Pirates Look To Rebound At Creighton

Published: Saturday, January 25, 2025

by Darren Worrell

After a rocky 1-7 start in BIG EAST play, the Seton Hall Pirates (6-13) head to Omaha, Nebraska, to take on the Creighton Bluejays (13-6) in an anticipated conference showdown. Seton Hall leads the all-time series 16-14, but Creighton dominated their last meeting on Feb. 28, 2024, with an 85-64 victory at home.

Seton Hall is hoping to bounce back from a tough 76-59 loss to Marquette in its last game. Despite the defeat, sophomore guard Isaiah Coleman had a breakout performance, scoring a career-high 27 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and going a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.

Creighton, meanwhile, comes in on a high note after a convincing 73-49 win over DePaul in Chicago. The Bluejays showed dominance on the boards, outrebounding DePaul 45-32, and were efficient at the free throw line, hitting 17 of 22 attempts for 77.3%.

Seton Hall faces the challenge of slowing down Creighton’s elite duo of Steven Ashworth and Ryan Kalkbrenner. Kalkbrenner, a 7-foot-2 senior center, leads the Bluejays with 17.4 points per game and has 53 blocks this season, making him a force on both ends of the court. Ashworth, a sharp-shooting point guard, is averaging 16.6 points per game and has been nearly automatic at the line, shooting 97% this season.

For the Pirates to snap their four-game losing streak, rebounding will be critical. Creighton has consistently outrebounded opponents, with contributions across the lineup. Seton Hall must also find more scoring options. Coleman has been the team’s most efficient scorer this season, averaging 15.8 points per game. However, with Dylan Addae-Wusu and Chaunce Jenkins sidelined by injuries, the Pirates need other players to step up.

Prince Aligbe has had several double-digit performances, including a solid 12 points in the loss to Marquette. Still, Seton Hall will need additional offensive contributions to compete. Limiting Creighton’s trips to the free throw line will also be crucial, as the Bluejays shoot 74% from the stripe.

The Pirates will aim to upset Creighton, with tipoff set for 1:30 p.m. Chris Jones and Kyle Ferreira will have the call on WSOU.net.

Darren Worrell can be reached at darren.worrell@student.shu.edu. 

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