PirateCrew: Seton Hall Pirates Football & Basketball Recruiting
The definitive source for all PirateCrew news.
By JP Pelzman
Here are the Seton Hall highlights from the Pirates’ 62-52 loss to Connecticut in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament Thursday night:
OK, here’s one: Kadary Richmond didn’t do any further damage to his sprained right thumb, and actually shot 6-for-13 with 14 points in 26 minutes as he played through the pain.
But other than that, there wasn’t much to smile about for the Pirates 921-10). No. 20 UConn (23-8), greeting its fans back at Madison Square Garden for this event for the first time since the breakup of the “old” Big East in 2013, dominated sixth-seeded Seton Hall on the boards, 46-33.
The third-seeded Huskies controlled the first half, opening a 27-15 lead on Andre Jackson’s three-pointer from the left side with 3:59 left, and the Pirates never threatened afterward. Soon it was time to think about Selection Sunday.
Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard said that is the positive side of it, that his team will get "a couple days off...and then kind of get refocused. That is not going to be a bad thing."
As for Richmond, he made it clear he wanted to compete.
“I mean, I made the decision to go out there and play,” he said. “I knew what was going to come with it. A couple of bumps, bruises. But I think these next couple of days is going to help me get close to 100 percent with my hand and be able to go out there, be more aggressive, and make better plays” next week.
As for the rebounding issue, Willard said, “I think our defensive effort has been really good. … I think we're a little tired, to be honest with you. It's been a long February, and then March, with the four games already in March. I'm proud of them. I'm proud of these guys, proud of the way they battled. I think a couple of days off for these guys is going to be really beneficial.
"I think our front line, as good as they have been, I think they were a little tired, just to be honest with you,” Willard added.
Myles Cale, who scored 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting, agreed with Willard.
“Like Coach said, I think a couple days of rest, getting back,” Cale said, “practicing some more, and I think we'll be all right. I think we're in a good spirit.”
Now it begins. Seton Hall and its fans have waited three years for this, since a first-round loss to Wofford in Jacksonville in 2019. Then came the heartbreak of The Tournament That Never Was in 2020, when the Pirates might have had a generational team. And don’t forget--who could--the shocking end-of-the-the-season swoon in 2021 that cost The Hall a seemingly sure at-large bid.
Seton Hall had won six straight and nine of its last 11 games before losing to the Huskies. The Pirates do have some momentum.
50s revival won’t cut it next week.
The Pirates scored 57 points against Georgetown and 52 versus UConn.
Yes, defense wins championships, but you also need to put the ball in the hoop with some regularity.
No, Kevin Willard cannot completely re-invent his iso-oriented attack before the Pirates hit the court again next Thursday or Friday, but something must change.
Kooking with gas.
Give Kadary “Kooks” Richmond credit for gutting it out late in the season, first through a non-COVID illness and then through a painful sprained thumb. His play has been vital to the turnaround.
“Kooks has been phenomenal,” Willard said after the game. “Going into the year, we were really looking for someone that could be a multidimensional point guard, a guy who could score, a guy that can get guys involved. And he's exceeded my expectations as the year has gone on. He's battled a really tough thumb injury for most of the season, too.
“He's a hard worker,” Willard added. “He's got a great attitude. He's got a very good knowledge for the game. And I think you're just starting to see, scratching the surface of what kind of player he's going to be.”
Matchups matter.
The Hall was a cumulative minus-27 on the glass this week at MSG.
Although Willard blamed it on fatigue versus UConn, clearly that isn’t the only reason. If the Pirates run afoul of a dominant inside team in the NCAAs, that could spell trouble. A perimeter-oriented (think Creighton, although that wouldn’t be an immediate matchup, obviously) would be a better draw.
