Seton Hall University
Xavier
Gibbs, Whitehead Lead 90-82 Win over Xavier
1/31/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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NEWARK, N.J. - Seton Hall junior Sterling Gibbs (Scotch Plains, N.J.) scored 16 of his game-high 22 points in the second half and dished out eight assists to lead an effort in which five Pirates reached double-figures; fueling a pivotal 90-82 victory over visiting Xavier at the Prudential Center on Saturday.
The Hall's (15-6, 5-4 BIG EAST) 90 points were a new season-high and after an 80-70 win at Marquette on Wednesday, SHU has now recorded 80 or more points in consecutive conference games for the first time since 2010-11 - a pair of victories over Syracuse and Providence that were also in late January.
Gibbs knocked down all eight of his free throws in the second half as the Pirates registered 19 points from the line in the period, adding four rebounds and eight assists to his second consecutive 20+-point performance.
The two-time BIG EAST Player of the Week finished with totals of 46 points, 18 assists and only four turnovers in the triumphs over Marquette and Xavier (14-8, 5-5 BIG EAST).
Making his first appearance since December 21 at Georgia (nine games), freshman Isaiah Whitehead (Brooklyn, N.Y.) returned with a bang, contributing 19 points, four rebounds, three assists and a game-high three steals in 23 minutes off the bench. SHU also matched a season-low with seven turnovers - the fifth conference game in which the team has finished with single-digit giveaways - and improved to 10-2 with Whitehead in the lineup.
Fellow newcomer Desi Rodriguez (Bronx, N.Y.) recorded five of the team's 14 second half field goals, shooting 6-of-7 from the floor on his way to a career-high 16 points while also grabbing six rebounds. Frontcourt-mates Brandon Mobley (Savannah, Ga.) and Angel Delgado (Bajos De Haina, Dominican Republic) tied for the team-lead with seven rebounds apiece; chipping in 13 and 10 points respectively.
For the second-straight outing, Seton Hall set a season-high for points in a half during the second stanza, exploding for 52 points over the final 20 minutes after tallying 48 in the final frame to seal the win in Milwaukee. The sixth-ranked team in the nation in terms of 3-point defense, The Hall also limited Xavier to 1-of-19 (.053) from beyond the arc and has now held its opponent under 30 percent from beyond the arc in all 11 home games this season.
On a day in which Seton Hall honored its inaugural BIG EAST squad with then-head coach Bill Raftery in attendance, the Pirates and Musketeers turned in the type of physical, tightly-contested contest that the conference has become synonymous with.
The lead changed hands eight times and there were eight ties as well in the second half and the teams were separated by more than two possessions for just 16 seconds of action heading into the final two minutes. After SHU took a one-point advantage into the break, the score was tied three times in the first 4:30 as the teams traded blows.
Triples from Whitehead and Jaren Sina (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) within the span of a minute stretched the Seton Hall edge to 53-47 at the 14:21 mark but XU's Jalen Reynolds responded with five consecutive points to pull the Musketeers back to within one.
A steal and fastbreak dunk by Rodriguez capped a 9-3 Seton Hall run that made the score 62-55 with 11:24 to play but Xavier needed just 1:30 to record seven unanswered points of their own and put the teams on even terms for the fifth time.
Neither team built a lead larger than three points over the next six minutes and a driving layup by Gibbs marked the ninth tie of the afternoon at 75-75 with 4:12 remaining.
The Pirates would not record another field goal for nearly four minutes but held Xavier to 4-of-13 from the field and 0-of-6 from downtown in the final five minutes to help pull away. Seton Hall scored 15 of its final 19 points at the line as Gibbs and Whitehead combined to shoot an impressive 13-of-14 from the stripe down the stretch and help the Pirates finish with five wins in their first nine league games for the first time since 2007-08.
Seton Hall took a lead into halftime for the 15th time this season, using a late run to get back on top after a back-and-forth, first period that was defined by runs and counterstrikes. Xavier recorded the first bucket of the game but treys from Mobley and Sina fueled a spurt of eight unanswered for The Hall that put the Pirates in control early.
SHU built its lead to as large as 10 when Gibbs found Carrington with an outlet that led to a layup that made it 20-10 at the 11:52 mark but Seton Hall recorded just one field goal as Xavier stormed back. After starting the game 5-of-14 from the field, the Musketeers knocked down seven consecutive shots as part of a stretch in which they recorded 21 of the next 25 points in the contest; moving ahead 31-24 on a James Farr jumper with 4:43 remaining in the period.
The Hall rebounded to rattle off 14 of the final 20 points in the half, finding the mark on four of their last five shots headed into the locker room - a span that was highlighted by a sequence in which a Sina steal led to a Gibbs layup by way of an outstanding hustle play by Whitehead; putting the Pirates back on top for the first time in over six minutes of action.
Trevon Bluiett scored 14 of his team-high 19 points off the bench for Xavier in the first half but seven Pirates recorded at least four points in the period to help SHU keep pace.
The Pirates make a quick stop on the road to wrap the season series with DePaul this Tuesday, February 3 before returning home for the next two against Marquette (2/7, 12 p.m.) and Georgetown (2/10, 7 p.m. ). Tip-off between The Hall and the Blue Demons is scheduled for 9 p.m. Eastern as part of a BIG EAST doubleheader that can be seen nationally on FOX Sports 1 and the FOX Sports Go app. The Seton Hall radio team of Gary Cohen and Dave Popkin will have the call for 570AM (WMCA), Sirius channel 134 and the Pirate Sports Network on SHUPirates.com.
For tickets to the Pirates' upcoming home games, click HEREor call the Seton Hall Ticket Office at (973)-275-4255 (HALL).
