Preview: Pirates look for another conference win vs. No. 7 Creighton

Date: January 6, 2021

By: Ryan Johnston 

Seton Hall Athletics

In their second game of 2021, the Pirates travel to Omaha for a Big East matchup against the Creighton Bluejays. The Pirates are coming off of a solid win against the Butler Bulldogs, moving to 8-4 on the season and 7-1 in their past eight games.

 

However, they’re coming up against an extremely tough opponent. Creighton is ranked seventh nationally and has won six out of their last eight. In their last game against a ranked opponent, Seton Hall fell to 17^th ranked Oregon. These two teams have plenty of history as Big East Conference rivals.

 

In the last game played between the two, Creighton walked away with a dominant 17-point win, 77-60, on March 7, 2020. Myles Powell and Quincy McKnight led the Pirates in scoring, netting 15 points apiece. The Bluejays were led by Marcus Zegarowski, Denzel Mahoney, and Ty-Shon Alexander, who had 23, 16, and 15 points, respectively. Creighton swept Seton Hall last season. 

Rich Schultz/Getty Images 

However, even excluding the effects of COVID-19, this is a very different season. The Pirates are without Powell, McKnight, and Romaro Gill, each of whom has moved on from college basketball. Powell and Gill have gone on to the NBA. Alexander also opted to declare for the NBA draft as well, eventually getting drafted by the Phoenix Suns. Both teams have lost their leading scorers (and much more in the case of the Pirates), so we should see a slightly different matchup than last time. 

 

Sandro Mamukelashvili has been absolutely dominant this season, averaging around 19 points, seven rebounds, and more than three assists-per-game. Jared Rhoden has also taken a huge leap from last season improving his scoring by six points-per-contest and leading the team in rebounds, grabbing more than seven a game. Myles Cale, Shavar Reynolds, Ike Obiagu, and Takal Molson have also been extremely solid contributors. 

Getty Images 

The Pirates so far have really hung their hat on team defense. They’re only allowing around 68 points-per-game while scoring upwards of 76, suffocating their opponent on the defensive side of the ball.

 

Obiagu has been a brick wall in the paint, swatting away more than three shots-per-game. He’s allowed Seton Hall to be more aggressive with their perimeter defense, knowing that if someone breaks through the perimeter, he’ll be there to cover for them. Seton Hall has a very fluid and versatile offense, allowing some of their bigger players, such as Mamukelashvili or Tyrese Samuel, to handle the ball and create opportunities for shooters, and both of these have worked so far. 

Porter Binks 

On the other hand, Creighton employs a guard-heavy offense, just as they did last year. Zegarowski leads the team with around 15 points-per-game, and Denzel Mahoney, his buddy in the backcourt, is netting around 14. However, despite leaning more towards guard scoring, the Bluejays balance their scoring very well.

 

Five players are averaging double figures on the season, one of Creighton’s biggest strengths. As a result, they have one of the most prolific offenses in the Big East, scoring more than 81 points-per-game. Both of these teams are red-hot and on multiple-game winning streaks. This game should be extremely competitive and could preview a matchup later on in the Big East Tournament with how well each team has been playing.

 

Be sure to tune in to 89.5 FM WSOU for the matchup, where Jorie Mickens and Michael Daly will have the call with pre-game coverage starting at 8:30 p.m. and tip-off being at 9:00 pm.

Ryan Johnston can be reached at ryan.johnston@student.shu.edu.

Posted in: Game Previews, Men's Basketball, Sports, WSOU