Marquette looks to fly past Seton Hall in opening round of Big East Tournament

Wednesday, March 12, 2008
9 PM Madison Square Garden
New York , NY

#6 Marquette vs. #11 Seton Hall

Marquette will enter the opening round of the Big East tournament as the No. 6 seed for the second straight year, and the Golden Eagles are hoping to hang around a little while longer this year than they did last year. Marquette knocked off the then No. 11 seed St. John’s on the first day of the tournament, but the Golden Eagles were bounced in the quarter final round by Pittsburgh. This will be the third straight time Marquette has qualified for the Big East tournament, since joining the Big East in 2005-06. Marquette is 1-2 all-time in games in the Big East tournament.

Once you get to this point of the year, every game becomes a one-game season. Though the NCAA Tournament a still a week away, a loss means Marquette will reduced to sit and watch the remainder of the Big East tournament. A first day exit for Marquette could also do potential damage to what type of seeding the Golden Eagles will receive on Selection Sunday.

Marquette isn’t hit on all cylinders, dropping two of their final three games. The Golden Eagles have been a good defensive team this season, limiting the opposition to just over 68 points per game (68.4), but lately their defense hasn’t been as sharp and crisp. Over the last three games, Marquette is allowing opponents to score an average of 77.3 ppg. Take away a late season romp against Florida Gulf Coast (67-37), the Golden Eagles surrendered at least 70 points in their last three Big East contests: Villanova scored 75, Georgetown had 70, and Syracuse dropped 87.

In their regular season finale, Marquette fell to a desperate and wounded Syracuse team, 87-72. It was the second highest point total the Golden Eagles have allowed this season. Marquette has no answers against the Orange, who had four players in double figures. Syracuse shot 58 percent from the field in the game, while coming up with 10 swipes. Jerel McNeal led Marquette with 22 points and six rebounds, and Wesley Matthews finished with 14. McNeal and Matthews were the only Golden Eagles to score in double figures. Dominic James and Lazar Hayward struggled, combining for 14 points on 5-of-19 shooting. McNeal is first on the team in scoring with 13.6 ppg, leading four Golden Eagles averaging double figures.

Seton Hall enters the first round in a late season tailspin. The Pirates have lost three straight, and eight of their last 10 since winning five straight back in January. In their regular season home finale this past weekend, Seton Hall blew a 17-point and lost to Rutgers 64-61 on a J.R. Inman 3-pointer as time expired. Seton Hall head coach Bobby Gonzalez called it the most disappointing loss of his life. It’s been extremely difficult of late for head coach Gonzalez and company. They squeezed by DePaul and South Florida by a combined six points, and lost to St.John’s and Rutgers by six combined points.

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Despite their downward spiral, the good news for Seton Hall is that the regular season is behind team, and the slate is wiped clean in the Big East tournament. The Pirates aren’t without artillery, led by leading scorer and first team All-Big East center Brian Laing. Laing leads Seton Hall in scoring (19.0) and rebounding (7.0), and his 19 ppg average ranks second in the Big East in scoring. Three other Pirates are averaging in double figures: Eugene Harvey (13.3), Jeremy Hazell (12.9) and Jamar Nutter (10.9).

Despite averaging over 77 ppg in the Big East this season, the Pirates have given up the most points also, allowing a Big East high 76.3 ppg. The Pirates are 3-9 versus teams in the Big East tournament, including getting swept in the regular season by Marquette. The Golden Eagles took the first meeting 61-56 on Jan. 8th, then pummeled Seton Hall in the rematch 89-64 on Feb. 12th. Seton Hall hasn’t gotten past the first round of the Big East tournament in their last three tries, and the Pirates are 7-12 all-time in the first round of the Big East tournament.

The winner will advance to face No. 3 seed and 14th ranked Notre Dame on Thursday night at 9 p.m.

by Frank Minniti
BigEast-fans.com Director of Content

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