By Colin Rajala
Whether or not you believe Seton Hall deserved a bid to the 2024 NCAA men’s basketball tournament last month, the Pirates are ascending at just the right time with the program making its case loud and clear to the college basketball community, particularly the selection committee, to take notice of its postseason performance.
While Seton Hall ultimately had to settle for the top overall seed in the National Invitational Tournament, the Pirates have jumped all over their opponents from the opening tip in the NIT’s quarter and semifinals.
Seton Hall (24-12) imposed its will from the get-go against SEC-foe Georgia (20-17) in route to a decisive 84-67 victory, another matchup in which the Pirates never trailed.
“I want to give my seniors their flowers ... We're still showing the world that Seton Hall is a really, really good team," Head Coach Shaheen Holloway said, in the post-game press conference.
Seton Hall is now set to square off with another team snubbed in this year’s NCAA tournament, Indiana State (32-6), which is having its best season since Larry Bird led the Sycamores to the NCAA title game. The Hall and Indiana State will square off for the NIT Championship Thursday at 7 p.m. in Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Seton Hall has played well at Hinkle of late, winning seven of their last nine in the historic gymnasium, including four straight, and the Pirates will look to maintain their winning ways in a hostile environment as Indiana State is expected to pack the building.
“I know it’s going to be a tough game. They’re a really good team and it’s pretty much a home game for them … Any time you get to play for a championship, it’s super huge,” Holloway said.
Indiana State likes to push the ball and spread it around for open threes, but the Sycamores will have their hands full with the physical toughness and poise of Seton Hall’s five seniors, four of which scored in double figures in the semifinals against the Georgia Bulldogs.
Senior guard Kadary Richmond set the tone early against UGA, recording a steal and racing down the court for a transition layup just 14 seconds into the game and Seton Hall carried that momentum into the first media timeout with a 10-2 lead.
The Hall extended the lead to 13-2 as part of an 11-0 run on a three-pointer from the wing by graduate guard Al-Amir Dawes off the assist from senior forward Dre Davis before Richmond found Dawes on the wing on the next possession for another three pointer to give the Pirates a 16-3 advantage and force a timeout from Georgia Head Coach Mike White less than seven minutes into the game
Seton Hall extended its lead to 28-13 twelve minutes into the game on a layup by Richmond off the feed from sophomore guard Jaquan Sanders, who was filling in for freshman wing Isaiah Coleman who remains out due to an illness.
The Pirates extended their lead to 40-18, its largest of the first half, behind a 10-0 run that was capped by Dawes stealing the ball and getting it back from Davis for a transition layup before ending the first half up 42-25.
Seton Hall assisted on 10 of their 16 field goals in the opening 20 minutes with Davis, Dawes and Richmond combining for 31 of the team’s 42 points. The Pirates held Georgia to 9/33 (27.3%) shooting from the field and outrebounded the Bulldogs 24-16 as part of its opening half dominance.
The Hall took its biggest lead in the game less than five minutes into the second half, 60-36, when Dawes splashed another wing three off the dish from Richmond.
“It feels very good to be still playing in a championship. It feels real good just to put the ball in the hoop again and [try to] come out with the hardware,” Dawes said, after the game.
Georgia tried to chip away at the lead, drawing the score to 73-62 with just over five minutes remaining, but it was too little too late as Sanders connected on a runner in the lane and a three-pointer from the corner off the assist from senior wing Dylan Addae-Wusu to build the lead back up to 80-64 before the game’s end.
Dawes led all scorers with 20 points, including 4/7 from long range, while Davis tallied 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks with Richmond contributing 15 points, nine rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block. Graduate center Jaden Bediako tallied 14 points, seven boards, two blocks and a steal with Sanders coming off the bench to tie a career high with 11 points on 3/5 shooting from deep.
The Pirates finished the game shooting 32/68 (47.1%), including 8/20 (40%) from distance, while dominating the glass 45-32.
“At the end of the day, this is a business trip and we’re coming to compete for a championship,” Davis said, after the game.
Whether or not you believe Seton Hall deserved a bid to the 2024 NCAA men’s basketball tournament last month, the Pirates are ascending at just the right time with the program making its case loud and clear to the college basketball community, particularly the selection committee, to take notice of its postseason performance.
While Seton Hall ultimately had to settle for the top overall seed in the National Invitational Tournament, the Pirates have jumped all over their opponents from the opening tip in the NIT’s quarter and semifinals.
Seton Hall (24-12) imposed its will from the get-go against SEC-foe Georgia (20-17) in route to a decisive 84-67 victory, another matchup in which the Pirates never trailed.
“I want to give my seniors their flowers ... We're still showing the world that Seton Hall is a really, really good team," Head Coach Shaheen Holloway said, in the post-game press conference.
Seton Hall is now set to square off with another team snubbed in this year’s NCAA tournament, Indiana State (32-6), which is having its best season since Larry Bird led the Sycamores to the NCAA title game. The Hall and Indiana State will square off for the NIT Championship Thursday at 7 p.m. in Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Seton Hall has played well at Hinkle of late, winning seven of their last nine in the historic gymnasium, including four straight, and the Pirates will look to maintain their winning ways in a hostile environment as Indiana State is expected to pack the building.
“I know it’s going to be a tough game. They’re a really good team and it’s pretty much a home game for them … Any time you get to play for a championship, it’s super huge,” Holloway said.
Indiana State likes to push the ball and spread it around for open threes, but the Sycamores will have their hands full with the physical toughness and poise of Seton Hall’s five seniors, four of which scored in double figures in the semifinals against the Georgia Bulldogs.
Senior guard Kadary Richmond set the tone early against UGA, recording a steal and racing down the court for a transition layup just 14 seconds into the game and Seton Hall carried that momentum into the first media timeout with a 10-2 lead.
The Hall extended the lead to 13-2 as part of an 11-0 run on a three-pointer from the wing by graduate guard Al-Amir Dawes off the assist from senior forward Dre Davis before Richmond found Dawes on the wing on the next possession for another three pointer to give the Pirates a 16-3 advantage and force a timeout from Georgia Head Coach Mike White less than seven minutes into the game
Seton Hall extended its lead to 28-13 twelve minutes into the game on a layup by Richmond off the feed from sophomore guard Jaquan Sanders, who was filling in for freshman wing Isaiah Coleman who remains out due to an illness.
The Pirates extended their lead to 40-18, its largest of the first half, behind a 10-0 run that was capped by Dawes stealing the ball and getting it back from Davis for a transition layup before ending the first half up 42-25.
Seton Hall assisted on 10 of their 16 field goals in the opening 20 minutes with Davis, Dawes and Richmond combining for 31 of the team’s 42 points. The Pirates held Georgia to 9/33 (27.3%) shooting from the field and outrebounded the Bulldogs 24-16 as part of its opening half dominance.
The Hall took its biggest lead in the game less than five minutes into the second half, 60-36, when Dawes splashed another wing three off the dish from Richmond.
“It feels very good to be still playing in a championship. It feels real good just to put the ball in the hoop again and [try to] come out with the hardware,” Dawes said, after the game.
Georgia tried to chip away at the lead, drawing the score to 73-62 with just over five minutes remaining, but it was too little too late as Sanders connected on a runner in the lane and a three-pointer from the corner off the assist from senior wing Dylan Addae-Wusu to build the lead back up to 80-64 before the game’s end.
Dawes led all scorers with 20 points, including 4/7 from long range, while Davis tallied 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks with Richmond contributing 15 points, nine rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block. Graduate center Jaden Bediako tallied 14 points, seven boards, two blocks and a steal with Sanders coming off the bench to tie a career high with 11 points on 3/5 shooting from deep.
The Pirates finished the game shooting 32/68 (47.1%), including 8/20 (40%) from distance, while dominating the glass 45-32.
“At the end of the day, this is a business trip and we’re coming to compete for a championship,” Davis said, after the game.
