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Garden State Supremacy on the line Friday as Seton Hall Hosts Rutgers at SOLD OUT Prudential Center
Seton Hall (9-2, 0-0 BIG EAST, Kenpom 46, RPI 45) vs. Rutgers (11-1, 0-0 Big Ten, Kenpom 117, RPI 89)
Garden State Hardwood Classic • Friday, Dec. 23 · Prudential Center (Newark, N.J.) · 6:30 p.m.
TV: FS1 & FOX Sports GO with Brian Custer & Donny Marshall
Radio: AM970 The Answer / XM 381 / SHUPirates.com / SHU Pirates App with Gary Cohen & Dave Popkin
Tickets: SOLD OUT except for limited, day-of-game $11 tickets available at Prudential Center box office beginning at 11 AM Friday
Promotions: #PiratePrideFriday | Fans can take pictures with the Garden State Hardwood Classic trophy & with Pirate Santa on the concourse by sections 17-18
Postgame: Presentation of the Garden State Hardwood Classic Trophy and the Joe Calabrese MVP Award
GSHC Webpage: SHUPirates.com/GardenStateHardwoodClassic
What to Know About The Hall:
>> College basketball in the state of New Jersey runs through South Orange. The Pirates have dominated intra-state competition, compiling a 159-60 (.726) record over Garden State foes. They are furthermore 96-25 (.793) against teams in the state as a BIG EAST member and have averaged a +14.3 margin of victory.
>> Conceived as a way to accentuate the colorful rivalry between the two most high-profile teams in the state, the Garden State Hardwood Classic and its associated trophy debuted in 2014-15; adding yet more meaning to the annual matchup between Seton Hall and Rutgers. The inception of the Garden State Hardwood Classic has seen Seton Hall rewrite the rivalry record books with two consecutive wins by margins in excess of 20 points. On December 5th, 2015, Angel Delgado earned Joe Calabrese MVP honors as SHU raced to an 84-55 win that kept the custom-made trophy in South Orange and marked the largest victory in the history of the series.
>> The Pirates hosted the inaugural installment on December 6th, 2014 at the Prudential Center, overwhelming the Scarlet Knights in an 81-54 victory; ensuring that the trophy would reside in South Orange for the next year. Isaiah Whitehead tallied 25 points to earn Joe Calabrese MVP honors in the first-ever classic. Eighteen of the previous 21 meetings between the teams had been decided by six points or less or in overtime. Since joining the BIG EAST, Seton Hall is now 30-17 against RU and holds a 38-29 all-time advantage over its Big Ten rival to the south.
>> Rivalry quick facts:
>> The Hall has played 80 consecutive regular season non-conference games without losing two in a row, a streak that dates back to Willard’s debut season with the Pirates in December 2010. Overall, Willard is 65-19 (.774) in non-league games and 43-4 (.915) in non- league home games at SHU. Additionally, the Pirates are riding a 19-game home winning streak over non-conference opponents with a +17.9 average margin of victory. Willard is 5-5 against the Scarlet Knights, but has won the last three by an average of 20.7 points.
>> It is the fourth time in Willard’s seven seasons that the team has been 9-2 or better through the first 11 games, including each of the last three.
>> The Pirates will look to stay hot in their final non-league game on the 2016-17 docket, and will lean on Delgado, who was named to the weekly BIG EAST Honor Roll for the second-consecutive week after a 13-point, 12-rebound performance in a victory over then-ranked No. 16 South Carolina at The Garden on Dec. 12 in addition to Saturday’s performance against Delaware. In addition, he has been chosen as the MET Writers Player of the Week. He has recorded a double-double in each of the last five contests and is averaging 17.2 points and 12.8 rebounds during that stretch.
>> The 6-foot-10 big man is the BIG EAST’s active leader in double-doubles with 30 (third most in the country), and when he delivers a double-double, good things happen for The Hall. Dating back to last season, the Pirates have won 20 straight when he double dips (13-0 in 2015-16, 7-0 in 2016-17), and are 26-4 during his career.
>> The Hall is paced offensively by junior Khadeen Carrington, who is fourth in the BIG EAST with 19.2 points per game. The team’s most consistent scorer has five 20-point games and has poured in 17 or more points in nine of 11 games thus far. He is shooting 50.0 percent (79- of-158) from the field and 50.0 percent (25-of-50) from three-point range. His three-point percentage is good for fifth in the BIG EAST.
>> Carrington currently has a team-high 963 career points (43rd all-time in school history), and passed former teammate and current NBA player with the Brooklyn Nets, Isaiah Whitehead, with 17 points against Columbia. He has the chance to become Seton Hall’s 41st 1,000-point scorer later this month.
>> Junior swingman Desi Rodriguez is an invaluable asset to the Pirates and is 12th in the BIG EAST with 14.5 points per game and seventh with 6.1 rebounds per game. He has had two 20-point games and two double-doubles this season including a 23-point, 11-rebound performance in an 82-58 victory over Quinnipiac in the AdvoCare Invitational. He was named to the weekly BIG EAST Honor Roll on Nov. 21 after totaling 25 points, nine rebounds and three steals at Iowa. He scored 20 of his 25 points in the second half while shooting 7-for-8 from the field.
>> Largely considered one of the top defenders in the BIG EAST, junior forward Ismael Sanogo proved his worth in the team’s 60-57 victory over Cal, limiting top Golden Bears scorer Ivan Rabb to just eight points and 3-of-8 (37.5 percent) shooting from the field. Entering the game, Rabb had averaged 17.5 points per game and was shooting 59.1 percent. Sanogo pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds against South Carolina, and is sixth in the BIG EAST with 6.1 boards per game.
Garden State Supremacy on the line Friday as Seton Hall Hosts Rutgers at SOLD OUT Prudential Center
Seton Hall (9-2, 0-0 BIG EAST, Kenpom 46, RPI 45) vs. Rutgers (11-1, 0-0 Big Ten, Kenpom 117, RPI 89)
Garden State Hardwood Classic • Friday, Dec. 23 · Prudential Center (Newark, N.J.) · 6:30 p.m.
TV: FS1 & FOX Sports GO with Brian Custer & Donny Marshall
Radio: AM970 The Answer / XM 381 / SHUPirates.com / SHU Pirates App with Gary Cohen & Dave Popkin
Tickets: SOLD OUT except for limited, day-of-game $11 tickets available at Prudential Center box office beginning at 11 AM Friday
Promotions: #PiratePrideFriday | Fans can take pictures with the Garden State Hardwood Classic trophy & with Pirate Santa on the concourse by sections 17-18
Postgame: Presentation of the Garden State Hardwood Classic Trophy and the Joe Calabrese MVP Award
GSHC Webpage: SHUPirates.com/GardenStateHardwoodClassic
What to Know About The Hall:
>> College basketball in the state of New Jersey runs through South Orange. The Pirates have dominated intra-state competition, compiling a 159-60 (.726) record over Garden State foes. They are furthermore 96-25 (.793) against teams in the state as a BIG EAST member and have averaged a +14.3 margin of victory.
>> Conceived as a way to accentuate the colorful rivalry between the two most high-profile teams in the state, the Garden State Hardwood Classic and its associated trophy debuted in 2014-15; adding yet more meaning to the annual matchup between Seton Hall and Rutgers. The inception of the Garden State Hardwood Classic has seen Seton Hall rewrite the rivalry record books with two consecutive wins by margins in excess of 20 points. On December 5th, 2015, Angel Delgado earned Joe Calabrese MVP honors as SHU raced to an 84-55 win that kept the custom-made trophy in South Orange and marked the largest victory in the history of the series.
>> The Pirates hosted the inaugural installment on December 6th, 2014 at the Prudential Center, overwhelming the Scarlet Knights in an 81-54 victory; ensuring that the trophy would reside in South Orange for the next year. Isaiah Whitehead tallied 25 points to earn Joe Calabrese MVP honors in the first-ever classic. Eighteen of the previous 21 meetings between the teams had been decided by six points or less or in overtime. Since joining the BIG EAST, Seton Hall is now 30-17 against RU and holds a 38-29 all-time advantage over its Big Ten rival to the south.
>> Rivalry quick facts:
- Teams have played in every season since 1994-95
- Schools separated by approximate 27-mile drive
- Eighteen of last 21 meetings decided by six points or less or in overtime
- Garden State Hardwood Classic was announced and trophy was unveiled at joint press conference held at the Skylark Diner in Edison,
- N.J. - a local landmark
- The custom-made hardware that was handcrafted from wood salvaged from the Asbury Park boardwalk in the aftermath of Hurricane
- Sandy and features the names of the winners engraved on the back
- Trophy stands 32 inches high and weighs 33 pounds
- Current eight-year agreement between the two teams runs through 2020
>> The Hall has played 80 consecutive regular season non-conference games without losing two in a row, a streak that dates back to Willard’s debut season with the Pirates in December 2010. Overall, Willard is 65-19 (.774) in non-league games and 43-4 (.915) in non- league home games at SHU. Additionally, the Pirates are riding a 19-game home winning streak over non-conference opponents with a +17.9 average margin of victory. Willard is 5-5 against the Scarlet Knights, but has won the last three by an average of 20.7 points.
>> It is the fourth time in Willard’s seven seasons that the team has been 9-2 or better through the first 11 games, including each of the last three.
>> The Pirates will look to stay hot in their final non-league game on the 2016-17 docket, and will lean on Delgado, who was named to the weekly BIG EAST Honor Roll for the second-consecutive week after a 13-point, 12-rebound performance in a victory over then-ranked No. 16 South Carolina at The Garden on Dec. 12 in addition to Saturday’s performance against Delaware. In addition, he has been chosen as the MET Writers Player of the Week. He has recorded a double-double in each of the last five contests and is averaging 17.2 points and 12.8 rebounds during that stretch.
>> The 6-foot-10 big man is the BIG EAST’s active leader in double-doubles with 30 (third most in the country), and when he delivers a double-double, good things happen for The Hall. Dating back to last season, the Pirates have won 20 straight when he double dips (13-0 in 2015-16, 7-0 in 2016-17), and are 26-4 during his career.
>> The Hall is paced offensively by junior Khadeen Carrington, who is fourth in the BIG EAST with 19.2 points per game. The team’s most consistent scorer has five 20-point games and has poured in 17 or more points in nine of 11 games thus far. He is shooting 50.0 percent (79- of-158) from the field and 50.0 percent (25-of-50) from three-point range. His three-point percentage is good for fifth in the BIG EAST.
>> Carrington currently has a team-high 963 career points (43rd all-time in school history), and passed former teammate and current NBA player with the Brooklyn Nets, Isaiah Whitehead, with 17 points against Columbia. He has the chance to become Seton Hall’s 41st 1,000-point scorer later this month.
>> Junior swingman Desi Rodriguez is an invaluable asset to the Pirates and is 12th in the BIG EAST with 14.5 points per game and seventh with 6.1 rebounds per game. He has had two 20-point games and two double-doubles this season including a 23-point, 11-rebound performance in an 82-58 victory over Quinnipiac in the AdvoCare Invitational. He was named to the weekly BIG EAST Honor Roll on Nov. 21 after totaling 25 points, nine rebounds and three steals at Iowa. He scored 20 of his 25 points in the second half while shooting 7-for-8 from the field.
>> Largely considered one of the top defenders in the BIG EAST, junior forward Ismael Sanogo proved his worth in the team’s 60-57 victory over Cal, limiting top Golden Bears scorer Ivan Rabb to just eight points and 3-of-8 (37.5 percent) shooting from the field. Entering the game, Rabb had averaged 17.5 points per game and was shooting 59.1 percent. Sanogo pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds against South Carolina, and is sixth in the BIG EAST with 6.1 boards per game.
