Game Preview: Men host Wagner to tip-off season(11/6/18)

Date: November 6, 2018

By Chris Russo 

After reaching the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 14 years, the Seton Hall Pirates tip off their 2018-19 regular season against the Wagner Seahawks on Tuesday night inside Walsh Gymnasium.  

The Pirates pulled off a 76-62 road win in an exhibition game against Boston College on October 27th, with junior Myles Powell leading all scorers with 25 points.  Wagner comes off an impressive 2017-18 campaign (23-10, 14-4) that saw them win the NEC regular season title, but fall short in the conference tournament’s championship game.  

Seton Hall lost four major contributors to graduation in Khadeen Carrington, Angel Delgado, Desi Rodriguez, and Ishmael Sanogo, but have a deep, young core centered around Powell and Myles Cale.  Defensive presence Michael Nzei returns for his fifth year, Sandro Mamukelashvili looks poised to improve his game on the back end, and transfers Quincy McKnight and Taurean Thompson add a veteran presence to a transitioning team.  

Wagner has had success in recent years because of a strong defense, and that defense starts this year with redshirt senior forward A.J. Sumbry, a former star at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark.  Last year, his second as a player since transferring from Quinnipiac, Sumbry averaged nearly two blocks and seven rebounds per game, which should put even more pressure on the Pirates to shoot from the outside.  

Seton Hall Men’s Basketball returns at 6:30 on Tuesday night.

Chris Russo can be reached at christopher.russo@student.shu.edu

Posted in: Game Previews, Sports, WSOU