Seton Hall's Wins Lift Spirits

March 20, 2000 / 7:39 PM EST / CBS/AP

Two games, two overtimes, two upsets.

Not only has 10th-seeded Seton Hall surged into the final 16 of the NCAA tournament, but the success has also raised spirits at a school still mourning the deaths of three students in a dormitory fire two months ago.

"I guess something like this gives a lot of hope for the school," Jason Pascual, a student, said Monday as he sat in the cafeteria at the campus center. "It's a great moment in what has been a tragic semester, and this is something everybody can look to and draw strength and encouragement from.

"It's very inspirational. It's a great run they are having."

There was nothing unusual on campus Monday. No banners hanging from dorm windows, only a sign in front of Walsh Gym with the final score from Sunday's 67-65 win over second-seeded Temple and noted that Ty Shine had 26 points.

The cafeteria, though, was the place to be.

Every time a player walked into the fast-food mecca, he seemed to be on a first-name basis with everyone.

"Way to go, Rimas."

"Great game, Ty."

There were also words of encouragement. Good luck for Friday's game against Oklahoma State. Don't stop until the Final Four.

Senior forward Rimas Kaukenas said it felt like 1,000 people offered congratulations on Monday, a far cry from Sunday night when the team returned to campus shortly after students got back from spring break.

"It's exciting," Kaukenas, a native of Vilnius, Lithuania, said. "It's really good to know the school is excited. I was really anxious to come back on campus and see people be happy about it."

The feeling has even spread off campus, as students Ben Chibnik and Chris Roberts noted walking through town.

"There were fans there were never before," Chibnik said. "We went down South Orange Avenue and there were all these Seton Hall fans, kids in apartments leaning out the widows. Where were they when we were losing?"

Nearly every student interviewed on Monday said they watched at least a part of the Pirates' wins over Oregon and Temple on Friday and Sunday in Buffalo, N.Y.

Amy Mellin was one of the few who didn't. The sophomore was in Florida with the university softball team.

However, the team was well informed. Warming up for a game on Friday against Canisius, someone yelled across the field "Seton Hall won." A cheer went up.

"It's great, finally there's like a school spirit that hasn't happened," she Mellin said. "Finally everyone is starting to get involved and into the basketball team. Just the spirit around this campus is great. It's awesome."

Two months ago, on Jan. 19, students in Boland Hall, freshman dorm, were awakened by fire alarms at 4:28 a.m. Before dawn broke, three students had died and scores were hurt.

Chibnik and Roberts are still dealing with the scars. Both lived in the third floor of Boland, where the fire broke out.

"A lot of people are acting like nothing happened," Chibnik said. "But for the people who were actually there, it's harder now than it really ever was."

Chibnik had a session planned with a counselor later Monday night. Even though he's moved to another dorm, he's had trouble sleeping even at home.

Roberts has vivid memories of the fire 4:28 a.m is ingrained in his mind. So is the smell of burning plastic and the sight of thick black smoke when he opened his apartment door, unable to see as he crawled along the hallway.

He rubs his knees as he tells the story.

"The floor was so hot, I burned my knees a little, the hair on my knees burned," Roberts said. "I thought I was going to die. I got up and ran."

It led to a door and safety.

But that was months ago.

"It's like it's been a boost," Roberts said. "It's good to see a good attitude around the school for once."

"The tragedy will always be there," Mellin said. "This kind of raises the spirits up. There is always a positive out of everything, something you look forward to."