Syracuse will travel to the Prudential Center in Newark for the final time in Big East play when they take on the Seton Hall Pirates on Saturday evening. Here is a quick look at the game:
INJURY BUG: With Tuesday’s 57-55 loss to Rutgers at the RAC, the Pirates have lost six in a row, and 10 of their last 11. It’s been that kind of season for Seton Hall, who came into this season with aspirations of climbing the Big East ladder, but have instead fallen victim to the injury bug. Five games into the season, the team lost starting forward Patrik Auda after he broke a bone in his right foot. The team’s leading scorer, Fuquan Edwin, has been played with an injured ankle, and Brandon Mobley and Brian Oliver have missed time as well. Coach Kevin Willard had a baseball analogy for the type of season his team has had following the Rutgers loss. “We’re not the New York Yankees — I can’t lose three guys and call up three guys, that’s not who we are,” Willard said to reporters following the game. “We’re the Tampa Bay Rays — I need all my guys healthy, I need all my guys playing real well, to be good.”
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SCOUTING THE PIRATES: Edwin is the team’s leading scorer, and is fifth overall in the Big East at 17 ppg and also averages 2.6 steals a game, good for second in the conference. Aaron Cosby is second on the team in scoring at 12.0 ppg, and is shooting 37 percent from downtown. He netted 25 points against Connecticut in a 78-67 loss on Sunday. Eugene Teague (11.2 ppg) leads the team in rebounds at 7.4 per game.
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HISTORICALLY SPEAKING: Syracuse has dominated the all-time series between the two schools, 45-16. The last time these two teams met was on December 28, 2011. Syracuse won 75-49 behind 12 points and 10 blocks from Fab Melo.
GAME INFORMATION: Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 8 p.m. at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. TV: SNY.
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