Pirates Face Rutgers in 2024 Garden State Hardwood Classic

Published: Saturday, December 14, 2024

by Spencer Gonzales

A storied basketball rivalry continues this Saturday as the 5-5 Seton Hall Pirates visit their in-state foe, the 6-4 Rutgers Scarlet Knights, in the Garden State Hardwood Classic. This will be the Pirates’ final non-conference matchup and their last chance to gain momentum heading into Big East play.

The Hall has had a disastrous start to the season, with three losses against Fordham, Hofstra, and Monmouth. These early-season struggles directly result from poor offensive play, as the Pirates rank 350th nationally in scoring offense with 60.1 points per game.

Finding rhythm and identity on offense has been a struggle for Seton Hall. The Pirates run one of the nation’s slowest offenses, often draining the shot clock to its final seconds and frequently committing shot clock violations.

When the Pirates finally take a shot, they are shooting just 40.3% for the season, including a respectable 36.4% from beyond the arc. Free throw struggles haven’t helped Seton Hall either, as the team has converted only 60.3% from the line through 10 games.

Individually, there are some bright spots. Isaiah Coleman is hitting his stride, averaging 11.7 points per game. Chaunce Jenkins has been contributing 11.8 points per game, giving the team a dynamic backcourt duo.

Rutgers boasts a dynamic duo in Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, who combine for more than 40 points per game. The freshman guards have been an unstoppable force through their first 10 collegiate games, highlighted by an impressive outing against No. 9 Alabama, where Harper scored 37 points and Bailey added 22.

The Scarlet Knights are averaging nearly 80 points per game, doing so against top competition such as Alabama, Texas A&M, and Notre Dame. They are shooting 45.7% from the floor and 73.9% from the free-throw line. Their only weak spot is 3-point shooting, where Rutgers is hitting just 32.4% on 20 attempts per game.

The Scarlet Knights have a dynamite offense with some of the game’s premier scorers and will be backed by a raucous home crowd.

Luckily for the Pirates, defense is their specialty. 

With all their shortcomings, defense has been the one thing keeping Seton Hall in most of its games. The Pirates boast the nation’s 11th-best defense, holding opponents to 59.4 points per game.

The defense has been consistently solid, frustrating opponents and forcing 14 turnovers per game.

If Seton Hall has a chance at pulling off a major road upset, the defense will have to shake off its latest loss to Oklahoma State, where it allowed a season-high 85 points, and get back to its brand of basketball.

Keeping Bailey and Harper at bay is essential to staying in the game, as they contribute to most of the Rutgers offense. If the Pirates can keep the score under 70, they may have a chance to win, but that will also require significant offensive contributions.

Coleman and Jenkins will need to show their best, but if they can get help from the frontcourt with Prince Aligbe and Emmanuel Okorafor, as well as some scoring off the bench from Scotty Middleton, they will be in position to take home the Garden State Hardwood Classic trophy.

Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, N.J., will be the setting for this year’s matchup and is set to start rocking at 3 p.m., with Joe Morales and Michael Federico on the call. Brian Henderson and Michael Bellifemini will have pregame coverage starting at 2:45 p.m. on 89.5 WSOU.

Spencer Gonzales is the Station Manager at WSOU 89.5 FM and can be reached at spencer.gonzales@student.shu.edu. 

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