Storyline: Seton Hall may have learned something from this game. If everyone finds a way to contribute, The Pirates can beat any team.
At the end of Wednesday night’s game Angel Delgado carried Khadeen Carrington to the locker room. That’s what happens when a player puts on his best show ever as a Seton Hall player. Carrington had 41 points, seven assists, five rebounds, four steals, and only one turnover. And Seton Hall needed every point to stave off Creighton in the Hall’s 87-81 win at the Prudential Center.
Courtesy:: Zimbio
While Carrington was the story of this game, Desi Rodriguez, Ismael Sanogo, and Delgado played the role of unsung heroes with good defense down the stretch.
It was a rewarding win for the Hall, by far the best win of the season, for a team that needed a win after a terrible loss to St. John’s. With a three-game homestand that started with CU and continues with Villanova on Saturday afternoon, the Hall couldn’t afford a two-game losing streak. At stake is a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
The CU win gives the Pirates momentum heading into Saturday. They know they can beat anyone, anytime, and anywhere when everyone pitches in. It’s the type of effort a team needs to beat a team like Creighton.
The win also says that Seton Hall is resilient when adversity strikes. They’ve responded after bad losses this season by winning the next game. Seton Hall doesn’t flinch. It finds a way to stay afloat and go on a run down the stretch. The Pirates make plays on defense and offense. Those attributes help when the NCAA Committee looks at SHU’s resume.
Courtesy: Charlotte Observer
Most important is the will to win. Carrington was not going to be denied. He scored 19 points on 5-of-7 shooting with three treys in the first half. He wasn’t missing and that’s why Seton Hall entered intermission with a 41-40 lead–despite Creighton’s lights-out shooting.
Carrington kept it going in the second half, including making six free throws in the final 40 seconds of the game. And he sealed the win with a forced turnover and a dunk, giving Seton Hall an 85-79 lead.
It was leadership in full display. Carrington wanted the ball and was active on defense. When someone leads like that others follow. That was the case when Delgado, Rodriguez, and Sanogo followed Carrington’s lead in the second half.
With the game tied at 69, Rodriguez hit two free throws to give the Hall a 71-69 lead. Delgado was able to get offensive rebounds after Rodriguez’s missed layup and a three-point jumper after Creighton’s Marcus Foster’s shot tied the game at 71. Then Delgado made a layup to give the Hall a 74-73 lead after Justin Patton gave Creighton a 73-72 lead. Seton Hall’s big man came through, yet again, by getting the layup after a couple of misses to help the Hall regain a 76-74 lead.
Delgado’s rugged play helped Carrington be fresh down the stretch. He also shut down Creighton’s big man Patton. Nothing came easily for the Seton Hall’s big man but, to his credit, he was resilient enough to make shots, including going over the 1000-points career mark at Seton Hall.
Courtesy: The Virginian-Pilot
Sonogo and Rodriguez also did dirty work by getting loose balls in that second half when Creighton finally got cold. Little things like that helped Seton Hall hang in there against the Blue Jays.
Seton Hall may have learned something from this game. If everyone finds a way to contribute, Seton Hall can beat any team. That’s what it took to beat Creighton. And that’s what it will take to beat the defending national champions this weekend.
If Seton Hall makes the NCAA Tournament, look back at the Creighton game. It will be a defining moment of the ’16-17 regular season.
