Inside the Enemy Ship: Butler Bulldogs

Welcome to the latest edition of “Inside the Enemy Ship”! Looking for their fifth straight Big East win, the Seton Hall Pirates take on the Butler Bulldogs at the Prudential Center, with both teams trying to strengthen their NCAA tournament resume. We had the pleasure of talking to Marisa Miller, the Sports Co-Editor for The Butler Collegian! Check bellow to see her thoughts on the upcoming game!

BBA: When the season started, where did you see the Bulldogs going?
MILLER: I saw the Bulldogs being a very serious threat in the Big East and highly ranked throughout the entire season. With the senior duo of Kellen Dunham and Roosevelt Jones, I thought that was a very fair prediction. But the rest of the talent in the Big East finally caught up to them after their spectacular non-conference run.

BBA: How hard was the tragic loss of former Bulldog, Andrew Smith, on the Butler community?
MILLER: The loss of Andrew Smith was incredibly hard on the entire Butler community from the players to the students to the staff. His influence was so instrumental in everything that the Butler Way stands for. The campus and community are both still heavily grieving his passing.

BBA: Do you think the Big East is a good fit for Butler?
MILLER: I definitely believe the Big East is a good fit for Butler. I consider the Big East conference to be a conference full of teams that are considered underdogs and with something to prove to the rest of the NCAA. Being an underdog is a situation in which Butler thrives, and I believe the competition in the Big East is only getting higher and better.

BBA: Butler was 11-1* headed into Big East play, but have struggled with conference games, with an overall 5-6 record. What was the cause of the rapid decline?
MILLER: I think Butler underestimated how good their Big East opponents were looking this year. The hard-fought wins against Cincinnati and Purdue were good starting off points for Butler as an insight to what they would face in the Big East. The amount of tragedy the team has faced as well off the court since Big East play began cannot be overlooked either as a possible cause and distraction as well.

BBA: Do you think, when push comes to shove, that Butler will make the NCAA Tournament?
MILLER: I do still believe Butler has a shot of making the NCAA Tournament. If they finish the Big East season only losing 2-3 more games and making a deep Big East Tournament run, I believe the selection committee will have to consider them. I currently see them at a play-in game as an 11 seed. But anywhere from seeds 9 to 12 is probable.

BBA: Which players should Seton Hall be most worried about meeting in the court?
MILLER: Seton Hall should be most worried about Kelan Martin as they prepare for Wednesday’s game. He is a very difficult match-up for every team in the Big East based on his size and scoring abilities all over the floor. Dunham and Jones should not be overlooked either. With Dunham’s long range and Jones’ ability to drive the paint, those match-ups will be tough as well.

BBA: Final Score Prediction?
MILLER: 73-68 BU

Once again, a big thanks to Ms. Miller for taking the time to talk to us. Be sure to follow her on twitter @marisanmiller! Tip-off is tonight at 6:30 at the Rock! The Blue Beard Army staff will be there (just look for the retro New Jersey NETS jerseys), and we hope you will be too! As always, Hazard Zet Forward!

* Editor’s Note: The original question mistakenly listed Butler as 11-0 going into Big East play, before we were corrected by Ms. Miller about the loss to Miami FL in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off championship game, giving them an 11-1 record.

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Let the Good Times Roll

The Seton Hall Pirates were back in action today as they hosted the Georgetown Hoyas at the Prudential Center. The Pirates were looking to pick up a fourth straight win, and further solidify their NCAA tournament standing. With Providence losing today, the winner of this game would gain sole possession of third place in the Big East. Ultimately, the Pirates would come out on top 69-61.

Both teams came out with a tough attitude and the first half was a very physical one. The two teams traded leads throughout the first half. Angel Delgado had the hot hand for the Pirates, and L.J. Peak had a solid first half for the Hoyas. The three pointer was the main weapon for Peak as he knocked down 3 of them in the first half. Isaiah Whitehead didn’t have his shot in the first half, but other Pirates stepped up to fill the void. The Pirates would end up taking a 30-29 lead into the locker room.

The Hoyas were led in the first half by L.J. Peak with 9 points and 2 rebounds. Jessie Govan and D’Vaunted Smith-Rivera each added 6 points for the Hoyas. Isaac Copeland led the Hoyas with 5 rebounds in the first half. Georgetown shot 30% from the field in the first half and 33.3% from beyond the arc. The Hoyas turned the ball over 8 times in the first half.

The Pirates were led by Angel Delgado with 8 points and 7 rebounds in the first half. Derrick Gordon added 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals. Isaiah Whitehead led the Pirates with 3 assists. Seton Hall shot 35.3% from the field in the first half and 11.1% from beyond the arc. The Pirates turned the ball over 4 times in the first half.

The second half started the same as the first. The two teams traded leads until 15:19 remaining in the half when Derrick Gordon tied the game at 38. A layup from Khadeen Carrington would give the Pirates a 2 point lead and they would lead the rest of the way. The Pirates would hold off a charge from Georgetown down the stretch. Seton Hall led by as much as 9 points en route to a 69-61 victory over the Georgetown Hoyas.

Georgetown was led by Isaac Copeland who scored 18 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. L.J. Peak added 17 points and hauled in 8 rebounds. D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera chipped in 11 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists. Marcus Derrickson and Bradley Hayes each grabbed 6 rebounds for the Hoyas. Georgetown shot 33.9% from the floor and 30% from beyond the arc.

Seton Hall was led by Angel Delgado with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Isaiah Whitehead had 16 points and led the team with 4 assists. Ismael Sanogo had a strong game with 7 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Derrick Gordon chipped in 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. The Pirates shot 37.1% from the floor and 20% from beyond the arc.

With the loss the Hoyas fall to 13-11 overall and 6-5 in Big East play. With the win the Pirates improve to 17-6 overall and 7-4 in the Big East. The Pirates now take over sole possession of third place in the conference. The Hoyas will now head home to take on the St. John’s Red Storm on Monday. The Pirates will host the Butler Bulldogs on Wednesday.

Check out the PPI to see which Pirates players excelled. The Pirates may have a chance to break into the top 25 this week. We will have full coverage of the Butler game on Wednesday. Until then, Hazard Zet Forward.

PPI vs Georgetown

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Previewing the Georgetown Hoyas

The Pirates take on the Georgetown Hoyas tonight at the Prudentical Center at 9 p.m. Here’s what you need to know about Georgetown.

Record: 13-10 (6-4 in the Big East)

Leading scorers: D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera 16.6 points per game

L.J. Peak 10.8 points per game

Isaac Copeland 9.7 points per game

Rebound leaders: Bradley Hayes 6.7 rebounds per game

Isaac Copeland 5 rebounds per game

Marcus Derrickson 4.3 rebounds per game

The Hoyas average 73.4 points per game and allow 69.7 points per game.

Next 3 games for the Hoyas: St. John’s (2/8), at Providence (2/13), Seton Hall (2/17)

Next 3 games for the Pirates: Butler (2/10), at Georgetown (2/17), at St. John’s (2/21)

The Pirates will look to slow down Smith-Rivera and the Hoyas tonight. If you can’t make it to the game you can catch the action on CBS Sports Network. We will have full live coverage and a recap after the game. Until then, Hazard Zet Forward.

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Pirates Sweep Away Golden Eagles

The Seton Hall Pirates were back in action today at the Prudential Center as they took on the Marquette Golden Eagles. Before the game, we had the chance to speak to our good friend Jack Goods. Jack’s answers can be found on our previous post, but we would again like to extend a big thank you to him for all of his insight. The Pirates ended up cruising to a 79-62 victory against Marquette.

The first half was very closely contested. The teams traded buckets early on in the game. Luke Fischer and Angel Delgado both came out aggressive and led their teams in the first half. The Pirates were looking to stifle freshman sensation Henry Ellenson. Ellenson was coming off a huge game against Butler where he put up 32 points and 10 rebounds. The Pirates did a good job of frustrating Ellenson in the first half, and it helped to slow down the attack of the Golden Eagles. A Khadeen Carrington layup with 5:28 remaining in the half gave the Pirates a 9 point lead. However, Marquette would chip away at the lead and go into halftime trailing the Pirates 34-31.

The Golden Eagles were led in the first half by Luke Fischer who posted 11 points and 4 rebounds as well as 3 assists. Henry Ellenson added 4 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Jajuan Johnson chipped in 5 points for Marquette in the first half. The Golden Eagles shot 42.4% from the field in the first half and 22.2% from beyond the arc. The Golden Eagles turned the ball over 7 times in the first half.

The Pirates were led in the first half by Angel Delgado who had 8 points and 6 rebounds. Isaiah Whitehead added 7 points, and Desi Rodriguez grabbed 8 boards. Khadeen Carrington led the Pirates with 5 assists in the first half. Derrick Gordon posted 8 points as well in the first half to share the team lead with Delgado. The Pirates shot 43.8% from the field in the first half and 25% from beyond the arc. They turned the ball over 6 times but had 12 assists in the first half.

The first half of the second half was still a game that was up for grabs. Immediately to start the half Henry Ellenson would knock down a three pointer and tie the game. The Pirates would build a lead, but Marquette would keep cutting it down. With 11:05 left in the game, Jajuan Johnson would hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 3. Isaiah Whitehead, Derrick Gordon, and Khadeen Carrington would each hit three pointers in the next 3 possessions and the Pirates would stretch the lead to 10 points. The Pirates would ultimately build an 18 point lead and end up winning by a score of 79-62.

The Golden Eagles were led overall by Luke Fischer who scored 17 points, grabbed 6 boards, and dished out 3 assists. Jajuan Johnson added 15 points and 4 rebounds. Henry Ellenson had a double double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Duane Wilson had 8 points for Marquette. The Golden Eagles shot 40.7% from the floor and 26.3% from beyond the arc.

The Pirates were led by Angel Delgado who put up 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Isaiah Whitehead also had a great game with 21 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds. Derrick Gordon and Khadeen Carrington each posted 13 points for the Pirates. Isaiah Whitehead also blocked 3 shots on the night. The Pirate shot 50% from the floor and 35.3% from beyond the arc.

With the loss the Golden Eagles fall to 15-8 overall and 4-6 in Big East play. With the win the Pirates improve to 16-6 overall and 6-4 in Big East play. Marquette will now head to Cincinnati to take on the Xavier Musketeers on Saturday. The Pirates will host the Georgetown Hoyas at the Prudential Center on Saturday.

A big thank you again goes out to Jack Goods! He can be followed on twitter @GoodsOnSports. He is a great follow and a terrific journalist! Check out the PPI below to see which Pirates players performed at a high level. We will have full coverage of the Georgetown game on Saturday. Until then, Hazard Zet Forward.

PPI vs Marquette (2)

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