MU vs. SHU Press story for Tuesday

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By TONY GRAHAM
STAFF WRITER

EAST RUTHERFORD - After a defeat Monday night he labeled "embarrassing" Monmouth
University men's basketball coach Dave Calloway promised changes would be
forth coming.
""I'm obviously not doing my job in getting through to these guys,''said
Calloway after Monmouth (3-6) suffered its most lopsided defeat in its eight losses
to Seton Hall, 83-49, in a non-conference game that wasn't even that close
in front of
an announced crowd of 4,891 at the Continental Airlines Arena.
""Changes in what we do and maybe who's doing it,''said Calloway.

""This is the most lopsided loss since I've been here (at Monmouth),'' said
senior forward Marques Alston.
""""There's a fine line as a coach between teaching and demanding,'' said
Calloway.
""I've probably been trying to do a little too much teaching and
been patient with some of these younger guys,'' he said.
""And when you have a basically embarrassing effort like this I'm going to
start focusing more on demanding as opposed to teaching.
""I'll make the adjustments and some guys will handle it, some guys won't, and
we'll move forward.
""It just seemed like we didn't have it from the get go,'' said Alston.
Monmouth's high scorer turned out to be reserve Alex Nunner with a career best
11 points while junior Brian Laing led four Pirates in double figues with 17.
""It seemed like guys didn't play hard, like we just didn't come to play,''
said Alston, the lone senior Calloway had on the floor for a while
in the latter stages
of a game, which for much of the second half, disintegrated into extended
garbage time.
""I don't know if we've got to go back to the drawing board and try to get
everybody to look at themselves so we can come together as a team and figure
out what's wrong,'' Alston said.
Appraised of Calloway's harsh assessment of Monmouth's performance, Alston
agreed the coach had a right to be upset.
""Seeing how we played, it just looked like we didn't play hard,''said
Alston.
""If anything, if things aren't going your way, you have to at least give
effort. It looked like even the effort wasn't there, guys just did what they
want.''
The game marked the second time this season Monmouth, which relies on
defense as its staple, has been riddled for
80 or more points. It lost 89-80 Nov. 18 at Houston.
""We pride ourselves on defense, holding teams to the 50's and 60's,''
Alston said.
""It's tough when guys (on the other team) just come out and score every
way. We just have to get everybody on the same page and realize our pride on
defense is what this program has been based on for years.''
Just like every year since the series became annual in 2001-2002 the
Hawks managed to
hang with the Pirates (5-1) for a while before they
were hung out to dry.
Monday they trailed 28-21 with 4:27 left in the first half when senior
Dejan Delic stepped to the free throw line with an opportunity to
collect an instant four points, courtesy of a two-shot
technical foul against Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez coupled with a one-and-one
opportunity.
Delic, shooting a disappointing 61 percent from the line this season,
cashed in only one.
He swished the first attempt, missed the second, and then failed on the
front end of the one-and-one.
Carl Marshall and Stan Gaines promptly hit 3's, the deficit mushroomed to 12
points, 19 by halftime, and eventually reached as high as 41 points late in
the second half.
The game did represent a few individual landmark moments for Monmouth.
Rookie Rickie Crews made his first appearance of the season and
played the final 11:33 scoring six points and, along with Nunner's career
mark, red shirt freshman Shawn Barlow deposited his first collegiate basket.
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