The lowdown
2000-01 record: 19-14; 7-9 in Big East (6th in West)
Final Ranking: NR
Postseason: Lost to Mississippi State 66-61 in first round of NIT.
Three Questions for 2001-02
1. How do the Pirates adjust to life with Louis Orr instead of Tommy Amaker? The onus will also be on the Pirates staff, which was strong under Amaker and needs to be as hands-on with this squad.
2. Eddie Griffin might have been a locker room problem but he was still a go-to player and the team's best rebounder and shot blocker. How do the Pirates replace Griffin as well as Samuel Dalembert's shot blocking skills?
3. Do the Pirates have enough with Ty Shine, Darius Lane, Andre Barrett and newcomer John Allen to mount a run for the top of the Big East? The talent is there, especially in the perimeter, but they might not have enough inside.
Three Key Facts
1. Darius Lane hoisted up the most 3-pointers in the Big east (252), making 39.3 percent of 'em. He averaged 16.9 points per game.
2. Nobody questioned Seton Hall's talent last season -- both early-entry departures Eddie Griffin and Samuel Dalembert were drafted in the first round of the NBA draft. But the chemistry under new coach Louis Orr can't get any worse.
3. Orr guided Siena to a 20-11 record, a 12-6 mark in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, and a berth in the semifinals of the 2001 conference tournament. He owns over 10 years of experience in the collegiate coaching ranks, including tenures as an assistant coach at Syracuse and Providence.
Andy Katz's Scenarios
Best case: Seton Hall lives up to expectations and gets to the top of the Big East, earns an NCAA Tournament berth and everyone forgets the lost season of 2000-01.
Worst case: The Pirates can't get their act together again, lack inside scoring and fall short of an NCAA Tournament berth for a second straight season.
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Key Players Returning
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Player
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Yr.
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Pos.
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Ht./Wt.
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Comment
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Darius Lane
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Sr.
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G
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6-4/208
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PTS: 16.9 | REB: 4.8 | AST: 2.4
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Andre Barrett
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So.
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G
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5-8/159
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PTS: 10.2 | REB: 3.3 | AST: 5.5
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Ty Shine
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Sr.
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G
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6-0/181
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PTS: 9.6 | REB: 1.9 | AST: 2.5
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Marcus Toney-El
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So.
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F
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6-6/197
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PTS: 6.7 | REB: 4.0 | AST: 2.0
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Key Losses
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Player
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Pos.
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Ht./Wt.
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Comment
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Eddie Griffin
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F
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6-9/205
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PTS: 17.8 | REB: 10.8 | AST: 1.6
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Samuel Dalembert
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C
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6-11/232
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PTS: 8.3 | REB: 5.7 | AST: 0.3
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Seton Hall Signings
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Player
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Pos.
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Ht.
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High School/College
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John Allen
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F
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6-5
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Coatesville H.S./Coatesville, Pa
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Alex Gambino
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C
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7-0
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Long Island Lutheran/Huntington Station, New York
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Mauricio Branwell
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F
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6-8
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Notre Dame Prep (Mass.)/Brooklyn, N.Y.
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