By Jon Rothstein | CBS Sports
October 4, 2015 10:17 am ET
Seton Hall was 16-15 last season under Kevin Willard. (USATSI)
October 4, 2015 10:17 am ET
Seton Hall was 16-15 last season under Kevin Willard. (USATSI)
- Kevin Willard is trying to help Seton Hall regain the form it showed during the early part of last season. The Pirates were a Top-25 team in early January before stumbling down the stretch and only winning three of their final 15 games. CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein sat down with Willard in South Orange, N.J. to discuss last season's slide, Isaiah Whitehead, and what Willard considers a success for Seton Hall in 2015-16.
Jon Rothstein, CBS Sports: You were 13-3 on Jan. 10 following a road win at Creighton, but finished the season with just three wins in your final 15 games. What happened in between that win at Creighton and the end of the season?
Kevin Willard: I think the biggest thing for us was it was a big learning curve. We lost a little focus on what we were doing to make us win games and I think that was probably more than anything else the biggest thing. We lost a lot of focus at what we were doing really well because of our youth. We were really young. Injuries didn't help either, but more than anything it was just really more of understanding that we were losing focus on what we were doing well.
CBS Sports: You beat two teams who wound up in the NCAA Tournament -- St. John's and Villanova -- at the beginning of Big East play so it's not like your team wasn't capable. How much harder was it for last year's group to operate in the spotlight rather than in the shadows?
Willard: Well I think that's where we lost focus. I never really thought we'd be that good that early in the season considering we were starting three freshman, a sophomore, and a junior. I think that more than anything there was a great learning curve for us. Last year was a great learning experience because we learned how good we can be, but we also learned how quickly things can do in the other direction.
CBS Sports: Now your two primary ball handlers from last year -- Sterling Gibbs and Jaren Sina -- are no longer a part of Seton Hall's program. Who now steps into that role this year?
Willard: We lost two great kids unfortunately, but luckily we still have Khadeen Carrington, Isaiah Whitehead, and we were able to pick up Derrick Gordon. So we have three guys that are really experienced. Two freshman who became sophomores and a well tested red shirt senior who can come in and fill that void.
CBS Sports: Seton Hall made a total of 213 three-point shots last season and 159 of those shots were made by players who are no longer on the roster. Who in your mind is going to make shots for this team and extend the defense?
Willard: That right now is the biggest thing we need to improve on. We need to find a guy that can really fill that void. I think Veer Singh is a guy that can come in as a freshman and really make some shots. I think Khadeen Carrington is a guy that really needs to extend his range this year. He did a decent job towards the middle of the year last season, but he needs to be a guy that can consistently shoot at 37 or 38 percent from long range.
CBS Sports: There were several moments last year where Khadeen Carrington looked like a bonafide third option behind Isaiah Whitehead and Angel Delgado. How pivotal is he to Seton Hall's overall puzzle this season?
Willard: He's huge. He gives something that we don't have a lot of and not of college team's do -- he's an old school slasher. He doesn't have to score off a set or score off a play. He's a guy that can score in transition. He can break you down. He's really worked hard on extending his range and that's going to help him a lot.
CBS Sports: Isaiah Whitehead came in last year with monumental expectations. What's going to change about his game as he's going to be forced to facilitate and create more this season?
Willard: Everyone kind of forgets that before he got hurt he was playing as good as anybody on our basketball team. He scored 23 at Wichita State, 25 against Rutgers, and he was the leading scorer against George Washington. I think the biggest thing is getting him back into good form. He's still going to have to score for us just like Sterling Gibbs did last year. Sterling had the ball a lot, but he still had to score. Isaiah is still going to have to create plays and he's still going to have to score. I think the biggest thing for him is cutting down on the big turnovers. He's got to be a little more consistent with the basketball.
CBS Sports: What's the biggest reason why you like this year's team better than last year's team?
Willard: I think we have a lot more sophomores than we do freshman compared to last year and I think we're much more athletic. I think we have a chance to be a much better defensive team and I think we've learned a lot from the ups and downs of last year.
CBS Sports: Is this job harder than you thought it was prior to taking it?
Willard: I think every job is hard. I really do. It's a great job and it's a tremendous university. I think every guy in college basketball has a hard job when your job depends on 18-to-22 year olds. Every job is hard in my opinion.
CBS Sports: What has to be accomplished this year for everyone in this program to feel like the 2015-16 season was a success?
Willard: I think we have to get to the NCAA Tournament. I have high expectations for these guys. We've talked about what my expectations are for them. I want to see much more consistent basketball throughout the year and I want to see us achieve what we achieved during the early part of last year towards the end of this season.
