Gary Cohen, Dave Popkin Will Seton Hall to Victory

Wow. Wowsers. Wow-a-mania. Whatever form you choose, one thing is unanimous – what a game. Seton Hall traveled down to South Florida tonight (which is actually not located in southern Florida but is instead on the western coast of the state) and literally turned off the lights as they won 79-75.

Led all night by the unconscious performances of senior captains Brian Laing and Jamar Nutter, Seton Hall turned to their big man Johnny Garcia down the stretch to lead them to victory. Not even a state-wide power outage could stop Johnny as he out muscled and out milked USF big man, Kentrelle Gransberry. Not only did Cherry post his fifth double-double of the season, but something about that Florida sun transformed him into the second coming of Reggie Miller as he sank two free throws late in the game to help seal the deal for the Hall.

Unfortunately, Ben and I were unable to actually see the game as Time Warner Cable looked more like Nunu on the fast break than a legitimate cable company, so we had to turn to our trusted friends the Honorable Gary Cohen and Sir Dave Popkin. So while Ben was busy frolicking around, tossing ping pong balls into plastic cups during the first half, I was strapped to my seat listening to the gospel of Gary and Dave. And what a sermon it was – Gary delivered his usual poignant play-by-play and Dave added his timely game analysis. Because of them, I was able to survive this television blackout.

Next step: the Pirates take their ship into the Red Storm of St. John’s as they look to get closer to clinching a bid to the Big East Tournament. Afterwards, perhaps an afterparty with Davis and Hazell at Galway Hooker? They may be attending…

Lessons for Life

Well, we’re back. It was one of the greatest roadtrips of all time, and now we must resume our daily routine. Get up, feed the crayfish, go to work, come home, feed the crayfish, then dream all night about Seton Hall…

But it’s important not to forget the lessons we learned while in West Virginia, because those lessons were critical.

Lesson #1: Visit parts of the country that tourists never visit.

Dave and I were not tourists in West Virginia – we were West Virginians. While we were there, we completely immersed ourselves in the culture, everything from attending a Morgantown high school musical production of High School Musical, to catching a ride back to our hotel with the pizza delivery boy (or was he truly a man?). We rode Rt. 250 at sunset. We met Bob Huggins in a bar (twice). All in all, it was the experience of a lifetime.

Lesson #2: Always carry a pen.

The number of autographs we received on this journey was nothing short of staggering. Bob Huggins, yes, but nearly the entire Seton Hall team as well!!! Armed with a pen he found in the lobby, and his two functional arms, Dave successfully waved down player after player and convinced each to sign his Waterfront Plaza Hotel notepad. If Dave hadn’t found that pen, would the signatures even exist? If Marty’s parents hadn’t kissed at the Under the Sea dance, would he even exist?!?!?!

Lesson #3: Mike Davis must have done something stupid during warm-ups.

Mike Davis must have done something stupid during warm-ups. You know how we know this? Because he didn’t play the entire game. Not a single minute. And he was listed as a starter on the scoreboard just a couple seconds before tip-off. Also, he could have potentially helped Seton Hall a lot in that game, as West Virginia doesn’t have that many big bodies to match up against the 6’10 Davis. (Except perhaps Jamie Smalligan, whose last name sums up the lilliputian aspect of his game). My guess is that Gonzo wanted to send Davis a message (in a bottle?)

Lesson #4: Crayfish should be fed multiple times per day.

Although technically “unnecessary,” and “potentially harmful for the PH level of the tank,” it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

So with these lessons learned, we now look forward to the next game. Seton Hall is desperate for a win in this upcoming contest for Depaul, and you can bet Depaul is going to be hungry as well after losing a squeaker against UConn. Expect an epic battle in this match-up of major Big East tournament implications.

Nova Wins on Last Second Shot

Coming into this game, Dave and I weren’t feeling too confident. So we decided to change up our routine. Instead of our trademark Gonzone t-shirts, we wore street clothes. Instead of watching the game in our cramped apartment, we watched the game at Dave’s friend’s place a couple blocks away. Instead of listening to the game on 770 WABC, we turned up the volume on Dave’s friend’s television, creating an arena-like atmosphere, which later drew complaints from the elderly neighbors, which was a very PAC 10 move.

Despite our best efforts to mix things up, however, the outcome sadly remained the same: another loss for the Hall, their third in a row. There were a number of positive takeaways from the game, nonetheless.

Firstly, Seton Hall is back to playing quality basketball. Even though they lost, this looked like the team that literally turned people’s heads. Sure, they didn’t shoot well from outside, but they drove strong to the basket, and the ball movement was very good. “Big city” Nunu proved yet again that he shows up for the big games.

Secondly, Mike Davis is a stud. Yes, he should have dunked that rebound put-back instead of attempting a Karl Malone-esque teardrop of a fadeaway from right under the hoop, but he’ll learn to be more aggressive. The bottom line is this: Davis has great hands for a big man, and if he stays healthy, he’ll be the center of the future for this squad.

Thrice, the team played very well without Gause. True, they didn’t get as many steals as they usually do, but the energy was great.

Quatrain, the Hall showed that they can score without senior Brian Laing. During the first half, Laing was struggling to get in a rhythm, but Harvey, Nutter, and Hazell all made major contributions. The question is, will the Hall be able to get rebounds after he graduates (with distinction?)

So, all-in-all, a very tough loss. A number of balls rimmed out for the Hall, and Nova shot the lights out from deep. I like how they played though, and I’m feeling good looking forward to Marquette.

Hall Falls Hard to Notre Dame

After the Georgetown game, I was disappointed. After tonight’s game against Our Lady of Notre Dame, I was disgusted.

In a match-up against the #22 team in the country, Seton Hall was completely outplayed. With no answer for the Notre Dame big man inside, and with Harvey lackadaisically guarding outside shooters, the Hall gave up an atrocious 95 points. It was a truly dismal defensive effort, exacerbated by an injury to one of the Hall’s best defensive players, Paul Gause. After sitting out a number of games earlier this season with a hand injury, Gause may very likely miss some more time – he drove hard to lane midway through the first half and landed awkwardly on his left knee. He would not return.

The Rock was sold out tonight, and the crowd wanted to rally behind Seton Hall. There was simply very little to cheer about. Hazell was the lone bright spot for the squad, picking up 5 steals in Gause’s absence and getting to the line consistently.

There were a number of aspects that made this game highly unusual. For starters, St. Augustine got the start!! After editing our friend details on Facebook only a few hours before, Okosun would be going head-to-head with Brother Luke. And for the most part, Okosun played well. He needs to do a better job catching the ball, but he brings athleticism and energy.

Secondly, Walters appeared in the game! Granted, he really only played during garbage time, as well as a few minutes in the first half, but he was actually fairly effective. He ended with 5 points, and it was nice to see the bench cheering him on.

Finally, Eugene. Oh, Eugene. “Nunu,” as we like to call him, is truly one of the smoothest point guards in the Big East. Not as quick as most point guards, Nunu has a nasty crossover and dribble step which allows him to glide to the tin with ease. Unfortunately, Harvey has a habit of not always finishing. St. Benedict’s coach Bobby Hurley has an expression: backboard, or dunk. The point is this: if you’re not going to dunk it, you’re best advised to use the glass. As a St. Benedict’s alumnus, it’s simply unconscionable that Harvey misses as many lay-ups as he does. Harvey, if you’re listening, please, I implore you: teach Okosun how to catch the ball, and maybe he’ll teach you how to bank-jam.