Seton Hall Opening Weekend: Ray Floriani's Photo Essay

Newark, NJ and South Orange, NJ -­ Over the course of three days, two venues, and ultimately two victories. Seton Hall defeated Dartmouth on Friday evening at the Prudential Center. Sunday, in the friendly campus confines of Walsh Gymnasium, the Hall defeated Wagner. The weekend gave the Pirates a 2-0 start to take into the upcoming Charleston Classic.

Beyond the victories lie the significance in the individual games and sites. Friday saw the public arena in downtown Newark open its doors. Comfortable, spacious and with a few renovations, the ‘Rock’ has been Seton Hall’s home court since opening its doors to college basketball in 2007.

On Sunday, the scene shifted to ‘Historic’ Walsh Gym on the campus of Seton Hall. Approximately four miles separate the ‘Pru’ from Walsh. The difference in the two is virtually immeasurable. For years, Walsh served as Seton Hall’s home court. Banners above the main court chronicle the rich tradition of the Hall, from the championship teams to the individual stars whose exploits helped chronicle the tradition and history.

Seton Hall did not play at Walsh on Sunday because they could not secure the Prudential Center. Rather, it was a case of coach Kevin Willard realizing the tradition behind Walsh. “There is a lot of history and tradition right on campus,” Willard said following the win over Wagner. “We wanted to get people back on campus to experience that tradition.”

The wins are in the books, 84­-67 over Dartmouth and a 69­-59 decision against Wagner. For Seton Hall fans witnessing these two games, it was more than exulting in victory. It also afforded the opportunity to enjoy the union of the current arena’s comforts as well as the deep-rooted legacy of a place that will always be ‘home’ to the Pirates.

Dartmouth's Evan Boudreaux is a picture of free throw concentration:

A panoramic view of "The Rock" at halftime between Dartmouth and Seton Hall:

Ed Corbett gives crew member Evon Burroughs some timeout advice. Like E.F. Hutton, when Corbett speaks, you listen:

Members of the Seton Hall women's tennis team collect for a fundraiser in the Walsh Gymnasium lobby:

The national anthem before Wagner-Seton Hall, performed by the Gentlemen of the Hall:

Seton Hall in the huddle during a timeout:

Seton Hall women's basketball coach Tony Bozzella takes the game in with (from L-R) his son, Joseph, his wife, Maria, and assistant coach Lauren DeFalco:

Wagner's Corey Henson defending Khadeen Carrington of Seton Hall: