WSOU

Pirates add URI and Penn State to non-conference slate

Date: May 24, 2020

By: Dalton Allison

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Dalton Allison/WSOU Sports

On Saturday, two non-conference opponents were added to the schedule of Seton Hall men’s basketball. Rhode Island, which plays in the quietly competitive A-10, and Penn State were both added to a non-conference slate that already contained a challenging opponent in the Baylor Bears. For another season, Kevin Willard has decided to challenge his squad before the onset of Big East play.

Historically, Seton Hall has fared well against URI, and fared not so well against Penn State. Having to face both of these opponents on the road, the new core of projected starters will have to find their way together quickly as teammates to play in two environments that could be hostile to visiting opponents.

Although all-time Seton Hall leads the series against URI 7-2, the last time the two teams met, the Pirates fell in heart-breaking fashion. It came on Thanksgiving of 2017, during an NIT Season Tip-off matchup held at the Barclays Center. The 20th ranked Pirates held a 74-73 lead with 20 seconds remaining after a rough defensive first-half, before URI’s Jared Terrell sunk a shot to put the Rams on top for good to lead the then Dan Hurley-coached team to a 75-74 victory.

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Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports

Over the course of the 2019-20 season, URI accumulated a 21-9 record, the same as Seton Hall. This was a strong enough record for the third seed in their conference tournament. Their most formidable opponent was the nationally acclaimed Dayton Flyers, who were led by Obi Topin.

The Pirates will have to again deal with guard Fatts Russell, who is top ten in program history in games played, assists, scoring, and steals. Russell decided to come back to school after declaring for the NBA draft, and will look to improve on a season that saw the Philadelphia native score 18.8 points per game and make the mid-season watch lists for the Naismith Trophy as well as the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. URI also added four transfer players, Towson’s Andre Bertrand, Maryland’s Makhi and Makhel Mitchell, and Charlotte’s Malik Martin.

Seton Hall’s record against Penn State is something that the team will be looking to improve upon over the next two seasons, as it currently stands at 1-5. To go to the last meeting between the Pirates and the Nittany Lions, you must turn the clock back to December 8th of the 2007-08 season. The Pirates forced overtime in Happy Valley that night, but fell to Penn State 89-86. Leading the Pirates in scoring that night was Jeremy Hazell, who came off of the bench to score 21 points in 24 minutes.

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Last season was a bounce back one for Penn State. They improved their record from 14-18 in 2018-19 to 21-10 last season. They did this through holding tough on their home court, the Bryce Jordan Center, with an 8-0 home non-conference record. They were led by senior Lamar Stevens, who led the Nittany Lions in points per game last season with 17.6, and had possibly the most unique promotion related to him in the entirety of the NCAA last season. Stevens authored a children’s book that was illustrated by local children and adults with down syndrome, and then the book was given away as a promotion for one of Penn State’s games.

This season, Penn State will be relying on last season’s second highest scorer in Myreon Jones. The junior will most likely be the top defensive priority when the Pirates make the trip to Pennsylvania. The Nittany Lions were also the recipient of the No. 8 ranked transfer target in the nation, Binghamton University’s Sam Sessoms. Sessoms will prove to be an issue when the team hosts Penn State during the 2021-22 season, as he was the America East’s rookie of the year during his freshman season two years ago.

Kevin Willard has insisted on scheduling tough opponents before the Big East season opens, and he has once again done so. With the addition of Penn State and URI to a tough slate that already included Baylor and potentially Florida State, Houston, and again Penn State in the Charleston Classic, the team already has their work cut out for them.

Dalton Allison is the Staff Representative at 89.5 FM WSOU and can be reached at wsoustaffrep895@gmail.com.

Posted in: Men's Basketball, Sports, WSOU

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