Seton Hall outruns Delaware State
NEWARK, N.J. – Delaware State guard Roy Bright helped his Hornets give Seton Hall everything they could handle in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. In the end, however, his efforts were upstaged by Big East standout Brian Laing, whose game-high 27 points were the difference in the Pirates’ 77-54 win on New Year’s Eve at the Prudential Center.
Named the MEAC Preseason Player of the Year, Bright paced Delaware State (3-9) with 24 points, but the rest of his teammates had no answer for Laing. He started the contest on a hot streak, knocking down his first 12 shots and getting support from the Pirates’ physical play inside the paint, which won the rebounding battle, 34-24. Seton Hall (9-3) also shot 50 percent from the field – another statistic that usually amounts to a victory for a powerhouse over a mid-major.
“It’s always tough to compete with a team like that and on this level,” said Delaware State head coach Greg Jackson. “They were able to get out in transition early in the game and that caused us some problems.”
The game wasn’t decided until late in the first half, despite Bright keeping Delaware State within striking distance early. A pair of jumpers by Bright made it a 14-8 contest around the 13:10 mark. But Laing and Paul Gause knocked down consecutive 3-pointers to stretch the lead to 20-10. A two-handed dunk by Laing, followed by a 3-pointer from Jamar Nutter later put the hosts in cruise control, 34-18, with 6:50 remaining.
The Hornets started a mini-rally in the second half, scoring six straight points to cut into a 41-23 halftime deficit. Seton Hall responded with more power play on the inside with a dunk by Jeremy Hazell, followed by a short bucket in the lane by Laing that helped them open up a 60-35 advantage en route to the win.
Nutter added 12 points for Seton Hall and Bright had a game-high seven rebounds for the visitors.
For the Pirates, head coach Bobby Gonzalez was happy his squad was able to bounce back from a tough home loss to North Carolina State earlier in the month.
“This was an important game because it’s about who we are,” said Gonzalez. “We did all the things we needed to get ready for Big East Conference play.”
Meanwhile, Delaware State has already played a tough out-of-conference schedule against the likes of Arkansas, Georgia, Arizona State and Xavier. Still, Jackson felt this contest proved another good test as they head into conference play on January 12 at South Carolina State.
“This has been a great journey for us,” said Jackson. “We want to try to develop a type of team that will allow us to compete in our conference. By the end of the year, you will not have heard the last of Delaware State basketball.”
Notes
- The Hornets played this game with some meaning, as they were competing in the same city where a shooting tragedy claimed the lives of three Delaware State students last summer. The senseless acts made both local and national headlines, and Jackson spoke about the significance of his team playing with that incident well on their minds.
“It was addressed, and we used that as a motivation,” he said. “We used what God has blessed us with in coming out here and playing. It also shows that life is very fragile, and you always have to treat everyday as if it were your last.” - The MEAC is now a combined 0-4 against Big East schools this season.
