Game 26: Seton Hall
Feb. 16, 2009 6:00 p.m.
Two of the Big East's three most prolific scorers will square off on Tuesday night at the Bradley Center.
MU's Jerel McNeal, averaging 20.2 points per game overall and 23.5 in Big East play, might very well draw the defensive assignment on Seton Hall's Jeremy Hazell, who's scoring 22.8 points per game and 23.1 in league games.
McNeal, who of course became MU's all-time leading scorer last week, has been more consistent offensively than Hazell, entering tonight having scored 20 or more in nine straight games.
Hazell, a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard, is more than capable of breaking out on any given night, however. He's got six games of 30 or more points already under his belt, including consecutive 30-point outings in victories over Rutgers and St. John's a few weeks back.
Hazell has slowed down quite a bit over the past two games, however, scoring just 13 in a victory over DePaul and 14 in a loss to Connecticut.
Neither McNeal nor Hazell have shot the ball well from three-point range of late: McNeal is 3 for his last 14 and Hazell 3 for his last 13.
Seton Hall (14-10, 5-7), which enters having won five of its last six games, is putting up decent numbers almost across the board this season, shooting 44.5% from the floor, 73,3% from the free-throw line and scoring 76.1 ppg.
On the flip side, the Pirates have been spotty from beyond the arc, hitting just 31.8%, and questionable on the boards, getting out-rebounded by nearly four per game.
Robert Mitchell, a 6-6 junior forward, has been a solid addition after transferring in from Duquesne, averaging 15.8 ppg and a team-leading 8.5 rebounds.
John Garcia is Seton Hall's best big man, averaging 7.7 points and 7.1 rebounds.
Coach Bobby Gonzalez manages his roster similar to the way MU coach Buzz Williams manages his in that four players -- Hazell, Mitchell, Eugene Harvey and Paul Gause -- all average at least 31.3 minutes per game, while Garcia averages 27.5 and Jordan Theodore 22.3.
No other Pirates player averages more than 11.8 mpg.
Williams knew enough of Seton Hall already following the St. John's victory on Saturday night to offer this:
"Seton Hall is very potent offensively," he said. "They play 6 1/2 guys which is, to be honest with you, about what we play, and they match up with us from the perimeter. Everybody talks about their weaknesses in the post, and against Hasheem Thabeet, John Garcia had 23 points and I think 14 rebounds and six blocks, and he plays on one leg. You have to admire his toughness.
"But they're a different team, as far as their complexion, and we'll have to have an edge to us defensively in order to have a chance Tuesday."
You can find the rest of
Seton Hall's statistics here. A victory over Seton Hall, meanwhile, would give MU 11 in Big East play. That would match the Golden Eagles' high-water mark since joining the league in 2005-'06.
They finished 11-7 last season.
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