As promised here is the 2011 Non-Conference Preview Part 2.
December 2nd Auburn (DirecTV SEC/Big East Challenge)- The Hall hosts the Tigers from Auburn in the SEC/Big East Challenge at Prudential Center for what looks to be an even match up. I think that Seton Hall should be able to tame the Tigers by about 7 or 8 points in part due to the home court advantage. Auburn endured one of their worst season in team history last season going 11-19 and a dismal 4-12 in SEC play. The Tigers should be a better team this year but The Hall has improved too, if the game were in Auburn it may be a different story. Prediction: Seton Hall 75 Auburn 68
December 6th NJIT- The Highlanders have improved very much since their 1-30 2008 season but not enough to topple the Pirates. They have a solid combo guard in Chris Flores who was named Great West Conference Freshman of the Year by Sporting News two seasons ago. He averaged 12.6 PPG and led the team in assists with 74 last season. Sophomore guard Fuquan Edwin had 14 points for the Pirates in their 68-45 blowout last season. Prediction: Seton Hall 75 NJIT 48
December 10th Wake Forest- Usually an ACC opponent is not likely for Seton Hall to play against but once in a while, it happens. Wake Forest's season could be classified nicely as a rebuilding year due to their 8-24 record and 1-15 conference record. They finished with the least wins they've had in conference play since the 1985-86 season where they were 0-14 under Bob Staak. They also exited in the first round of the ACC Tournament at the hands of Boston College. Seton Hall should be able to deal with their offense which only ranked 223rd last year and this should be another Herb Pope double-digit boards game. Wake Forest only averaged 32.5 rebounds per game, 288th in the country. Prediction: Seton Hall 80 Wake Forest 69
December 18th Mercer- The home stretch continues as the Pirates face off with A-Sun opponent Mercer. What else can i say except that it should be a blow-out victory for the Pirates. Now nothing against Mercer but they are facing a Big East offense that averaged 13.5 assists per game and a rebounding squad that averaged 35.5 rebounds per game to Mercer's 32. It may not seem like a big difference but a few rebounds can make or break a game. Also, losing to William and Mary and Gardner-Webb does not help your status. Overall, Theo should push the tempo, Pope should crash the glass, and Fuquan should hit from the outside and inside. Prediction: Seton Hall 77 Mercer: 62
December 21st at Dayton- Ahh, a rematch with Dayton. It has been long awaited for The Hall who lost to the Flyers last year by 4 in Newark. The Pirates should have beaten the A-10 squad but they failed and have been waiting to play them since. The Pirates held an 11 point lead with 16 minutes to go and then Dayton made its run past the Pirates as the score built up to 69-59 with 9 minutes to go. A huge woe for the Pirates was not making a field goal for the next 8:24 in the game until Jordan Theodore hit a 3 pointer with 23 seconds left but by that time it was too late. Misses on second chance opportunities also built up for The Hall being outscore 20-7 in that department. Overall, i believe Dayton will prevail this time too with the Pirates being left with a sour taste in their mouths. Prediction: Dayton 68 Seton Hall 62
December 23 at Longwood- The last non-conference game of the year before a brutal beginning of conference games. Longwood was bested 78-51 by the Pirates last season and expect much of the same. 51 points scored was a surprising change for the Lancers who averaged 76.3 PPG last season. Then again, they did play some very lowly opponents including, Columbia, Colgate, and NJIT whom they lost to at one point last season. Longwood should be prepared for another loss to Seton Hall for the second year in a row. Prediction: Seton Hall 78 Longwood 63
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