Rutgers recruited star players Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey. Rick Pitino has St. John’s playing solid basketball. Seton Hall? Where’s the fanfare? Here’s why I think the Pirates deserve it.
Seton Hall is 13-5, including beating St. John’s, and is 13-5 (overall) and 6-1 in the Big East play. The Pirates are off to their second-best Big East start ever. That’s why I think the SHU is sending a message to the NCAA tournament committee, NET Rankings be damned (at #58 as of January 16).
Against the Red Storm Tuesday night, Seton Hall came ready to play with a 13-4 start to the game and a 28-0 run, bridging the end of the first half and the start of the second half. It was over by then. With everyone locally watching the Pirates, they made this game their personal showcase, and it probably wouldn’t have mattered if Pitino had coached this game (out with COVID). Final: SHU 80, SJU 65.
The Pirates wanted it more based on outrebounding their opponent 49-28 and a plus-21 advantage on the glass. That’s always the case when they play St. John’s, especially in Newark, where they are 12-1 against their alleged Hudson River rivals. It was evident by the scoreboard. It was clear in the way they played.
No one figured Seton Hall would be this good. The Big East coaches ranked them #9 in the conference’s preseason Coaches’ Poll. The thought was that it would be Year 2 of the rebuilding project under Shaheen Holloway, with the hope of progressing to Year 3. But the Pirates grew up quickly this season due to the development of Kadary Richmond and Al-Amir Dawes. They have finally created an identity as a tough defensive team that can be physical.
Watching four of their starters score in double figures in the win vs. St. John’s is a credit to Holloway. He’s a master at player development, a calling card from his days at Saint Peter’s. We can talk all we want about Pitino’s impact at St. John’s, but Holloway has to be the odds-on favorite for the Big East Coach of the Year.
Fortunately, Seton Hall has a coach who knows what he’s doing. Holloway is the right guy to keep this team focused and determined. With a program like Seton Hall, player development matters a lot, and that’s why the program has been doing well.
The Pirates have won five straight and eight of nine, and now the expectations have to be about playing in March Madness–even though they play in a very tough conference where teams beat up on one another. The Pirates play No. 18 Creighton in a Saturday matinee at Prudential Center, followed by a matchup with Providence next Wednesday night. Then they play at St. John’s on the road next month and Connecticut at Storrs in March.
The Pirates certainly have everyone’s attention. After being atop the Big East standings, they’re now the hunted, and how they handle a new set of expectations will go a long way when it comes to dancing in March.
One thing is for sure. If things continue to play as they have, it will be hard to bet against the Pirates.
