by JP Pelzman
Seton Hall begins its quest for its first Big East tournament title since 2016 when it faces Georgetown tonight in the last of four quarterfinals. The Hall (18-12, 9-9) split with the Hoyas (19-12, 9-9) during the regular season, including a devastating double-overtime defeat 12 days ago that seemed to have ravaged their NCAA tournament hopes. Seton Hall has changed the script since then, and seems to be safely in all bracketologists’ projections at this point.
So what’s next? Let’s take a look.
What’s at stake? That depends on how you look at it. Nobody outside the committee knows where they will be seeded (or technically, if they will be in it at all) at this point, so a victory tonight only can help. If it eventually means the difference between being a 10th seed or bumping up to the dreaded 8/9 game, who knows? It’s probably best for The Hall to take the age-old approach of not overthinking it, putting its best foot forward and letting the committee do its job. Of course, getting in would mark the first time since the 1990s that the Pirates have qualified for the NCAAs four consecutive years.
They must avoid complacency. Let’s face it, these young Pirates seem to play their best when their backs are against the proverbial wall. But then when they create prosperity for themselves once again, their level of play tends to drop off. They won’t be able to afford such lapses next week, because one bad half, one bad minute, one bad play can erase a team from the NCAAs. So whatever happens tonight, it’s a good opportunity for the younger players (i.e., anyone but Myles Powell and Mike Nzei) to truly understand and grasp what tournament play is all about. “My message this week,” coach Kevin Willard said Monday on a conference call, “is we have a lot of basketball left to play, and let’s continue to worry about getting better and just focusing on that.”
Do they have enough depth to win? Playing three games in three days, which is what The Hall would have to do to repeat its 2016 title, means the bench will have to play an important role. One Achilles’ heel for the Pirates in 2018-19 has been the inability to run a well-executed half-court offense when defensive stopper Quincy McKnight has to go to the bench. Former walk-on Shavar Reynolds and highly-touted freshman Anthony Nelson have been unable to hold the fort while McKnight is out. On the positive side, freshman forward Jared Rhoden has come of age down the stretch, averaging 9.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in the last four games and shooting 6-for-13 (46.2 percent) from long distance during that span. He could be the X-factor this week.
What are Georgetown’s goals? The Hoyas are far outside most bracket projections, but they haven’t given up, especially after a road win over Marquette last week. Coach Patrick Ewing told reporters Monday, “We’ve have two significant wins, Villanova and Marquette, that helps. … We have 19 wins. (If) we win on Thursday that gives us 20 wins. … You never know.” Even a run to the championship game might not be enough, but know this--the Hoyas are desperate and are likely to play that way tonight. As for matchups, again expect McKnight to guard Freshman of the Year James Akinjo, and Willard figures to use defensive presence Romaro Gill a lot against Georgetown center Jessie Govan.
St. John’s has the talent to win this. It remains to be seen if St. John’s will greet the Georgetown-Seton Hall winner in the semifinals, but the Red Storm have as much talent as any team in this event, although the depth is lacking. St. John’s also swept Marquette in the regular season, so it’s not a bad matchup as the Red Storm’s length bothers Big East Player of the Year Markus Howard, who shot 7-for-32 in two games against SJU. It would not be a huge upset if the fading Golden Eagles, who have lost four straight, made a quick exit from NYC.
Some unfinished business. In case anyone still was wondering, it’s my understanding that the technical foul that was called on Villanova coach Jay Wright Saturday was rescinded because Seton Hall wasn’t yet ready in the waning seconds when Wright called his players for a huddle during what wasn’t an extended stoppage of play. Ummmm, OK. Even harder to explain is how he won Coach of the Year in the conference over Willard. Must have been the absentee ballots.
COMMENTS?
https://setonhall.rivals.com/
Seton Hall begins its quest for its first Big East tournament title since 2016 when it faces Georgetown tonight in the last of four quarterfinals. The Hall (18-12, 9-9) split with the Hoyas (19-12, 9-9) during the regular season, including a devastating double-overtime defeat 12 days ago that seemed to have ravaged their NCAA tournament hopes. Seton Hall has changed the script since then, and seems to be safely in all bracketologists’ projections at this point.
So what’s next? Let’s take a look.
What’s at stake? That depends on how you look at it. Nobody outside the committee knows where they will be seeded (or technically, if they will be in it at all) at this point, so a victory tonight only can help. If it eventually means the difference between being a 10th seed or bumping up to the dreaded 8/9 game, who knows? It’s probably best for The Hall to take the age-old approach of not overthinking it, putting its best foot forward and letting the committee do its job. Of course, getting in would mark the first time since the 1990s that the Pirates have qualified for the NCAAs four consecutive years.
They must avoid complacency. Let’s face it, these young Pirates seem to play their best when their backs are against the proverbial wall. But then when they create prosperity for themselves once again, their level of play tends to drop off. They won’t be able to afford such lapses next week, because one bad half, one bad minute, one bad play can erase a team from the NCAAs. So whatever happens tonight, it’s a good opportunity for the younger players (i.e., anyone but Myles Powell and Mike Nzei) to truly understand and grasp what tournament play is all about. “My message this week,” coach Kevin Willard said Monday on a conference call, “is we have a lot of basketball left to play, and let’s continue to worry about getting better and just focusing on that.”
Do they have enough depth to win? Playing three games in three days, which is what The Hall would have to do to repeat its 2016 title, means the bench will have to play an important role. One Achilles’ heel for the Pirates in 2018-19 has been the inability to run a well-executed half-court offense when defensive stopper Quincy McKnight has to go to the bench. Former walk-on Shavar Reynolds and highly-touted freshman Anthony Nelson have been unable to hold the fort while McKnight is out. On the positive side, freshman forward Jared Rhoden has come of age down the stretch, averaging 9.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in the last four games and shooting 6-for-13 (46.2 percent) from long distance during that span. He could be the X-factor this week.
What are Georgetown’s goals? The Hoyas are far outside most bracket projections, but they haven’t given up, especially after a road win over Marquette last week. Coach Patrick Ewing told reporters Monday, “We’ve have two significant wins, Villanova and Marquette, that helps. … We have 19 wins. (If) we win on Thursday that gives us 20 wins. … You never know.” Even a run to the championship game might not be enough, but know this--the Hoyas are desperate and are likely to play that way tonight. As for matchups, again expect McKnight to guard Freshman of the Year James Akinjo, and Willard figures to use defensive presence Romaro Gill a lot against Georgetown center Jessie Govan.
St. John’s has the talent to win this. It remains to be seen if St. John’s will greet the Georgetown-Seton Hall winner in the semifinals, but the Red Storm have as much talent as any team in this event, although the depth is lacking. St. John’s also swept Marquette in the regular season, so it’s not a bad matchup as the Red Storm’s length bothers Big East Player of the Year Markus Howard, who shot 7-for-32 in two games against SJU. It would not be a huge upset if the fading Golden Eagles, who have lost four straight, made a quick exit from NYC.
Some unfinished business. In case anyone still was wondering, it’s my understanding that the technical foul that was called on Villanova coach Jay Wright Saturday was rescinded because Seton Hall wasn’t yet ready in the waning seconds when Wright called his players for a huddle during what wasn’t an extended stoppage of play. Ummmm, OK. Even harder to explain is how he won Coach of the Year in the conference over Willard. Must have been the absentee ballots.
COMMENTS?
https://setonhall.rivals.com/
