Media release
Pirates and Hoyas Clash at Prudential Center Wednesday
Georgetown (3-4, 1-2 BIG EAST, KenPom 106) at Seton Hall (5-4, 2-1 BIG EAST, KenPom 51)
Wednesday, Dec. 23 • Prudential Center (Newark, N.J.) • 5 p.m.
TV: FS1 / FOX Sports Live with Joe Davis & Jim Jackson
Radio: WMCA 570 AM / XM 385 / Pirate Sports Network / TuneIn with Dave Popkin & John Fanta
NOTES YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Following a tough overtime loss to Providence on Sunday, Seton Hall is looking to bounce back against Georgetown at Prudential Center on Wednesday evening.
- The Pirates are 2-1 this season and 5-3 in 2019-20 when following a loss.
- Seton Hall is 33-14 (.702) since 2015-16 against BIG EAST competition at the Prudential Center.
- The Hall’s four conference games this month are the most BIG EAST games played in December in program history.
- Senior Sandro Mamukelashvili (Tbilisi, Georgia) ranks third in the BIG EAST with 20.0 points per game and ninth with 7.1 rebounds per game. Tied with him in the latter category is junior Jared Rhoden (Baldwin, N.Y.).
- Mamukelashvili, who’s averaging 5.3 assists over the last three games, has also broken into the top 10 in the conference in assists (10th, 3.4 apg).
- Senior Shavar Reynolds, Jr. (Manchester, N.J.) ranks third in the BIG EAST with 5.0 assists per game, second with an 86.4 free throw percentage, fourth with 2.0 steals per game and second with a 55.0 three-point percentage.
- The BIG EAST announced on Dec. 17 that Seton Hall’s road game at Xavier has been rescheduled to Wednesday, Dec. 30, at 7 p.m.
INSIDE THE SERIES: GEORGETOWN
- Wednesday’s game will be the 111th meeting all-time between Georgetown and Seton Hall, making the Hoyas the Pirates’ second-most often played opponent behind Villanova (120).
- The Pirates have won nine of their last 11 games against the Hoyas, including the last five meetings at the Prudential Center.
- In that span, the Pirates’ offense is averaging 74.1 points per game against the Hoyas.
- The Hall swept last year’s season series, including a 78-62 victory at the Prudential Center on Jan. 3.
- Head coach Kevin Willard is 12-6 all-time against Georgetown.
- Two players that are likely to stay on the floor on Wednesday are Seton Hall’s Sandro Mamukelashvili and Georgetown’s Jahvon Blair, who rank second (35.9 mpg) and first (36.9 mpg) in the BIG EAST in minutes, respectively.
- Mamukelashvili is averaging 11.3 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in his last four games against Georgetown.
MAMU’S LIVING UP TO EXPECTATIONS
- Through the first nine games of his senior season, Sandro Mamukelashvili is living up to the preseason accolades and expectations bestowed upon him.
- “Mamu”, as he’s affectionately known, was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST first team and watch lists for the Naismith Trophy and the Karl Malone Award in the preseason.
- He was named to the BIG EAST’s Weekly Honor Roll for the third consecutive week on Monday after averaging 18.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists in two conference games.
- The Georgian is one of only three players in the Power Six conferences to register multiple 30-point games this season, joining Iowa’s Luke Garza and Minnesota’s Marcus Carr.
- Mamukelashvili has also been getting done recently in the assist column as he dished out a career-high seven assists in the Pirates’ gritty 70-63 road victory at Marquette on Dec. 17 and six dimes against Providence.
- In the comeback win at Penn State, Mamukelashvili dropped a career-high 30 points – 22 of which came in the second half – to go along with five rebounds and four assists.
- Mamukelashvili is Seton Hall’s first power forward/center to register multiple 30-point performances in a season since Arturas Karnisovas in 1993-94.
- He kicked off the season the right way against Louisville where he led the Pirates with 22 points and 10 rebounds for his eighth career double-double.
- His second double-double in three games came against Rhode Island where he put up 25 points and 10 rebounds.
- Mamukelashvili’s strong start follows a difficult 2019-20 season that saw him lose 10 games due to a wrist injury and go through the NBA Draft process over the summer before electing to return for his senior year.
- He averaged 15.1 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 57 percent from the field and 50 percent from three over the final eight games of 2019-20.
- Sparked by nine-plus conference wins and top three finishes in the BIG EAST standings in each of the last five seasons, head coach Kevin Willard is approaching the top 10 of the league’s all-time winningest coaches by regular season and tournament victories.
Coach, School - Wins
1. Jim Boeheim, Syracuse - 416
2. Jim Calhoun, Connecticut - 309
3. Jay Wright, Villanova - 244
4. John Thompson, Georgetown - 231
5. Mike Brey, Notre Dame - 146
John Thompson III, Georgetown - 146
7. Lou Carnesecca, St. John’s - 139
8. Jamie Dixon, Pittsburgh - 127
9. Rick Pitino, Providence/Louisville - 126
10. Rollie Massimino, Villanova - 123
11. Steve Lappas, Villanova - 97
12. Kevin Willard, Seton Hall - 96
13. Ed Cooley, Providence - 92
14. P.J. Carlesimo, Seton Hall - 90
SHAVAR KEEPS HITTING BIG SHOTS
- Shavar Reynolds, Jr.’s Seton Hall career began as a scrappy role player. He has since turned himself into the Pirates’ starting point guard and a go-to shot maker in big spots.
- His propensity to hit big shots started with his game-winning three-pointer vs. St. John’s in 2018-19. It returned on Dec. 6 at Penn State when he hit a three with under 50 seconds left in overtime to put the Pirates ahead for good, 93-91.
- Reynolds, Jr. buried a go-ahead three-pointer for the second time this season at Marquette with 42.1 seconds left in The Hall’s 70-63 victory.
- Reynolds, Jr. ranks in the top five in the BIG EAST in multiple categories including assists (3rd, 5.0 assists per game), free throw percentage (2nd, 86.4 pct.), steals (4th, 2.0 spg), three-point percentage (2nd, 55.0) and assist to turnover ratio (5th, 2.1).
- In the win over Iona, Reynolds, Jr. dished out a career best eight assists to go along with five steals and five points.
- Reynolds, Jr. posted a career-high 17 points, shot 4-of-5 from beyond the arc and dished out eight assists against No. 21 Oregon.
- Reynolds, Jr.’s workmanlike nature can be credited to his upbringing – his mother, Teekemia, is a social worker and his father, Shavar, Sr., is a retired U.S. Navy Master at Arms who served for 21 years.
