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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- The name of the play is "Quick." Shaheen
Holloway was just the man to run it.
The Seton Hall point guard drove the length of the floor in
about six seconds, making his way through a maze of players to bank
in a shot high off the glass with 1.9 seconds left in overtime to
give the Pirates a 72-71 victory over Oregon on Friday in the first
round of the East Regional.
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Having Shaheen Holloway score the decisive basket for Seton Hall in
its upset over Oregon was fitting for the Big East's most unsung player.
Holloway has been through two coaches and plenty of rebuilding in
four years with the Pirates. He entered this season with more talk about the
Pirates' 2000 recruiting class than his senior classmates.
Now, Holloway is getting his last moment to shine and give himself a
chance to play professionally somewhere on the globe. His dream nearly
crashed when he committed a costly turnover on the second-to-last
possession, but his Tyus Edney/Danny Ainge-like coast-to-coast layup gave
the tournament its first true buzzer beater.
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The last of Holloway's game-high 27 points propelled the
10th-seeded Pirates (21-9) into the second round against the winner
of the Temple-Lafayette game.
"Growing up as a little kid, you watch the NCAA Tournament and
you see people doing stuff like this and you say to yourself, 'One
day I want to be a part of that,' " said Holloway, who also had a
fast-break layup in overtime off his third steal of the game. "I'm
just happy we got the opportunity to come here and play."
The seventh-seeded Ducks (22-8) did everything they could to
prevent the winning play, but they found out there is no play to
stop elusiveness and determination.
"In hindsight, there isn't a lot you could do," Oregon coach
Ernie Kent said. "We put our biggest, quickest defender on him in
(Alex) Scales, and we double-teamed the ball in the backcourt to
make him take some of the time off so it would be a hurried shot
situation."
But Holloway, who was distraught with his game during an
injury-plagued junior season, was not going to be denied. He made a
great spin dribble against Scales at the top of the key, got into
the lane and hit an off-balance runner.
"We want the ball in his hands," Seton Hall coach Tommy Amaker
said. "There's no secret about that. He always has the ability to
use his instincts in an instant. They tried to double-team him and
get it out of his hands, but he wouldn't give that up."
Oregon, which trailed throughout and never was able to get its
transition game in gear, finally tied it at 62-all with 1:10 to go
on a tough shot off the glass by reserve Bryan Bracey.
Bracey, who combined with sub Anthony Norwood for 17 points in
the final 9:01 of regulation to rally the Ducks from a 10-point
deficit, then converted two free throws with 12.7 seconds left to
give Oregon just its second lead of the game.
Rimas Kaukenas, who played through a second-half injury to his
tender left ankle, beat A.D. Smith on a drive to the basket and
scored off the glass with 3.3 seconds remaining to force the
overtime.
"It's survive and advance," said Oregon guard Darius Wright,
who had five points, four assists, and four turnovers. "That's
what we had to do."
The lead went back and forth in the extra period. The Ducks
appeared to have it won when Frederick Jones hit two free throws
with 8.7 seconds left before Holloway's heroics altered the
outcome.
"That's how I expected it to end up," said Kaukenas, who
finished with 14 points. "I knew it was going to be a happy
ending. I don't know why."
A.D. Smith led Oregon with 17 points, but he scored nly two in the second
half. Scales had 16. The Ducks were making just their second
appearance in the tournament since 1961.
Seton Hall freshman center Samuel Dalembert used his
7-foot-7-inch reach to create havoc in the lane for the Ducks,
blocking six shots, getting 12 rebounds, and six points.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Seton Hall NCAA Team Report
Oregon NCAA Team Report
Chat: NCAA Tourney
AUDIO/VIDEO
Post-game news conference from Seton Hall's win over Oregon.
RealVideo: | 28.8
Shaheen Holloway talks about banking the game winning shot.
wav: 89 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Tommy Amaker says Shaheen Holloway make an incredible shot.
wav: 93 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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