Saturday, December 15
Newark, N.J.
2 p.m.
Rutgers University
at
Seton Hall
Photo by: (Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics)
Garden State Hardwood Classic Set for Saturday at the Rock
Dec 12 | Men's Basketball
RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (5-4, 0-2 BIG TEN) AT SETON HALL (6-3, 0-0 BIG EAST)
Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018 | 2 p.m. ET
Prudential Center (10,481) | Newark, N.J.
TV: Fox Sports 1 (Brian Custer, play-by-play & Steve Lavin, analyst)
Radio: Rutgers IMG Sports Network (WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM) (Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan)
Series Record: Seton Hall leads 39-30
Last Meeting: Rutgers 71, Seton Hall 65 (Dec. 16, 2017 at The RAC)
OPENING TIP: Rutgers takes the 27-mile drive from "The RAC" to "The Rock" to face in-state rival Seton Hall at a sold-out Prudential Center in the annual Garden State Hardwood Classic on Saturday afternoon. The contest is the fourth contest for RU against an opponent ranked or receiving votes over five games and fourth road game in that span. The Pirates are receiving votes in this week's coaches poll.
Rutgers will be looking to return to the win column following a 78-70 setback to Fordham at Rose Hill Gym on Saturday. Eugene Omoruyi posted 19 points and 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. The junior co-captain has averaged 17.3 points and 10 rebounds over the past three games.
THE SERIES: Saturday marks the 70th meeting dating back to 1916, with SHU leading 39-30. The teams have played 55 times since 1974-75 and have met every season since 1995-96. Last season, Rutgers overcame a 13-point deficit to claim a 71-65 win over No. 15 Seton Hall at The RAC in front of 8,318 fans, the largest crowd at the RAC since 2002. The win snapped a four-game SHU winning streak in the series. RU has won three of the last five played at "The Rock" and is 6-17 all-time on Seton Hall's home floor.
The #GSHClassic Trophy will be presented post-game. The perpetual rivalry trophy is constructed primarily from recycled Asbury Park boardwalk planks, which were retrieved during a re-decking after Superstorm Sandy. The Joe Calabrese Award will also be bestowed to the contest's most valuable player.
THE OPPONENT: Seton Hall is coming off an 84-83 overtime win against No. 9 Kentucky at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. The Pirates are led by reigning Big East Player of the Week Myles Powell, who averages 23.0 points-per-game, which leads the conference. Sandro Mamukelashvili paces the squad in rebounding (7.9) and blocks (1.56).
CONNECTION: Director of Athletics Pat Hobbs joined Rutgers on Nov. 29, 2015, moving south down the New Jersey Turnpike after notable achievements at SHU. He served as Dean at the Seton Hall School of Law from 1999 to 2015 and oversaw the Department of Athletics from 2009 to 2011.
COACHING COMPARISON
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
Overall Record (years)........... 225-197 (14th)
Rutgers Record (years)............... 35-41 (3rd)
Record vs. Seton Hall (RU)...................... 1-1
Record vs. Seton Hall (overall)................. 1-3
Seton Hall Head Coach Kevin Willard
Overall Record (years)........... 201-165 (12th)
Seton Hall Record (years)........ 156-116 (9th)
Record vs. RU (Seton Hall)...................... 6-6
Record vs. RU (overall)........................... 6-6
SCARLET KNIGHT NOTABLES
THE GARDEN STATE HARDWOOD CLASSIC TROPHY
The #GSHClassic Trophy is a perpetual rivalry trophy constructed primarily from recycled Asbury Park boardwalk planks, which were retrieved during a re-decking after Superstorm Sandy. The trophy topper is formed in the state of New Jersey with the base mimicking the form and texture of a basketball. "1916" is branded on the topper, which signifies the year of the initial meeting between the schools on the hardwood. The athletics logos are affixed at their geographic locations. The official logo of the Garden State Hardwood Classic, which was conceived and created by former Seton Hall women's soccer student-athlete Peggy Nicolle, adorns the base. The trophy stands 32 inches tall and weighs 33 pounds. New Jersey resident Colin Pezzano, a 2014 graduate of the University of the Arts, created the one-of-a-kind award. The trophy was constructed in a workshop on a farm in Cumberland County, N.J.
RECENT JOE CALABRESE GAME MVP WINNERS
The MVP of the annual Garden State Hardwood Classic is presented the Joe Calabrese Game MVP Award. The award honors the memory of long-time New Jersey sports writer Joe Calabrese, who covered the rivalry and college athletics for many years for the Newark Star Ledger, Trenton Times, and Bridgewater Courier News.
Season................ Player ...................................... Team
2017-18................ Corey Sanders....................... Rutgers
2016-17................ Angel Delgado.................... Seton Hall
2015-16................ Angel Delgado.................... Seton Hall
2014-15................ Isaiah Whitehead................ Seton Hall
2013-14................ Eugene Teague.................. Seton Hall
2012-13................ Austin Johnson....................... Rutgers
2011-12................ Dane Miller............................. Rutgers
2010-11................ Jordan Theodore................. Seton Hall
2009-10................ Jeremy Hazell..................... Seton Hall
2008-09................ John Garcia........................ Seton Hall
2007-08................ Corey Chandler...................... Rutgers
2006-07................ Adrian Hill.............................. Rutgers
GARDEN STATE HARDWOOD CLASSIC: SERIES HIGHS
Rutgers Series Highs (Team/Individual)
Points....................... 119, 12-6-75...................... 36, Phil Sellers 12-6-75
Rebounds ................ 54, 1-27-07 ....................... 19, Adrian Hill 1-27-07
Assists .................... N/A................................... 12, Brian Ellerbee 12-26-83
Seton Hall Series Highs (Team/Individual)
Points ...................... 109, 12-13-86 ................... 35, Jeremy Hazell 1-29-09
Rebounds ................ 59, 2-7-96 ......................... 21, Angel Delgado 12-16-17
Assists .................... N/A ................................... 10, Shaheen Holloway 2-21-99
QUOTABLE
"I love the passion of our fan base about this game. It's an exciting rivalry. We're playing against a great program. It should be fun for the fans to watch. It's sold-out, which is tremendous for basketball in New Jersey. We've been practicing well this week and are ready to head out there for a tough game."
- Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell
Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018 | 2 p.m. ET
Prudential Center (10,481) | Newark, N.J.
TV: Fox Sports 1 (Brian Custer, play-by-play & Steve Lavin, analyst)
Radio: Rutgers IMG Sports Network (WCTC 1450 AM/WOR 710 AM) (Jerry Recco & Joe Boylan)
Series Record: Seton Hall leads 39-30
Last Meeting: Rutgers 71, Seton Hall 65 (Dec. 16, 2017 at The RAC)
OPENING TIP: Rutgers takes the 27-mile drive from "The RAC" to "The Rock" to face in-state rival Seton Hall at a sold-out Prudential Center in the annual Garden State Hardwood Classic on Saturday afternoon. The contest is the fourth contest for RU against an opponent ranked or receiving votes over five games and fourth road game in that span. The Pirates are receiving votes in this week's coaches poll.
Rutgers will be looking to return to the win column following a 78-70 setback to Fordham at Rose Hill Gym on Saturday. Eugene Omoruyi posted 19 points and 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. The junior co-captain has averaged 17.3 points and 10 rebounds over the past three games.
THE SERIES: Saturday marks the 70th meeting dating back to 1916, with SHU leading 39-30. The teams have played 55 times since 1974-75 and have met every season since 1995-96. Last season, Rutgers overcame a 13-point deficit to claim a 71-65 win over No. 15 Seton Hall at The RAC in front of 8,318 fans, the largest crowd at the RAC since 2002. The win snapped a four-game SHU winning streak in the series. RU has won three of the last five played at "The Rock" and is 6-17 all-time on Seton Hall's home floor.
The #GSHClassic Trophy will be presented post-game. The perpetual rivalry trophy is constructed primarily from recycled Asbury Park boardwalk planks, which were retrieved during a re-decking after Superstorm Sandy. The Joe Calabrese Award will also be bestowed to the contest's most valuable player.
THE OPPONENT: Seton Hall is coming off an 84-83 overtime win against No. 9 Kentucky at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. The Pirates are led by reigning Big East Player of the Week Myles Powell, who averages 23.0 points-per-game, which leads the conference. Sandro Mamukelashvili paces the squad in rebounding (7.9) and blocks (1.56).
CONNECTION: Director of Athletics Pat Hobbs joined Rutgers on Nov. 29, 2015, moving south down the New Jersey Turnpike after notable achievements at SHU. He served as Dean at the Seton Hall School of Law from 1999 to 2015 and oversaw the Department of Athletics from 2009 to 2011.
COACHING COMPARISON
Rutgers Head Coach Steve Pikiell
Overall Record (years)........... 225-197 (14th)
Rutgers Record (years)............... 35-41 (3rd)
Record vs. Seton Hall (RU)...................... 1-1
Record vs. Seton Hall (overall)................. 1-3
Seton Hall Head Coach Kevin Willard
Overall Record (years)........... 201-165 (12th)
Seton Hall Record (years)........ 156-116 (9th)
Record vs. RU (Seton Hall)...................... 6-6
Record vs. RU (overall)........................... 6-6
SCARLET KNIGHT NOTABLES
- Per KenPom.com analysis, Rutgers is among the nation's youngest teams with 1.22 years of experience to rank 309th nationally out of 353 Division I programs.
- Rutgers ranks 33rd nationally in scoring defense (62.7), 46th in blocked shots (4.9) and 54th in rebounds per game (39.67). RU is among the top five in the Big Ten in five stat categories, including second in offensive rebounds per game (12.78), third in blocks (4.9), third in rebounding (39.67).
- Eighteen of Rutgers' 30 regular season games (60%) are against opponents currently ranked or receiving votes in the polls. Five Big Ten programs that have won NCAA titles will compete in Piscataway, including five-time champion Indiana.
- Eugene Omoruyi ranks tied for 13th nationally with five double-doubles.
- Eugene Omoruyi's 17 rebounds vs. BU marked the most for a Rutgers player since Adrian Hill grabbed 18 versus Notre Dame on March 3, 2007, a span of 12 seasons.
- Against Eastern Michigan, Rutgers allowed four points in the opening half to tie the NCAA Division I record for fewest points allowed in a half during the shot clock era (since 1985-86). The 36 points allowed also tied the school record, matching the defensive effort against Columbia (60-36) on Nov. 18, 2002 in the preseason NIT at the RAC.
- In the shot clock era, Rutgers has held an opponent under 40 points eight times. Steve Pikiell has been the head coach in four of those contests.
- Per KenPom.com analysis, Rutgers is among the nation's tallest teams with an average height of 79.0" to rank fifth behind UCLA (79.3"), Syracuse (79.3"), Siena (79.1") and Stanford (79.1").
THE GARDEN STATE HARDWOOD CLASSIC TROPHY
The #GSHClassic Trophy is a perpetual rivalry trophy constructed primarily from recycled Asbury Park boardwalk planks, which were retrieved during a re-decking after Superstorm Sandy. The trophy topper is formed in the state of New Jersey with the base mimicking the form and texture of a basketball. "1916" is branded on the topper, which signifies the year of the initial meeting between the schools on the hardwood. The athletics logos are affixed at their geographic locations. The official logo of the Garden State Hardwood Classic, which was conceived and created by former Seton Hall women's soccer student-athlete Peggy Nicolle, adorns the base. The trophy stands 32 inches tall and weighs 33 pounds. New Jersey resident Colin Pezzano, a 2014 graduate of the University of the Arts, created the one-of-a-kind award. The trophy was constructed in a workshop on a farm in Cumberland County, N.J.
RECENT JOE CALABRESE GAME MVP WINNERS
The MVP of the annual Garden State Hardwood Classic is presented the Joe Calabrese Game MVP Award. The award honors the memory of long-time New Jersey sports writer Joe Calabrese, who covered the rivalry and college athletics for many years for the Newark Star Ledger, Trenton Times, and Bridgewater Courier News.
Season................ Player ...................................... Team
2017-18................ Corey Sanders....................... Rutgers
2016-17................ Angel Delgado.................... Seton Hall
2015-16................ Angel Delgado.................... Seton Hall
2014-15................ Isaiah Whitehead................ Seton Hall
2013-14................ Eugene Teague.................. Seton Hall
2012-13................ Austin Johnson....................... Rutgers
2011-12................ Dane Miller............................. Rutgers
2010-11................ Jordan Theodore................. Seton Hall
2009-10................ Jeremy Hazell..................... Seton Hall
2008-09................ John Garcia........................ Seton Hall
2007-08................ Corey Chandler...................... Rutgers
2006-07................ Adrian Hill.............................. Rutgers
GARDEN STATE HARDWOOD CLASSIC: SERIES HIGHS
Rutgers Series Highs (Team/Individual)
Points....................... 119, 12-6-75...................... 36, Phil Sellers 12-6-75
Rebounds ................ 54, 1-27-07 ....................... 19, Adrian Hill 1-27-07
Assists .................... N/A................................... 12, Brian Ellerbee 12-26-83
Seton Hall Series Highs (Team/Individual)
Points ...................... 109, 12-13-86 ................... 35, Jeremy Hazell 1-29-09
Rebounds ................ 59, 2-7-96 ......................... 21, Angel Delgado 12-16-17
Assists .................... N/A ................................... 10, Shaheen Holloway 2-21-99
QUOTABLE
"I love the passion of our fan base about this game. It's an exciting rivalry. We're playing against a great program. It should be fun for the fans to watch. It's sold-out, which is tremendous for basketball in New Jersey. We've been practicing well this week and are ready to head out there for a tough game."
- Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell
Players Mentioned
F
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