HOOPS HAVEN SAYS:

It's important that Seton Hall handle this matter sternly for the following reasons:

1) Lawrence clearly needs some intervention for his own well-being (we've been told this is not the first time he has been in trouble since transferring from Missouri).  

2) It's a serious matter than requires a proportionate response (in other words, not a one- or two-game slap on the wrist). Someone could easily have been killed here.

3) A substantial suspension is the best way to send a message to Lawrence and remind the rest of the players that they must toe the line.

We'll see what they do.

HOOPS HAVEN SAYS: This is the only sport where the first day of practice gets more attention than the first day of games. As Davis says, a coordinated "Big Bang" -- with offerings better than UNC vs. FIU -- would help. So would a later start date. Nov. 9 is about 10 days too early.

Can Villanova return to the Final Four? SI.com breaks it down, including a highlight clip of Scottie Reynolds’ Michael Jackson impersonation: Wildcats will start slow, get much better

UPCOMING AT HOOPS HAVEN

Wednesday: Signing day recap.

Thursday: Season previews for Rutgers and Seton Hall, with our win-loss predictions.

          Would you rather score 22 points per game on a 17-win team or 17 points per game on a 22-win team?

          “I told him I’d rather score 15 points and win 25 games,” Hazell said. “Because winning 17 games can’t really get you anywhere.”

          That’s the attitude Pirates coach Bobby Gonzalez wants to hear from Hazell, who made a name for himself as a prolific scorer last winter but will be surrounded by much more talent this season.

          “Everybody knows he can fill it up, but he knows he can’t take as many bad shots or off-balance shots,” Gonzalez said. “We have more mouths to feed, we have more options. He doesn’t have as much pressure on him.”

          Those options include Missouri transfer Keon Lawrence and New Mexico State transfer Herb Pope, who are used to scoring in double figures.

          “I won’t have to take a lot of the shots I took last year. I’ve got more options, so a lot of teams can’t double team me anymore,” Hazell said. “It’s going to make it very easy for me; the game will come smoother because of all the options I’ve got around me.”

          Last year, Hazell took games on his shoulders. He averaged the second-most most shot attempts (17.2 per game) and most 3-point attempts (9.1) among Big East players. His average of 22.7 points per game ranked second in the league behind Notre Dame forward Luke Harangody’s 23.3.

          And though he shot well from 3-point land (.362), his overall field goal percentage was pedestrian (.427, including .404 against Big East foes) and he handed out just 29 assists in 32 games. The latter two stats should improve now that he is surrounded by capable scorers.

          “He doesn’t have to score 22 a game and we can get more wins if he’s a little more unselfish, a little more prudent with his shot selection,” Gonzalez said. “I’d like to see him get to the line more, shoot the mid-range jumper more, be a more complete player.”

          A good comparison might be Villanova guard Scottie Reynolds, who last winter reacted to the rise in talent around him by scoring less but more efficiently. He averaged 15.2 points and 3.3 assists, and in league play his shot .441 from the field.

          Reynolds could still drop 40 on a team---he did it to Seton Hall at The Rock---but his gradual metamorphosis helped the Wildcats reach the Final Four.

          “Jeremy has to still be a go-to guy. He can’t go overnight from being one of the leading scorers in the conference to being a role guy who scores 15 a game,” Gonzalez said. “He’s still a guy who can score 30. I don’t want to make him feel like he’s restricted. On the other hand if he’s doing too much, that’s when you pull him aside and say, ‘You’ve got to pick your spots, we have a better team this year.’”

          Hazell is saying all the right things so far. If he backs it up on the court, the Pirates’ offense could be awfully hard to defend.

          “It will be real nice not to see those guys double-teaming me and triple-teaming me,” he said. “When they do, I’ll have a lot of options to pass the ball to. A lot of other guys on this team can score like me.”

          Add them all up and you’re looking at those 22 wins, maybe more.

ALL-AROUND GUY

Congrats to Rutgers senior Hamady N’Diaye, who has been name done of 30 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior Class Award: Academics, community involvement part of the criteria

HALL OF FAME

Adrian Griffin is among those slated for induction into Seton Hall's 2010 Hall of Fame class: Eight alumni to be honored Feb. 4

THE YANKEES WIN!

This blog rarely goes off topic, but living in the heart of Philly country, married to a South Jersey girl and surrounded by her Phillies-mad kin, allow me to indulge in the Bombers’ 27^th championship with this tip-of-the-cap link from the Philadelphia Inquirer, the same paper that prematurely ran a huge ad congratulating the Phillies on winning back-to-back World Series (an ad that will be adorning the wall of my home office for a while): Yo, the Yankees earned this one

UPCOMING: A feature on how Seton Hall's Jeremy Hazell handled the media-day bombardment of questions about his shooting, passing and the talent that will surround him this winter.

ALSO OF NOTE: Rutgers coach Fred Hill and Seton Hall women's coach Phyllis Mangina will join Montclair State coach Ted Fiore and former New Jersey Nets skipper Butch Beard for "Beyond the Xs and Os," a coaches' clinic Nov. 20 at the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center on Montclair State's campus.  For more information or an RSVP call (973) 655-6891.

LOCAL FRONT:

Week six results from the Immaculata fall league:

Hillsborough (6-0) 71, West Windsor P. South (0-6) 58

Bridgewater (4-2) 66, Hopewell Valley (4-2) 40

Franklin (2-3) 63, Westfield (0-6) 50

Montgomery (5-1) 42, St. Joe's-Metuchen (4-2) 27

Mendham (5-1) 57, North Hunterdon (3-3) 40

Colonia (1-5) 44, Middlesex (1-5) 36

Immaculata (4-2) 58, Cardinal McCarrick (55)

Hunterdon Central (3-3) 57, Watchung Hills (2-4) 43

Monroe (5-1) 68, West Windsor P. North (2-4) 37

In case you missed it, here is the ESPN/USA Today Preseason Top 25: Six Big East teams ranked

From the Ivy League media day, here’s a feature on Princeton’s Marcus Schroeder: Tigers look to get back on winning track

From the MAAC, Rider’s Tommy Dempsey ranked his team first in the league’s preseason poll: Ahead of Siena, wow

Seth Davis on the new Len Bias documentary: A sad story about what could have been

Northwestern has never made the NCAA Tournament: Could this be the year?

LOCAL LEGEND HONORED

Congrats to Rick Sutton, a 1975 graduate of Highland Park High School who was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame last month. Sutton played at Linden State College in Vermont, where he led the nation in scoring with 39.1 points per game as a sophomore. He was drafted by the New Orleans Jazz in 1976 and again by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1977.

My Gannett New Jersey feature on James Beatty, plus a couple of notes: New point guard ready to step on the gas

Five observations:

1. Fred Hill says it every year, and it hasn’t happened yet, but I think this is finally the season Rutgers pushes the ball on offense.

2. Here is my educated guess as to the starting five when the Scarlet Knights scrimmage Iona on Saturday: James Beatty, Mike Rosario, Jonathan Mitchell, Gregory Echenique, Hamady N’Diaye. With Mitchell making his way back from a variety of injuries, Patrick Jackson and Dane Miller have been splitting time at the 3 spot with the first team.

3. We knew Mike Rosario took all the losing hard last year, but didn’t realize how hard until he talked about it at length today.  

4. Hill loves his personnel. This was his fourth media day and the first time he offered an opening statement. “Excitement” was the first word out of his mouth and he must have said it 10 times.

5. Mike Coburn should be commended for his grades. The junior criminial justice major registered a 3.4 GPA last spring. This fall he is taking 15 credits in the following courses: prison and prisoners, race relations, ethics and science, social deviance, and a core math class. No basket weaving there.

FRED HILL PRESS CONFERENCE

Opening statement: Excitement is the key word for the upcoming season. We’ve really been able to get a jump start on the season with a trip over to Spain and the Canary Islands. Bringing in a bunch for new players the summer and so far this fall, I’ve gotten a great read on this team. Excitement is the best word I can use to describe what this team looks like.

On all the new faces: It’s always a challenge when you have new faces and you have new talent, but it’s one I can do with a smile on my face because I love what these guys bring to the table. They’ve injected passion, enthusiasm and hard work into our practices. They’ve injected competitiveness. We’re two deep at every position. Practice has been extremely tough and extremely competitive. Certainly you’ve got to blend them in and they’re going to make mistakes. But they’ve picked things up quickly. I’ve been enthused with their basketball IQ.

On Jonathan Mitchell: Jonathan has brought great leadership, a great basketball IQ. He’s got a great feel for the game. I don’t know if there’s anything he does off the charts, but I don’t know if there’s anything he doesn’t’ do well. He makes players better. There’s great flow when Jonathan touches the ball. He has a feel for what to do next. That’s something we’ve really lacked and he’s brought it to the table.

On James Beatty: He played in an up-tempo style system. He’s a guy who really has a great feel for the game, sees the floor. He can knock down open shots, he’s good off the dribble, good off of ball screens. He’s also a good defender. He’s got great instincts. He’s going to be able to get our transition game going, not just because he can push the ball but because he has great instincts.

On Austin Johnson: He’s a back-to-the-basket guy. I call him crafty. He’s really good in the post, knows how to score around the basket, and he can pass out of the post. He came here this summer and really worked on his body. He’s been a pleasant surprise in terms of being more ready to contribute right away than maybe what we thought when he came out of high school last year.

On Dane Miller: A very versatile wing player. He brings athleticism, length, he’s a terrific passer, can put the ball on the floor and create off the dribble and make plays. He’s a guy who has to feel his way through, but he’s a high energy guy. He gives us a wing that we haven’t had here in my tenure with his length and athleticism.

On Brian Okam: 7-0, 252 pounds. A big strong kid, more developed than most of the big kids that you get at his age physically. He’s been a little bit banged up, but Brian has very good hands, he has great footwork in the post. The speed and quickness of the game he’s adjusting to. He’s going against H every day, going against Gregory every day. I think that’s going to accelerate his development.

On Hasani: A typical European player. Extremely skilled, can really pass the ball, can really shoot the basketball, has great understanding and feel for the game. He’s a guy that really gets to the right spots on the floor. Finds his teammates, a really good interior passer. When he drives he finds the big guys for easy layups and dunks. He’s just a solid, fundamentally sound player, a tough hard-nosed kid. I would compare him to Rimas Kaukenas, one of the toughest, hard-nosed players I have ever coached. He’s one of those guys who was under-recruited coming out of high school who turned out to be a terrific college player. Playing for Real Madrid right now.

More on J. Mitchell’s experience: It brings a tremendous amount to our locker room. Jonathan’s brought great leadership. With the experience playing at Florida and winning a national championship, knowing what those players did, not only do you have to have great talent---Florida had that---but you have to have great work ethic, great leadership. All of those things Jonathan was a part of. He now has taken those experiences and explained them verbally to our guys and shown them every day but his leadership by example. That has helped our younger guys take the next step.

On the point guard situation: Mike (Coburn) has done a terrific job. He had a great experience going to Jamaica and playing for the national team. Mike brings all the intangibles. I think he’s a natural scorer, he did a great job for us freshman year in that role. He changed a little bit as a sophomore, we had him play more point. I think he really has started to adapt to a point guard mentality. We still need him to score, but he’s done a great job of developing a pass-first, score-second mentality. He has played extremely well in pick-up games and workouts. 

James brings the natural ability of a pass-first point guard, someone who really sees the floor and understands the game. Between the two of them, we not only have two guys who can get us into our up-tempo offense, which is the way we want to play, but they can both score off it and they do it differently. It’s nice to have two different guys who can get the job done in different ways.

On his goals for this season: A postseason berth is always the goal. You’ve got to have a sense and feel and a pulse for your team. You don’t put unreal expectations on people. I know everyone wants to talk about expectations, you want it overnight, you want it yesterday. Now we’re talking about a team that has realistic expectations (of that). We are turning a corner. We have the right people, the right attitude, the right work ethic. Postseason is a realistic goal for this group. It’s not a given, but as they continue to grow our goal is to get to the postseason.

One of the things that we haven’t been real good at is or offensive end of the game. We haven’t scored many points. Now we’re a much better offensive team. We’re going to play style that’s more conducive to scoring. We’ll be more efficient offensively, we’ll score more offensively. What you’ll see is a much more explosive offensive team.

You’re going to see a different style of play, the way we’ve always wanted to play. We want to get up and down. You need the talent and you need depth to be able to do that. We will definitely run more. Defensively we will press a little bit more, I’m not a big pressing guy, but we will add that to our repertoire.

On Mike and Gregory: Mike and Gregory came in here as 17 year olds out of high school, which is very unusual. They’re just starting to physically mature and develop. They don’t turn 19 until November. Gregory just needs to be assertive and aggressive. We talked to him about going inside much more this year than last year. He’s got the potential to be a double-double guy.

Mike has an unbelievable ability to score the basketball. We put a lot on Mike last year, I put a lot on Mike. Because we were offensively challenged, we asked Mike to go out and get us points. In doing that we gave him free reign. When you’re young you have to learn the nuances of the game, but when you’re asking somebody to carry the burden those nuances sometimes get overshadowed.

He’s starting to develop as a guy who has a complete, versatile game, not just a three-point threat. He has a mid-range jumper. We want him to get to the rim more, use the free-throw line as a scoring opportunity. He’s starting to make people better on the floor around him. When you do those things, you become very difficult to guard, in fact you become a guy who you can’t guard. That’s where Mike is headed.

Comparisons with the early Villanova-Jay Wright teams and the Seton Hall teams Freddie assisted on: I don’t think there’s any magic to it. When you’re talented and experienced, then you’re really good. When you’re talented and you have some experience, you start to show signs of becoming a better team. I think that’s where we are. How quickly it comes together will determine where we end up at the end of the season.

More on Beatty: James always has a smile on his face, an unbelievable attitude. There’s never a bad day with James. He’s very, very talkative. He stepped in from day one talking in the locker room and talking on the floor. He’s a terrific teammate and those qualities have become apparent.

In improving the RAC: We’re playing and recruiting against some of the best schools in the country. You want to be on a level playing field with everyone else. We do have something that’s very unique. One game night, when there’s 8,000 people in here, it is a very special place to play. Some there are special things about the RAC that we don’t ever want to lose. There are things we want to add to the RAC and develop so that when we talk to the best players in the country about staying home or going to Rutgers, when they go on another visit they see the same things that they saw here.

On his wings: Pat Jackson is a very good stand-still shooter. Dane is more creative off the dribble. Having two people at that position creates more offense for us.

On Hamady’s health: Sometimes people with H don’t see, because he’s not getting you 12, 14, 16 a night, the development he’s made from the first time he stepped on the floor to where he right now. Not only basketball ability but growth as a team leader and a captain. Last year with the back injury he was not nearly the prolific shot-blocker he as he had been. If we can keep him healthy he’s a guy who can get up and down the floor, so with our tempo he can score more. On the defensive end we’re going to get back the H we need as a shot-blocker and rebounder.

JAMES BEATTY:

I’ve won at every level, at high school, a junior college. 4A state champions, New Hanover High School. I want to bring that winning attitude here. Losing isn’t acceptable in my eyes. I don’t care whether we’re playing against UConn or a Division III school.

Transition to Rutgers: Every day I’m looking to figure out ways not only for myself but for my teammates to be successful in this offense. I’m looking at how hey like to get the ball, what spots Rosario or Greg or J Mitch like tot get the ball in and when they’re most successful on the court. So every day is a learning process for me and I think I’m doing a pretty good job adjusting.

Your style of play: I’m very passionate. I show lots of emotion. I’m talkative out there. Every game I’m playing you can always tell I’m having fun.

On his talking: It took me about a good week or two. In the beginning I was trying to feel everybody out and see how they responded. Everybody responded really well to my vocalness. But I’m a positive leader. It try to stay positive with everybody. I don’t try to yell or make guys feel low about themselves.

Your first impressions on Mike R. and Gregory:

Greg is strong. Not only can he score out of the post, but he can also make that pass out of the post. He’s an unselfish player. He’s going to battle of who he’s facing.

Mike is a competitor. He doesn’t like to lose. He makes shots, that’s his thing. In practice when I’m playing against him I’m amazed at some of the shots he makes.

They definitely expressed that they were frustrated with the losses last year. Now that they have a year under their belt, they both talked to me and gave me a feel for how it’s going be out there, how every game is going to be a battle.

On J. Mitchell: Playing with all the guys he’s played with, they won two national championships. You can’t get any more experience than that.

Up-tempo style: Every day in practice we’re running. We’re focusing on getting out on the break and pushing the ball and playing fast. I’ve never played at a snail’s pace. I’ve never played slow-down basketball. You get the ball and you’re pushing.

JONATHAN MITCHELL:

On the Florida experience vs. Rutgers: Florida was Florida and that team was a unique team. Rutgers is Rutgers and we’re trying to make our own identity. I can only bring my experiences from out there and some of the things I learned from Coach Donovan. I think I can bring the work ethic and competitive atmosphere those guys had every day in practice and hopefully that can trickle down to us.

On championship ring: I have the ring, I didn’t have it with me today but if the guys come to my room they can see it on my dresser.

On his health: I kind of hurt my ankle over the summer so I was out for a few weeks, and I was so anxious to get back I pulled it, strained it a little bit. But it’s getting better each day. It’s not a problem.

I see myself as a leader. I’m thinking I can be more vocal on the team with my experiences and all the things I’ve been through.

The whole nature of the team has changed. Not saying that he people before were bad guys or bad teammates, but now we have the makeup of a whole team. That’s a big key. I definitely think we have the right group of guys. We’re moving forward and either you’re going to hop onto the train with us or you’re going to stay in the station.

Practice has been intense. Coach is surprising people with his newfound attitude, but it’s good. He’s more intense, more vocal. You hear more base in his voice. Everyone knows Coach Hill is a more laid-back kind of guy, but he’s excited about this team because it’s the most talented team he’s had.

On James Beatty: He’s a pure point guard. He looks to get everybody involved.

GREGORY ECHENIQUE:

Practices are so much different from last year. We’re playing harder and working out harder.

On him being more aggressive: We’ve made that an emphasis in practice, that he (Hill) wants me to demand the ball more and take a different role in the offense, score more points and be more aggressive. That’s not going to be a problem. I’m going to have to take more of an offensive responsibility on the team.

Last year I wasn’t demanding the ball. It was just a mental thing. I guess I could blame that on myself.

On J Mitch: He’s a good shooter, and he can shoot from both sides, so I think that’s going to help out the team a lot.

On James Beatty: He’s older, he’s not coming in as a freshman, so he knows what it’s like to be on the court running an offense.

HAMADY N’DIAYE

On his back last year: It limited me a lot, probably more than 50 percent of my game, physically and mentally. Having a back injury stopped me from doing a lot of things I wanted to do. Running was I wasn’t as fast, jumping I couldn’t do. Anytime I wanted to do something it would bother me to the point where I would probably give up on myself. But I’m the type of player who always pushes myself. I probably should have sat out for the rest of the season (starting in mid-January), but I didn’t want o give up on my team. We didn’t have enough depth on the team for me to sit out, so I pushed it.

On the healing: It’s not just resting. I had to get my back a little stronger. I had to work on it a lot during the offseason to make sure it doesn’t repeat itself. I can say that I really feel good right now.

On the court I feel a lot better, like a fresh player that just came out of the womb. The excitement, first of all, this being my last season, I gave it all I had this offseason.

On James Beatty: James Beatty is a player I can relate to because he’s talks a lot on and off the court. He’s a really active player. He’s a true point guard. He’s really quick.

PATRICK JACKSON:

I’m more of a playmaker now, getting to the basket, finishing, setting up teammates.

On riding the pine last winter: It motivated me a lot. It hurt me a lot, not playing last year. That’s what made me take it to another level in the offseason. Now that I’m playing it feels like I used to feel---back to normal.

MIKE COBURN:

On his 3.4 spring semester GPA (and cum of 3.2):

It’s hard. I try to put in as much extra study time as possible.

My advisor (Randi Larsen) does a great job.

My momma is very proud of me.

MIKE ROSARIO:

On his international experience over the summer: Helped me a lot. It was the best experience of my life, having an opportunity to play with the national team against guys at the next level.

It was great because I had to learn Spanish on the court and off the court. All my teammates spoke Spanish. It was hard for me at first because I really couldn’t pronounce all of the Spanish words, but then they gave me a couple of sheets that I could look at with words on them, and that’s how I learned how to speak them. It was good being able to go to a restaurant and order food in Spanish. It was an unbelievable experience.

On the documentary, The Street Stops Here: they’re showing that film up here Sunday. Once you guys see the film it shows how far I came and where I grew up at and now where I’m at. It was a funny experience (the film crew) because we never had cameras following us everywhere. We had good times and bad times.

On all the losing: It was tough. Playing with St. Anthony’s we always won. Every summer league I played in at home we always won. For me to come and just experience this losing, it just put a lot on my shoulders because then it had me thinking that I went from being the No. 1 school in the country to probably the last team in our conference. But I was like hey I put myself in this position so I’ve got to deal with it. Now we’re just pushing everybody to the limit because we’re not going to deal with it any more. It’s time to turn this program up.

It’s gonna happen. It just takes time for our team to adjust and be the team that we can be. The turnaround is coming.

The losing has you thinking. Some days you’ll come in ready to play and toward the end of the game when you see the game is shifting to where its going and the same thing is happening over and over and you’re just thinking to yourself, wow, what does it take to win? What do we have to do to win? That was something that I just questioned myself through the whole season last year. What can I do for the team the coach, whatever? That’s something we worked on all summer and that’s something we’re working on now.

Sometimes after a game, after last year when we played Pitt it was so close that I just felt inside of me at one point during the game we were going to definitely win that game. I sat in the locker room for 15 minutes just thinking.  

On James Beatty: it took him a little while, probably a week or two to come out of his shell and get the feel for everybody. The main thing he talked about was putting on weight and getting stronger. He hadn’t lifted weights all summer because he left his old school. That’s the one thing he got upset about. It takes time it the weight room, trust me, when I first started I was lifting the bar and that’s it. That’s how weak I was.

He adjusted quick. Now he understands how we play and we understand show he plays. Now we’re stating to bond and get that little relationship as far as where I want the ball at. He can distribute it to me and know where I’m at at all times. Tat something I love about him.

On Greg: Greg is playing strong in the post, he has very god hands. He’s gotten a lot stronger and his footwork has gotten better. Now he’s added a hook shot to his game and that helps him become a complete big man. He also runs the floor like crazy and that’s what we need out of him.

On playing more up-tempo: You’re definitely going to see a lot of running. We’re a quicker team this year, we’re deeper.

Here is my media day story for Gannett New Jersey: Uniforms fit quite nicely for three impact transfers

Hoops Haven’s eight quick thoughts:

1. You get the vibe that there is good chemistry between the players. They seem to like each other and that can only help.

2. There is a discernable maturity about Eugene Harvey that wasn’t necessarily there in the past. I’ve felt it in two interviews with NuNu so far and Gonzo agrees.

3. Word is the student section at The Rock will be moved much closer to the court on the baselines.

4. This is a talkative, lively group. The postgame locker room should be an interesting place.  

5. After seeing him in uniform, words cannot do justice to how big Melvyn Oliver is. I just cannot see him running up and down the court.

6. I believe the starting lineup will be Eugene Harvey, Keon Lawrence, Jeremy Hazell, Herb Pope and John Garcia.

7. The Media Guide’s cover/theme is “Jersey Boys: Seton Hall Presents Showtime at the Rock.” It pictures Hazell, Pope, Harvey, Garcia, Mitchell and Lawrence wearing tuxes, with Gonzo in the middle in a dark suit (come on coach, don a tux!). It’s slick stuff. Good job by Matt Sweeney and company.

8. Gonzo’s press conference started on time, which might be a first.

BOBBY GONZALEZ, edited transcript:

I don’t ever remember being this excited as a coach in 16 years in Division I for a season to start as much as I am right now.

I think there could be a new kid on the block and his name could be Seton Hall. Hopefully that will come to fruition.

On getting the guys to work together:

It’s going to be a very big challenge for me as the coach. Most people are saying it’s going to come down to jealousy and egos are the guys going to pass the basketball to each other and like each other off the court. I think the challenge will be who fits well together, who’s in the lineup? It’s going to be up to me to figure out the playing time, to make sure we’ve got balance.

Jordan and Eugene are becoming not a starter and a backup. They’re really like two starters.

The two biggest areas we need to improve on are our half-court defense and rebounding. If we do that the rest will take care of itself.  I’m trying to put less expectations and pressure on the offense and more demands on the defense. That’s my way of hopefully getting everybody to blend in.  

The way to keep everybody accountable is by using defense and the bench. If you are defending and playing hard, you’ll play. If you don’t do those things, we have more options this year, more versatility, we can sit some guys down.

On his seniors, Garcia and Harvey:

I’d like to see those guys go out as NCAA Tournament players. I think it would be fitting.  

John, because he’s like the old man of the bunch, the grandfather guy, the veteran guy on the bus, in the locker room, been through tit all, coaching change, injuries. John’s kind of run the gamut, I think he’s very steady, gives us stability.

Eugene, I know it’s easy, but this is the best I’ve ever seen him play on a consistent basis. He’s knows he a senior, he has more urgency. This is it for him. He’s being challenged by Jordan. I think he gets it right now. I expect him and John to be the unofficial leaders of this team.

Coming off last season, we all felt like we were close, sort of knocking at the door. We weren’t an NCAA team, but we could have been an NIT team. We felt, not short-changed, but we felt like we were close. That feeling is good and bad. It’s good because you’re like, ‘We’re not far away’ but it’s bad because you’re not there yet. We’ve been champing at the bit to get these guys ready to go.

We need some things to fall right. The pieces have to fit, we’ve got to get the chemistry and all that. I think we have a very good chance to be a good team, I think we have an outside chance to be a special team.

I will always take more pressure on me than there is on the kids. What I’ve let them know is, we got picked 10th. We’re not going into this with a monkey on our back, pressure that we have to win, there’s really not pressure that way on this team. We haven’t done it yet. We’re not picked in top eight. We’re going to be loose, we’re going to be hungry. We’ve got to be the hunter, not the hunted.

On his contract extension:

The interesting thing about it, no matter how many times I get interviewed, there’s this belief out there, other people think I’m going to implode or I’m not going to be there, or they just don’t think it’s real, like it’s some rumor. I was in one place for seven years, now I’m here going on my fourth year, and I’ve weathered all different things.

I have three years left on my remaining contract, I have had another three years added to my contract. I have six years that I’m locked in with and I think that means something. That’s real. That’s not make-believe. Schools don’t make a habit of giving you an extension and buying you out a year form now, especially Catholic schools.

In the last three years I never used the word, I never said it a lot from the day I walked in here, I don’t remember knocking Louis Orr ever from what I inherited, I never said anything about rebuilding or the process. I’m not a big rebuilding guy. I’m not a big process guy. But we he won 17 games and had two winning seasons while we were trying to rebuild, but for some reason it doesn’t mean anything. People don’t recognize it.

On recruiting Jersey kids:

We’ve got four kids from state of New Jersey, and everyone keeps saying we can’t get local kids. I’m not quite sure what we need to do but pretty soon we’re going to separate, and then there’s going to be no argument. Winning shuts people up. I guess then they’ll come up with other things, maybe they’ll criticize my out of bounds plays, I don’t know.

We’re getting more people calling us, more kids interested in us. People are starting to say, we have a chance to separate with a couple of schools in the metro area. They’re saying the coach has security and I think we have fun style of play.  

There are internet guru guys who put you on hot seat, Pat Forde from ESPN writes every other week that I’m not going to be there, I guess he gets stuff from Louisville and writes stuff.  

On Melvyn Oliver:

There’s a lot of mystery surrounding Melvyn because he’s such a mountain masquerading as a man. He really is one of the strongest and biggest individuals I’ve been around in my life.

He’s definitely a work in progress. Last year the fact that he sat out and we couldn’t work with him hurt us a little bit because he would be closer physically to where we want him to be.

A big kid like him, with his footwork, his skill level, his hands, his strength, his size, you just don’t get guys like that. You have to take a chance on a big body like that. Where he’s probably going to struggle is in the beginning of the year when we play in the non-conference and he’s got matchups with 6-7 guys at Cornell who are shooting threes. I’m going to have to play him in spurts. As he gets his feet wet, gets more minutes, gets in better shape, and we get into Big East play against bigger guys, I think then he’ll be more comfortable.

Early in the year, I’m not saying he’s not going to play, but I think it’s going to be a real learning experience for him. It’s going to be hard for him to find his niche. But as we played the Pittsburghs and Notre Dames of the world, that’s when I’m hoping we can get something from Melvyn Oliver.

Rebounding, a lot of it is personnel-related. We’ve got a guy like Herb Pope now, who has a chance to be the best rebounder I ever coached, even as an assistant coach. Herb Pope is one of those Dennis Rodman guys, leave your feet, get up 3-4 times before somebody else gets up once.

Are we going to play two natural forwards more? I would say the answer to that is going to be yes. If Herb Pope is healthy and playing like he should be, he and John are going to be playing a lot together. When you take John out, where Herb gives you versatility is he can play the five. He’s tough enough and he’s strong enough.

On Stix Mitchell:

He definitely was our of position and where it hurt us the most was defensively. Everybody knows Stix Mitchell gave us everything they had. We couldn’t play without him. This year he’s more freed up to concentrate on being a wing guy where he can think more about getting out on the break and defending wings.

On Jeremy Hazell:

What everybody’s been saying and writing, I think is true. I heard a question posed to him, I think it was Fran Fraschilla, would you rather be a 22 points-a-game guy on a 17-win team or a 17 point-a-game guy on a 22-win team? I thought it was a pretty good analogy. He wants to win.

Everybody knows he can fill it up, but he knows he can’t take as many bad shots or off-balance shots. We have more mouths to feed, we have more options. He doesn’t have as much pressure on him. He can still be effective and be a very good player. He doesn’t have to score 22 a game and we can get more wins if he’s a little more unselfish, a little more prudent with his shot selection. I’d like to see him get to the line more, shoot the mid-range jumper more, be a more complete player.

Jamel Jackson: He also can take some pressure off Jeremy. Let’s say a team goes zone. Last year was like Jeremy got doubled and they left Paul and they left Eugene open. If Robert or Jeremy didn’t make a jumper it didn’t happen.

Jeremy has to still be a go-to guy. We can’t go overnight from being one of the leading scorers in the conference to being a role guy who scores 15 a game. He’s still a guy who can score 30. I don’t want to make him feel like he’s restricted. On the other hand if he’s doing too much, that’s when you pull him aside and say you’ve got to pick your spots, we have a better team this year. And kids got to be able to handle coaching without getting insulted, taking it so personally. It’s more from the neck up today than the Xs and Os. It’s my job. I have to get it done.

This is where it helps a coach to have more talent. You’re able to make guys a little more accountable if there’s a lack of effort on defense, a turnover a bad shot. Whereas lat year you had to put up with it because you didn’t have a choice, now you can say, look, I’ll play this guy.

Farrakohn Hall, I knew he was going to be a good player here but yesterday (in a scrimmage against Fordham) he was off the charts. One of the reasons, every day in practice Herb Pope has been kicking the literal whatever out of him for three weeks, and when he wasn’t Jeff Robinson was. Yesterday was the first time Ferrakohn Hall had a chance to play somebody else other than Herb Pope or Jeff Robinson and he didn’t look like a freshman.

That’s what helps the UConns the Syracuses and that’s what I’m hoping for this year.

Who replaces Paul Gause?

The combination of two guys. Keon Lawrence because he’s a combo guard and because he can defend and he’s quick. And I think Jordan Theodore. Jordan’s a ball-pressure and energy guy and the fans love him, he has a similar aura to Paul Gause, that dive on the floor, run into tables, take charge. I think Jordan can do that and I think Keon can do that.

The biggest surprise so far:

I knew Eugene would probably be better because he’s a senior, but it’s the best I’ve ever seen him. He’s making shots, he’s playing with confidence, he’s defending. I was like, ‘Wow.’ I don’t know if he’s worries about Jordan taking his spot. I can’t wait to see if it translates into the games. I hope it will.

Even though he’s not eligible to pay until December, I knew he was a great athlete, other than Brian Laing, I forgot what it was like to have a guy like Jeff Robinson. He’s such a spectacular athlete. There are days in practice we’re just shaking our heads. He can defend 3-4 positions plays above the rim, he makes threes.

Herb Pope, I said it a long time and we still haven’t played a game yet, that he would be a difference maker if not a program changer. He’s even better than I thought he was going to be. If he plays this year like he’s been playing so far, we hope to keep him for a couple of years. He’s pretty good.

We’re going to be a dangerous team. I don’t know how much time it’s going to take. I just know when it kicks in, I wouldn’t want to play this team.

EUGENE HARVEY:

I spent the whole summer here. The whole summer I’ve just been working.

I want to go out with a bang. I want to go out my last year saying Eugene really backed up what he said---he was looking forward to his senior year and he did it.

I’m more committed on defense. I’m trying to lead by example, to go out there and give 100 percent.

That made me way more motivated than ever, knowing this is my last season. I haven’t been to the postseason. With this great group of guys around me, this is an opportunity to achieve that goal.

KEON LAWRENCE:

Coming home: That’s going to be a big step for me, having my friends and family and home support.

I’m going to bring a lot of leadership, vocally and action-wise. I’m going to bring a lot of scoring. I’m used to pressing and being active because at Missouri that’s all I did.

The transition: At first it was kind of tough, sitting out last year---not playing, at home, I had a lot of distractions. But I got through it. It feels like I haven’t played college basketball in forever.

A lot of people have seen what I can do, that I can play at a high level. Now with me being back home, people want to see me take it to another level. There might be pressure but I’ve got no problem with that. I’m excited for it. I’m ready.

HERB POPE:

Last year, everyone was great. Guys would point to me on the bench when they’d score. They would see me cheering for them.

Off the court was my main focus last year. I did my best in the classroom, fell just short of a 3.0.

I’ve focused on eliminating my off the court issues, keeping away from people who aren’t going to be positive. People have said a lot of my teammates are bad guys, particularly me, but we don’t feed into that. Haters are going to hate. We know what we’ve got inside.

On the court: With me, you have to come hard, because I’m going to play hard. I’m diving on the floor, battling for lose balls, blocking shots, trying to take charges.

JEFF ROBINSON:

First game back maybe could be Temple, no later than Navy.

Right now I feel like I’m an outcast because I can’t play until December, but these guys have made it very easy. When I came here they accepted me like I had been here since my freshman year. It’s been smooth sailing.

On the Memphis experience: I would not give up my freshman year. I learned a lot, what you have to do to be a successful team.

My role? Coach said he just wants me to go out there and play hard, don’t play tentative, don’t play scared, play through mistakes. It was something I couldn’t really do at Memphis because we had so many players. Now I have the chance.

STIX MITCHELL:

Advice for the transfers: I told them before the summer to work to get the rust off over the summer. A lot of those guys worked out a lot more. Most of them were here in the gym this summer getting it in.

In the practices: We beat each other up. Across the board everybody is competing. When we get to take that out on another team is should be quite a show.

JOHN GARCIA:

Jeremy knows he has great talent around him. He’ll be looking to pass the ball more this year. He does have to score 30 for us to be successful.

Guys genuinely want to win, because they know all the personal accolades aren’t going to come unless this team wins.

On his legacy here: I want people to say he was a hard worker, a guy who came to work every day and did his job. I want to be looked at as a winner. In my four years I’ve never played in the NCAA Tournament. That means more than anything to me. I don’t care if I play 10 minutes a game, I want to be able to put up a banner. I want to come back and look at that banner and say I was part of that team.

JEREMY HAZELL:

On all the additions: That just means that I’ve got less pressure on me now. I won’t have to take a lot of the shots I took last year, I’ve got more options, a lot of teams can’t double team me anymore. It’s going to make it very easy for me, the game will come smoother because of all the options I’ve got around me.

I want to make to the NCAA for Eugene and John because it’s their last year and my last time playing with them.

Fran Fraschilla asked you if you rather score 22 a game and win 17 games or average 17 points and win 22 games. What did you say to that? I told him I’d rather score 15 points and win 25 games, just to sacrifice. Because winning 17 games can’t really get you anywhere.

That will be real nice not to see those guys double teaming me and triple teaming me. When they do I’ll have a lot of options to pass the ball to. A lot of other guys on this team can score like me.

The 6-foot-4, 195-pound shooting guard is doing a postgraduate year Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. He chose Rutgers over Harvard.

“I’ve always wanted to play in the Big East, so that’s exciting,” he said. “It came down to being really comfortable with the whole situation.”

          Carroll visited Rutgers two weeks ago. Scarlet Knights assistant Darren Savino was the lead recruiter.

“I’d say I’m a shooter, and I can pass the ball.” Carroll said. “I’m not a flashy player. I’m more of a steady player.”

His dad knows the New Jersey hardwood scene well. John Carroll starred at Summit High School in the early 1970s and served as an assistant coach at Seton Hall for seven years, culminating in the Pirates’ 1989 Final Four appearance. He went on to become the head coach at Duquesne and later the skippered the Boston Celtics on an interim basis in 2003-04.

“I’ve watched Austin play for a long time. It’s not so much just his ability, which I think he has a lot of, but he’s a really good teammate. He helps make other people better,” John Carroll said. “He’s always understood the importance of winning and doing whatever is important to winning. As far as Rutgers is concerned, I guess there’s kind of an irony there, with me having worked at Seton Hall for a long time.”

The Jersey connection enabled Austin to get to know talented Rutgers sophomores Mike Rosario and Gregory Echenique long before he visited the school. He also had played with freshman Dane Miller in the past.

The National Letter of Intent signing period runs from Nov. 11-18. Rutgers now has two open scholarships remaining for next year.

JOHN CARROLL'S comments in full:

I’m really excited for him because not only as his dad but as a basketball coach. I’ve seen how much time and hard work he’s put in to get where he’s gotten. It’s nice to see him be rewarded for the amount of time and hard work he’s put into this.

From my standpoint I kind of look at it from both angles, as a dad and as a coach. I’ve watched Austin play for a long time. It’s not so much just his ability, which I think he has a lot of, but the’ a really good teamamte. He helps make other people better.

And so I think that’s what he will help bring to Rutgers. He’s always understood the importance of winning and doing whatever is important to winning. As far as Rutgers is concerned, I guess there’s kind of an irony there, with me having worked at Seton Hall for a long time. I think more importantly having been born in New Jersey and having family there, it’s a nice place. Beyond the school, beyond the basketball program, beyond the education it’s nice to be able to go somewhere where there’s friends and family kind who will be kind of looking out for him.

I think he made a real nice connection with Fred and Darren. I’ve always said to him since he started this process, the head coach might be the most important part of the decision, because that’s the person that will be responsible for everything that goes on in the program.  

Having gone through that Seton Hall experience, I was able to guide Austin through this experience. I think he can be a person who, along with Mike Rosario and Gregory and some of the other guys, helps Rutgers get back to being a strong team.

Austin has known Mike Rosario for about 5-6 years. He’s been at Coach Hurley’s camp in the Poconos. He knows Gregory from Danny Hurley. He mad a connection with those two guys and he played with Dane Miller a little bit, so he kind of knew Dane. That made it interesting when he got down there.

Rutgers has added a game against that noted hardwood power, Caldwell: February delight

Gary Parrish’s coaches on the hot seat: Sizzling times for Jerry Wainwright and Norm Roberts

Andy Katz on Notre Dame’s unfinished business: Harangody is face of the sport

CHECK BACK HERE late Tuesday afternoon for a report from Seton Hall’s media day and Wednesday afternoon for word on Rutgers’ media day.

 Immaculata Fall League: Week 5 Scores:

North Hunterdon (3-2) 45, Hunterdon Central (2-3) 35

Watchung hills (2-3) 55, West Windsor P. South (0-5) 39

West Windsor P. North (2-3) 54  Colonia (0-5) 33

Mendham (4-1) 84, Middlesex (1-4) 57

Immaculata (3-2), Westfield (0-5) 56

St. Joe's, Metuchen (4-1) 77, Franklin (1-3) 58

Bridgewater (3-2) 69, Cardinal McCarrick (3-2) 45

Montgomery (4-1) 36, Monroe (4-1) 35

Hillsborough (5-0) 73, Hopewell Valley (4-1) 48