PirateCrew: Seton Hall Pirates Football & Basketball Recruiting
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JP Pelzman
Looking back at Seton Hall’s 96-92 loss to DePaul and looking ahead to Marquette on Saturday (and beyond):
This loss was not inevitable.
There are some obvious, so-called “trap games.” This was not one of them. Yes, this game was jammed into the schedule because of an earlier postponement, and is part of a tough, two-games-in-three-days stretch.
But Marquette isn’t a huge rival for The Hall, so the lookahead factor should not have been a major problem. It is more likely that the players saw a mostly empty building on a sleepy weekday afternoon and thought it could be a walkover against a winless Big East team, despite Kevin Willard’s warnings.
And once Javon Freeman-Liberty left with an injury, that belief likely returned, despite the double-digit deficit.
But make no mistake, this is not a season-destroyer. That is, if the Pirates respond the right way and learn not to overlook any Big East opponent. Even without Freeman-Liberty, DePaul had the offensive firepower the Wagners and Bethune-Cookmans of the world don’t.
The defense rested.
DePaul made seven of its first 12 shots before cooling off to shoot 45% from the field, but the damage was done. The Blue Demons also attempted 35 foul shots prior to the final minute when Seton Hall was trying to extend the game. Those free throws came mostly from blow-bys and aggressive offensive rebounding by DePaul.
Stagnant offense.
Willard told broadcaster Dave Popkin in the postgame radio interview, “Our offensive energy was so passive. We settled for jump shots instead of being aggressive.”
Well, to some extent, it’s a case of live by the sword, die by the sword. Willard's NBA-style offense puts a premium on iso, spacing and the two-man game. That’s how he (pick) and rolls.
But that also doesn’t mean the other players should turn into spectators when Jared Rhoden (25 points Thursday) or Bryce Aiken (22) are doing their thing. Willard's frustration is understandable in that regard. Other guys need to present themselves when the inevitable help-side and double-teams come.
Aiken hobbled at end.
Bryce Aiken was able to finish the game even though he came up limping after one spill on a hard foul in the final minute. Perhaps a bus ride from Chicago to Milwaukee will be easier than a plane trip for his oft-injured legs.
Weston's debut.
Freshman Brandon Weston was credited with a one-second cameo in the final minute. It's been a long, strange trip for him, through a knee injury and the team’s COVID shutdown. Perhaps he can help.
“Brandon’s progressing well,” Willard told Popkin. “He’s started to get into better practice habits and starting to understand what we’re doing.”
Popkin worked solo with Gary Cohen missing a second straight game because of COVID protocols. Cohen did participate in a Zoom call for SNY celebrating the announcement that fellow Mets announcer Keith Hernandez will have his No. 17 uniform retired by the team later this year.
I would hope Cohen can return for the game at St. John’s on Jan. 22.
What about Providence?
Notice I didn’t mention the Providence game on Tuesday. According to sources, it appears the Friars will not be out of their COVID pause by then.
That’s good news in that Willard and the Pirates will get a bye before the home-and-home with the Johnnies. The bad news is there might not be room in the schedule to make it up.
Scouting Marquette.
The Golden Eagles (11-6, 3-3) also are coming off a game against DePaul, albeit an 87-76 home victory Tuesday. First-year coach Shaka Smart, most recently at Texas, is doing a good job of blending a small number of holdovers with the players he’s brought in, and getting them to buy in.
Forward Justin Lewis (15.1) and guard Darryl Morsell (13.1), a Maryland transfer, lead the offense.
