Operations.  In this role, Hampton will assist in ensuring the team's academic goals and will work closely with Seton Hall's office of academic support services for student-athletes.  He will also be the Pirates' primary video operative and aid in game-to-game scouting.  No stranger to Seton Hall basketball, Hampton is fresh off two years of managerial experience with the team.  During this time, he served as assistant video coordinator in addition to his typical manager responsibilities. 

HALL SIGNS JACKSON

After spending two years at a junior college, Jamel Jackson will bolster the Pirates' backcourt in 2009-10.  The 6-foot-3, 195-pound shooting guard originally committed to Seton Hall last spring, but decided to return to Technical Career Institute (TCI) in Manhattan, N.Y. for his sophomore year in order to concentrate on academics.  Jackson will have two years of playing eligibility remaining once he joins Seton Hall.  A Third Team All-American and Region XV Player of the Year as a freshman at TCI, Jackson brings a reputation as an excellent shooter to South Orange.  He averaged 24.5 points per game as a freshman and 21.5 points per game as a sophomore.  The talented guard was also named to the 2008 All-Sportsmanship Team.

SETON SIGNS HALL

Ferrakohn Hall (Memphis, Tenn.) a 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward and true freshman will join the Pirates in 2009-10.  A First Team All-State selection as a senior at White Station High School in Memphis, Tenn., Hall averaged 15 points and nine rebounds per game while leading his team in blocks.  An athletic forward, he earned All-District 15 honors and was a nominee for selection as a McDonald's All-American.  In two seasons at White Station, Hall guided the Spartans to a 58-20 record and two appearances in the Class AAA Tennessee State Championship.  He ranks as the #46 power forward recruit in the nation by rivals.com, and #38 among all small forwards by ESPNU.com.

HARVEY AT THE BUZZER

Senior Eugene Harvey came off the bench for the first time after 93 consecutive starts to begin his career, but that didn't affect his production.  A strong second half led the senior to a fine game with a team-high 16 points, six rebounds and four assists in 32 minutes of action.  Harvey also moved ahead of former teammate Brian Laing for 22nd on Seton Hall's all-time scoring list.

PIRATES WELCOME FUQUAN EDWIN

Highly touted 6-foot-6, 205-pound small forward Fuquan Edwin (Paterson, N.J.) has signed a national letter of intent to attend the University and play basketball for the Pirates beginning in the 2010-11 season.  As a junior, Edwin averaged 16 points and eight rebounds a game in helping Paterson Catholic to a second consecutive Passaic County Championship.  A Second Team All-State and All-County selection, he is the #77-ranked prospect in the Hoop Scoops Top-100.  Among the nation's small forwards, Scout.com ranks him #48, while ESPN ranks him as the #23.

THREE-POINT SPECIALIST

In the 2009-10 season, Jeremy Hazell broke the single-season three-pointers attempted record with 290 and tied Terry Dehere's record with 105 three-pointers made.  In only two seasons, Hazell ranks eighth on SHU's career three-pointers made list with 183 and seventh on the attempted list with 524.  

RETURN OF ELITE SCORING DUO

This season marks only the second time in school history that Seton Hall has begun a year with two 1,000-point scorers on their roster.  Senior Eugene Harvey and junior Jeremy Hazell both eclipsed the milestone in 2008-09.  The only other time Seton Hall has returned two 1,000-point scorers was in the 1987-88 season when Mark Bryant and James Major returned for their senior years after scoring their 1,000th points during the 1986-87 season.  That year, Seton Hall made their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. 

SETON HALL IS MR. ROBINSON'S NEIGHBORHOOD

Junior Jeff Robinson is poised to join Seton Hall at the conclusion of the first semester.  Robinson played basketball for a season and a half at the University of Memphis.  Due to NCAA transfer regulations, Robinson had to sit out the remainder of the 2008-09 season and the first semester of the 2009-10 season.  The 6-foot-5, 232-pound Robinson played in all 28 games in 2007-08 as Memphis marched to the NCAA title game.  The first game Robinson will be eligible to join the Pirates will be Dec. 19 when they host Temple.

PRESEASON BIG EAST PREDICTIONS

Seton Hall is predicted to finish 10th in the 16-team BIG EAST Conference.  Villanova is the favorite to win the regular-season title in the 2009-10 BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll.  Notre Dame's Luke Harangody has been picked as Player of the Year.  Cincinnati's Lance Stephenson was selected BIG EAST Rookies of the Year.  The lone Seton Hall individual with preseason honors was junior Jeremy Hazell who was selected to the Second Team.

PIRATES SET FOR YEAR THREE IN PRUDENTIAL CENTER

Seton Hall begins year three at the Prudential Center with eight sellouts under its belt.  The Pirates had five sellouts in year one and three more last season.  This year, Seton Hall has 17 home games including marquee match-ups against West Virginia, Syracuse, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Marquette and in-state, arch-rival Rutgers. 

GARY & DAVE RETURN

The broadcast team of Gary Cohen and Dave Popkin will be back for their seventh season covering Seton Hall on the Pirates' radio flagship station, 77WABC.  For the third straight year, all Seton Hall broadcasts will be heard on 77WABC.  The 2009-10 season marks the 21st season for radio engineer Mike Infantino.

HALL PASS AT WWW.SHUPIRATES.COM

Go to www.SHUpirates.com to listen to all of Seton Hall's home and away games as a part of the Hall Pass.  Gary Cohen and Dave Popkin will bring you all the action.  New for the 2009-10 season, all of Seton Hall's non-televised games will be carried via live VIDEO stream as part of the Hall Pass package.  Watch all of the action live while listening to Gary and Dave's radio broadcast.  Get the HALL PASS Today!  

TV EXPOSURE

Seton Hall's slate features 10 games on national television.  All 18 of the Pirates' BIG EAST match-ups will be televised either nationally or regionally this season.  Seton Hall will play in the first conference game of the year, Saturday, Dec. 26 vs. West Virginia, on CBS at 3:30 p.m.  Following the CBS game, the Pirates will appear on national TV on Jan. 2 vs. Virginia Tech on ESPN2, Jan. 14 at Georgetown on ESPN or ESPN2, Jan. 21 vs. Louisville on ESPN or ESPN2, Jan. 28 at USF on ESPN or ESPN2, Feb. 2 at Villanova on ESPNU, Feb. 11 vs. Notre Dame on ESPNU, Feb. 20 at West Virginia on ESPN, Mar. 4 at Rutgers on ESPN or ESPN2 and Mar. 6 at Providence on ESPN360.  The remaining nine conference games will be BIG EAST Network local telecasts with seven being broadcasted on SNY, one being shown on MSG and one being shown on MSG+.  The Pirates' game vs. DePaul on Sunday, February 14 is the BIG EAST Network Game of the Week.

LOOKING AHEAD

NJIT

Monday, November 30, 2009

Time:  7:00 p.m.

Prudential Center

Newark, N.J.

TV:  None

Live Video Stream:  www.SHUpirates.com

Radio:  WABC 770 AM / WSOU 89.5 FM

NOTEBOOK:  Seton Hall will remain at home on Monday, November 30 to face fellow Newark resident, NJIT.  This is the first meeting all-time between the schools.  This season, NJIT has already matched their win total of the last two seasons combined.  New to Division I, the Highlanders have only notched one win in their first two seasons on this level.  Head coach Jim Engles returns to guide an improved team that features four returning starters.  Junior guard Jheryl Wilson is once again leading the team in scoring with over 16 points and seven rebounds per game.  Earlier this year, NJIT defeated St. Joseph's (N.Y.), 96-54.