Tech men advance in NIT, beat Seton Hall

By A-J Staff on March 16th, 2010 View Comments Printer-Friendly

BY LOU MONACO l FOR THE A-J

NEWARK, NJ — Not only did Texas Tech have a fighting chance, it delivered the knockout.

Junior guard John Roberson scored 22 points and senior forward Darko Cohadarevic added 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds in one of his best efforts of the season to lead fifth-seeded Texas Tech over fourth-seeded Seton Hall, 87-69, in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament on Tuesday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

Texas Tech, making its fourth appearance in the NIT (its first since the 2002-03 season when it reached the semifinals at Madison Square Garden), reached the .500 mark, 4-4, in its NIT history. This was the first-ever meeting between the two schools.

Tech (18-15), which won only its fourth road contest in 13 outings this season, will take on the eighth-seeded Jacksonville/top-seeded Arizona State winner in the second round. Date and time TBA.

Tech, which slid into the NIT losing eight of its last nine, with only a 101-90 first round win against Colorado in the Big 12 Tournament last week, and 10 of its last 13, came ready to play.

In the first 5:51 of the game, Tech maintained and stayed ahead of its game, something they have not been fond of on the road throughout the season, equalling Seton Hall, 10-10 with 14:34 left in the first half.

Then the body blow. Literally.

With 14:19 left in the first half, Cohadarevic, who had given Tech its first two leads within the first 5:49 of the game, was taken out of the game due to a right-handed, below-the-belt shot by Seton Hall sophomore forward Herb Pope, who was charged with a flagrant foul and was ejected from the game.

Sophomore forward Robert Lewandowski converted two technical free throws to give Tech a 12-10 lead. Roberson hit a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession and junior forward D’Walyn Roberts made a jumper for a 7-0 run to give Tech a 17-10 lead with 13:29 left in the first half.

Lewandowski, who replaced Cohadarevic, made the most of his playing time with four points, three rebounds, one assist and a blocked shot in eight minutes.

The Red Raiders extended their run to 13-0 on a slam by Lewandowski and baskets by senior guard Nick
Okorie and Roberts to take a 23-10 lead with 10:46 remaining, before a Jamel Jackson 3-pointer ended the streak.

Cohadarevic extended his “standing 10-count,” with a brief 4:05 rest, and came back into the game at the 10:14 mark with a 23-14 lead. Tech maintained throughout the half and took a 45-32 halftime lead.

Cohadarevic and junior guard Mike Singletary led the Raiders with 10 points apiece at half and Roberson added nine. Tech shot 54.5 percent from the floor in the first half and out-rebounded the Pirates, 24-18.

After a Jeff Robinson basket to open the second half for Seton Hall, Tech went on a 5-0 run and took a 50-34 lead with 18:56 left in the second half. Tech maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half, extending to its biggest lead of the game, 23 points, with 3:57 remaining.

Cohadarevic shot 6-of-9 from the field with one assist and no personal fouls.

Singletary, the team’s leading scorer, had 13 points, Roberts added 12 and Lewandowski finished with 10 for Tech.

Robinson led Seton Hall (19-13) with 23 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the field, and 12 rebounds and senior guard Eugene Harvey, playing in his final game, added 12.

  • themytquinn

    Unbelievable that Pope thought he could get away with those two punches. Glad they caught him on the second hit because it gave Tech the edge, and Seton Hall was never able to recover. Can’t wait for game two if it is anything like tonights game… fun to watch! Instead of the football “Air Raid” this was a basketball “Air Laid” (into the net)!

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  • Allen Red Raider

    Great game! I think this team definitely has potential to advance far in the NIT but make a much better run next year in the Big 12. All of the doubters and naysayers should keep your negative thoughts and posts to yourselves and give this team a chance.

    Go TECH!

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  • Hoody Warrell

    Herb Pope should get an oscar for best impersonation of Brittany Whiner – uh- I mean Griner.

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  • Flash Lite

    Great win for this program and for Coach Knight! All the coaches were looking giddy the last couple of minutes and that was fun! Hats off to everyone for all the hard work. This win back east will pay dividends for our program. Lets keep it going and win against Arizona State next!! Could happen!!!

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  • Kyle

    Holy crap Jacksonville just beat Arizona Sate!!!!!!!!!! Game in lubbock baby!!!!!

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  • DJ

    Job well done, Raiders! Second round of the NIT after beating Seton Hall! BTW, since Jacksonville beat Arizona State tonight, are we playing J.U. at their place?

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  • Flash Lite

    nobody will give us a chance against Arizona State at their place. So lets see some great defense, slow em down, and take it to em guys!!! And congrats to Robt Lewandowski. He was playing pretty tough and moved really well – just like a real basketball player for a change. I was impressed dude!!! Focus with the eye of a tiger guys and take it to em!! Go Raiders!!!

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  • Ted

    Wow, very cool…Jacksonville’s upset means the next round will be in Lubbock!!

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  • Flash Lite

    Jax beat Ariz State?!? No s#@t?! Ha! Thats great I guess. So our work is still cut out. Hope the team had a lil time to celebrate at the local Howard Johnsons in Connecticutt (Pat is such a big spender!) and get on back to the Hub to get ready for Jax. This is supposed to be fun so go take it to em Raiders!!! Coach needs to show em the NCAA clip of Darvin Hamm blasting the backboard few yrs back! Give em hell Raiders!!!!!!!!

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  • EJ

    This team played lights out tonight. Nuff said. Its scary to see what they can do what they can do when they are clicking on all cylinders.

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  • Rob R

    EJ hits it on the head. We got beat up so much in conference that people forget how good this team is when they put everything together for a full game. Hats off to these guys. They kept working their tails off every day in practice even when things weren’t going well, and it’s finally paying off some.

    After the Jacksonville upset of Arizona State, the next round should be in Lubbock. Come out to support your Raiders!

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  • team_stooge

    Doesn’t Myers look like a genius now!!! It is amazing that all the negative posters have decided to jump on the band wagon again.

    This bandwagon does not accept one time team leach types, they are wolves in sheep’s clothing. You know who you are…

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  • TECH FAN in ATX…

    i was wrong…great game…

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  • Fire, Hance, Myers

    What is it about Red Raiders that make opponents want to to throw PUNCHES? Bratney Grinder now The Pope.

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  • wazoo

    Myers & Hance make me want to throw punches.

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  • pejay66

    Wazoo,

    How are your therapy sessions going. I hope they take effect before all of us die of sam old, same old from you. Great game last night for the Red Raiders. I don’t know what Pope was thinking; just a brainless move twice! At home we may put JAX down.

    Tech Alum

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  • Dbab

    Great team work. Congrats on the win. Don’t stop now just get ready to continue on. PK and staff did a good job getting the guys there. Looks like we could win the whole thing if we play like we did against Seton Hall. Good Luck against Jacksonville.

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  • A Real FB Fan

    For those who keep wanting to blame lower second division finishes to the conference were in then maybe we should go to a different conference we can compete in? It is nice to be in the Post-Season, but the NIT is what it is. If you view it as success to be in it…You don’t think much of your teams & school Ability to compete on the Big stage. We either need to up the standards or move to another conference

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  • TTU Alum

    A (4-12) Big 12 team whipped a (9-9) Big East team, I think we are in the right conference. It’s better to be in the top conference of football and basketball.

    Why would we leave the Big 12?

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  • http://lubbockonline.com arizona red raider

    man i was ready to go see us beat az state. just across town from me and then they fold in the final 2 mins. wish i could come to the game but stuck out here in the desert. go raiders. please everyone there go and support these guys. maybe myers will buy tickets for the entire city.

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  • WTF

    So tickets are still $1 right?

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  • WTF

    they are wolves in sheep’s clothing.

    Dude, you are basically saying you would rather have sheep in the stands instead of wolves?

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  • dan at the lake

    Way to go Darko, taking one- or two- for the team. Who were the rest of those guys dressed up like our Red Raiders?

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  • dan at the lake

    Team stooges- seriously? What about that game made Myers look ANY different? Genius? Hustle and a “what do we have to lose” attitude won that game. Plus the idiots punches didn’t hurt.

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  • WTF

    This bandwagon does not accept

    ———————–

    You also sound like you are admitting you are just on the bandwagon?

    C’mon man, I bleed red and crap black. I joined Team Leach on facebook like many of you. This is not about Leach, it is about Pat Knights basketball team showing improvement from last year and potential for the future. While I realize the two programs are intertwined, can’t we just focus on the issue at hand? The court case will play out the way it plays out. I would rather cheer for the basketball teams than Leach,Hance, or Tubberville.

    Also who the heck hops on the bandwagon of an NIT team? Isn’t there another tourney we wish the teams would were playing in?

    People were calling for Pat to be fired two weeks ago. That would have been almost as stupid as the last firing that continues to haunt.

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  • atx red raider

    Darko….he has B@lls of solid rock.

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  • Cameron

    I guess the team leechers losers wil have to blame Myers, Bailey, and Hance for this win, and also for the JFK assassination, and for the new Coca-Cola formula back in the 80′s as well! Put your baby pacifiers back in your mouths, team leechers losers!

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  • piratesRcowards

    Was anyone in the stands for this game ?

    Of course Tech is used to that !

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  • freddie

    See Tech win! See blind monkeys find bananas! NIT=a place where also-rans end up.

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  • Rick

    The NIT is nothing to be ashamed of. Baylor was in the NIT last year and used it as a springboard to a great season this year.

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  • Clay

    Nice to see not only a win, but a dominating win.

    Way to go, Tech!
    Keep it going!

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  • Nut Shot

    Thats an old Serbian Basket Ball trick. Hit the defender in the fist with your balls.

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  • Bobby Night

    Look, I only worked as an advisor to Seaton Hall.
    I never said punch him in the nuts. I only said knee them in the balls.

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  • DJ

    Maybe Pope was singing the old Mounds candy jingle “Sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I don’t!” Well, he got himself ejected all right–and the next day the school (Seaton Hall) actually did the right thing by FIRING their head coach B. Gonzalez, who tolerated this kind of crap from his players. Glad Darko and the guys came back and kicked S. Hall’s a** after that–I was so ticked off at S. Hall that I actually laughed watching one of their players crying on the bench (“serves you punk thugs RIGHT!”).

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  • DJ

    Hey Lou Monaco, are you sure about those NIT win figures for Tech? I remember Tech winning 4 games in the 2003 NIT alone–I think it’s probably more like 5-3 is our all-time record. Check it out if you’ve got a minute.

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