Pirates Seek Second BIG EAST Win at Butler

Published: Wednesday, January 15, 2025

by AJ Rayer

The Seton Hall Pirates (6-10, 1-4) will head to Indianapolis to face the Butler Bulldogs (7-10, 0-6) on Wednesday night. The Pirates aim to bounce back after a tough loss in an offensive shootout against Providence on Saturday.

Despite sophomore guard Isaiah Coleman setting a career-high 26 points on 10-of-19 shooting, Seton Hall could not contain Providence's offense Saturday afternoon. The Friars shot 54% from the field and scored 91 points in regulation, the most Seton Hall has allowed this season.

Senior guard Bensley Joseph was electric from the perimeter for the Friars, finishing with a career-high 28 points on 7-for-9 shooting from three-point range off the bench.

Foul trouble plagued the Pirates throughout the second half against Providence. Both Chaunce Jenkins and Isaiah Coleman picked up their fourth personal fouls midway through the half and were forced to sit. With Seton Hall’s main scorers off the floor, Providence went on a 9-0 run in just a few minutes. The Friars built an eight-point lead after being tied at 41 with the Pirates at halftime.

Coach Holloway, who has been experimenting with different lineups throughout the season, has started to find more offensive success with a small-ball lineup. However, Holloway described the lineup as a “gift and a curse” because of its defensive drawbacks against teams like Providence that rarely turn the ball over and can consistently beat the press.

Looking at Butler, the Bulldogs have had a disappointing season so far. After a 7-1 start with wins over Northwestern and Mississippi State, the Bulldogs have lost nine straight games. Butler is 0-6 in BIG EAST play and is one of two winless teams in the conference, along with DePaul.

The main problem with Butler this season has been its inability to finish off opponents down the stretch. The Bulldogs have already blown large second-half leads at home against Villanova and Creighton.

The Bulldogs have maintained a balanced scoring attack this season, led by senior forwards Jahmyl Telfort, Pierre Brooks, and Patrick McCaffrey. All three are averaging more than 13 points per game. Butler is also an excellent 3-point shooting team, hitting 37.2% from beyond the arc. Containing the Bulldogs on the perimeter will be key for Seton Hall’s defense.

The Pirates have a chance to pick up a crucial road win on Wednesday as they aim to finish in the middle of the pack in the BIG EAST. Joe Morales and Mike Federico will have the call for WSOU 89.5 FM from Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis at 7 p.m. Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m., hosted by Jack Pine and Victor Gonzalez.

AJ Rayer can be reached at alexander.rayer@student.shu.edu. 

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