PirateCrew: Seton Hall Pirates Football & Basketball Recruiting
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Seton Hall is in desperate straits after a 69-58 loss Wednesday to Connecticut on Senior Night at the Prudential Center, a defeat that was the Pirates’ third straight. Some thoughts and observations as we spin it forward:
Telling comments. After Wednesday night’s loss, Sandro Mamukelashvili said, “Everybody just got kind of got nervous” because UConn went on a run. Coach Kevin Willard later said, “I think we’ve played with a lot of pressure of trying to make the NCAA Tournament and I think that’s kind of affected us.”
Willard did note that the players have “played their hearts out,” which certainly is true. But there is no denying that the pressure has taken a toll on the Pirates’ shooting, and not only from the field. Consider that foul shooting, a strength for SHU for most of the season, suddenly has turned into an issue. The Hall is 30-for-52 from the stripe in its last four games, a 57.7% clip, lowering its rate to 73.8 for the season.
Bench not a help. Seton Hall’s bench actually outscored UConn’s subs, 7-6, but it didn’t matter because the Huskies’ starters were so effective. Bryce Aiken, in particular, had a rough night. Yes, it was unfair to expect him to be a scoring dynamo after missing four games with a chronic knee problem, but he seemed unwilling to shoot in the first half, passing up several opportunities.
Takal Molson’s offensive slump also continued. He missed yet another three-point attempt and now is shooting 17.9% from long distance. To be fair, the Canisius transfer probably was hurt more than any Pirate by the coronavirus lockdown, as he could’ve used the time on campus during the late spring and early summer to work on his shot.
With the Pirates unable to break down UConn’s defense, and with the three-pointers again not falling--The Hall shot a mere 26.3% from beyond the arc, the offense again stagnated. The Pirates’ struggles from deep point out the fact that Willard perhaps should look into the grad transfer market for a spot-up zonebuster who can keep opposing teams from packing in their defense on the Pirates.
Willard was right. Ever since UConn was re-admitted to the Big East, Kevin Willard said publicly what many coaches likely felt privately but didn’t want to put out there for public consumption. The move was good financially for the conference, but it wouldn’t be good for the coaches who would have to deal with Dan Hurley and the Huskies.
Yes, the full effect at the box office won’t be felt until COVID restrictions finally are eased--next season, fingers crossed--but UConn already has re-planted its flag on the court in 2021. The Huskies (13-6, 10-6 Big East) added to their resume and appear to be solidly in the field according to the consensus of the bracketologists, while putting another dagger in Seton Hall’s hopes. And yes, Hurley surely enjoyed his first game in his alma mater’s building as a Big East head coach.
What might have been. Adama Sanogo, who slipped away from Seton Hall to UConn at the 11th hour, showed the Pirates what they were missing with 16 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes, and the kind of inside presence on offense they were sorely lacking Wednesday night. In their most their desperate hour of the season, it had to be incredibly painful for The Hall to witness.
Scouting St. John’s. The Red Storm (15-10, 9-9) rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit by outscoring Providence by 25 in the second half Wednesday night for an 81-67 victory. Coach Mike Anderson has now built the team in his image, a team that likes to play fast and pressure you as much as it can. If the Pirates handle the Red Storm’s press, there should be opportunities for fast breaks and open three-pointers.
What is even more impressive is that St. John’s did it without the help of dynamic freshman point guard Posh Alexander, who sat out and is listed as day-to-day with a wrist injury. If he somehow can return for Saturday night’s game at Carnesecca Arena, St. John’s will be that much more dangerous. And it could be what might have been part two, as Seton Hall also was in the running for Alexander.
