Feb 27, 2003

Box Score

By TOM CANAVAN
AP Sports Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - John Allen hit a jumper in the lane with 2 seconds to play and Seton Hall took another stride toward the NCAA tournament by winning its eighth straight game, 57-56 over Villanova on Thursday night.

Allen's game-winning shot came just nine seconds after Derrick Snowden missed the front end of a one-and-one, and it gave the Pirates (15-9, 9-4) their only lead since the opening minutes of the second half.

A desperation length-of-the-court pass by Randy Foye was deflected by Greg Morton. Andre Barrett grabbed the loose ball and tossed it toward the ceiling at the Continental Airlines Arena as Seton Hall students rushed the floor after yet another big win.

Allen and Barrett had 13 points apiece to lead Seton Hall, which is riding its longest winning streak since 1994-95. It was also the Hall's seventh straight conference win, one shy of the school record.

Allan Ray had 12 points to lead Villanova (15-11, 8-5). The Wildcats have two of their three remaining regular season games on the road and they might be hard pressed to make the NCAA tournament.

Wildcats coach Jay Wright played leading scorer Gary Buchanan only 12 minutes, including only four in the second half. Buchanan, who was averaging a team high 16.1 points, finished with 3 on 1-for-5 shooting.

In winning this one, the Pirates rallied from a nine-point second half deficit and outscored Villanova 20-10 in the final 12:04.

Down 54-47 after a three-point play by Ricky Wright and two free throws by Ray with 5:21 to go, the Pirates held the Wildcats without a basket the rest of the way.

A drive by Kelly Whitney, an off balance jumper by Allen and a fast-break layup by Marcus Toney-El got the Pirates within 54-53 with 2:20 to play.

Snowden, a 60 percent free throw shooter, hit both ends of a one-and-one with 1:16 to play to give Villanova a 56-53 lead but Andre Sweet scored in the lane with 1:03 left to cut the lead to a point.

Villanova worked the clock down but Whitney stole an inbounds pass with 24.3 seconds to play. After a Seton Hall time out, Snowden stole the ball from Sweet at the foul line and was fouled with 11.8 seconds to go.

However, Snowden missed the free throw - Villanova's only miss from the line in nine tries - and Seton Hall called a time out with 10.6 seconds left.

Barrett inbounded the ball to Donald Copeland in the backcourt, and the freshman gave the ball to Allen after seemingly getting away with a walk. Allen dribbled up court, spun on the left wing and then stopped in the lane and hit his jumper.

Villanova got baskets from six different players in a 12-4 run that gave the Wildcats a 42-34 lead five minutes into the second half. The Wildcats eventually built a 46-37 lead on a jumper by Bloch with 12:27 to play.

Seton Hall didn't take long to get back in the game, scoring the next eight points, drawing within 46-45 on a jumper by Allen with 9:09 to play.

Villanova rebuilt the lead to seven, but it could not hold off Seton Hall.

Barrett hit three 3-pointers and scored all 13 of his points in helping Seton Hall take a 30-29 lead in a fast-moving half.