Pirates Look to Spoil Xavier’s Tournament Hopes

Published: Sunday, February 23, 2025

by Kyle Ferreira

The Seton Hall Pirates (7-19, 2-13) look to disrupt Xavier’s (17-10, 9-7) NCAA Tournament chances Sunday afternoon at Prudential Center. The Musketeers defeated the Pirates 94-72 in their first matchup of the season in Cincinnati.

The last two games for this Pirates squad have been quite the adventure. Following their incredible upset of the reigning back-to-back national champions, UConn, their visit to Milwaukee on Tuesday night was uninspiring. The Pirates’ quick turnaround to face No. 16 Marquette was a difficult task for head coach Shaheen Holloway and his crew.

Even while committing four fewer turnovers than the Golden Eagles, Seton Hall couldn’t overcome Marquette’s perimeter shooting. Hitting 40.7% from 3-point range, Marquette’s offense overwhelmed the Pirates, who pride themselves on their defensive mentality.

In a season that has lacked hope for many, the Pirates are in a unique situation in which they can disrupt opposing programs' tournament chances. While teams like St. John’s, Creighton, and UConn are likely NCAA Tournament teams, their seedings could be altered if they fall to the Pirates. When many saw the Huskies fall to The Hall last Saturday, they believed that should be the case.

For a team like Xavier, this is a game they won't want to overlook. The Musketeers have been fighting all season as they hope to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2023. According to most bracketologists, the Musketeers are on the bubble, and a loss to Seton Hall would be detrimental to their chances.

From Seton Hall’s perspective, a win would be tremendous, especially in the development of the younger players. But how will it come to fruition like it did against UConn?

The obvious answer is to get Isaiah Coleman in rhythm. Throughout BIG EAST play, Coleman has had terrific scoring performances. However, opponents understand he is the Pirates’ top option, and when they game-plan for him well, Seton Hall’s performance is heavily affected.

Transitioning to defense, playing clean, and defending the paint and perimeter are musts for the Pirates. When Seton Hall faced the Musketeers in Cincinnati on New Year’s Eve, the Pirates committed 29 fouls. Clean, smart basketball will be key in their second go-around with Xavier.

The Pirates will also need to assert their presence down low. New Jersey native Zach Freemantle has been a force throughout his Xavier career, and the Pirates will need to do everything to stop him. This will be Freemantle’s first game against the Pirates at Prudential Center since the 2021-22 season due to injuries in recent visits.

Xavier is also 16th in the nation in 3-point percentage (38.3%) and leads the BIG EAST in fast-break points (15.9 points per game). The Pirates will need to limit those scoring opportunities as well.

Will Seton Hall play spoilers during its Sunday matinee vs. Xavier? Tune in to 89.5 FM WSOU on Sunday to listen live, with pregame coverage starting at 1:30 p.m. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m., with Victor Gonzalez and Pat Corsello on the call.

Kyle Ferreira can be reached at kyle.ferreira@student.shu.edu. 

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