No. 24 Pirates Get Back On Track At Butler With 71-56 Win - Seton Hall University Athletics
The return of Ike Obiagu sparked a staunch defensive effort while Jared Rhoden scored 17 points and Alexis Yetna posted a double-double as the Pirates earned a coveted
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71 Seton Hall 10-3,1-2 Big East 
56 Butler 8-5,1-1 Big East Score By Periods
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INDIANAPOLIS - The return of graduate student Ike Obiagu (Abuja, Nigeria) sparked a staunch defensive effort, and senior Jared Rhoden (Baldwin, N.Y.) had a team-high 17 points as the Seton Hall men's basketball team got back to its winning ways with a 71-56 BIG EAST road victory over Butler on Tuesday evening at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
The Pirates (10-3, 1-2 BIG EAST) had three players score in double-figures including Rhoden, graduate student Alexis Yetna (Paris, France) with 14 points and graduate student Bryce Aiken with 12 points. Aiken also finished with a season-best four assists. The Hall's defense held the Bulldogs to 24 percent shooting from three-point range.
How It Happened
Butler jumped out to an early 16-9 lead with 13:38 to play in the first half before The Hall went on a 7-0 surge, sparked by five points by sophomore Kadary Richmond (Brooklyn, N.Y.), that tied the score at 16-16.
The Pirates' lead ballooned to nine, 34-25, on a stepback three by Aiken with 1:12 left in the first, which culminated a 23-9 run, and Seton Hall went into the locker room with a 34-26 advantage.
Seton Hall shot 4-of-9 from three-point range in the second half and went 13-for-13 from the charity stripe. The Bulldogs got as close as five with 18:10 to play but a three by Rhoden pushed the Pirates lead back to eight, 42-34.
Butler made it a seven-point game with 3:04 left but the Pirates answered the call like they had all evening as Yetna hit a jumper with 2:05 to go that stretched the lead back to nine, 63-43, and essentially iced the victory.
Inside the Box Score
- Both teams shot 40 percent from the field but Seton Hall had the edge behind the arc, shooting 30 percent to the Bulldogs' 24 percent.
- Seton Hall shot 18-of-19 (94.7 percent) from the free throw line.
- The Pirates out-rebounded the Bulldogs, 36-25, and forced 13 turnovers, scoring 21 points off those turnovers.
- The Hall had 16 bench points to Butler's zero.
- Seton Hall had the overwhelming edge in fast break points, 12-0.
- The Pirates have now won four of their last six trips to Hinkle Fieldhouse (2017, 2018, 2020, 2022).
- Seton Hall's bench has either tied or outscored its opponent's bench in all 13 games this season.
- The Pirates ranked 11th in the country in three-point percentage defense entering the game (26.5 percent) and held Butler to 24 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
- Obiagu registered a blocked shot for the 22nd consecutive game, the second-longest active streak in the nation.
- Obiagu set a season high with eight points on three-of-three shooting from the field.
- Yetna registered his 22nd career double-double and his third double-double over his last five games.
- The Pirates posted their first halftime lead since their 10-point advantage in the win over Rutgers on Dec. 12.
- The Pirates improve 104-17 since 2016-17 when they attempt more free throws than their opponent.
- The Hall improves to 123-18 since 2015-16 when its lead gets to seven points.
- Rhoden is now 15 points away from becoming the 47th Pirates to score 1,000 career points.
The Pirates return to the Prudential Center for a 12 p.m. contest against Connecticut that will air on FOX. Tickets are still available at SetonHallTix.com/SHUvsUConn.
Saturday's game is presented by Delta Dental, and the first 500 students will receive a Pirates rally towel courtesy of Delta Dental. It is also Pork Roll vs. Taylor Ham day, and Pork Roll/Taylor Ham, egg & cheese sandwiches will be on sale at the Bayonne Diner concession stand. The first 400 students will receive a voucher for a free sandwich.
