Pirates' Defense Falters in Loss to Friars

Published: Saturday, January 11, 2025

by Anthony Collins

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Seton Hall Pirates (6-10) fell 91-85 to the Providence Friars (9-8) on Saturday night. Despite showing flashes, the Pirates were unable to keep up with the Friars in a high-scoring BIG EAST showdown at the Amica Mutual Pavilion.

Both teams traded 3-pointers to start the game, maintaining a fast pace as players like Bensley Joseph for the Friars and Isaiah Coleman for the Pirates hit shots from all over the floor. Joseph and Coleman would finish with 28 and 26 points, respectively.

Coleman has been red hot for The Hall as of late, putting up an efficient game Saturday with 26 points while shooting 53% from the field. However, he only played 24 minutes due to early foul trouble. Another player who shot well in this one was Prince Aligbe, who found a better role on the team by coming off the bench. He contributed 19 points of his own while shooting 54%.

The Pirates had their best offensive performance of the season, shooting 45% as a team and going 16-for-20 from the free throw line—a significant improvement for a team that has struggled at the line all season. However, their shooting effort was overshadowed by Providence, which hit 48% of its 3-pointers.

Bensley Joseph took over for the Friars in this one, as he couldn’t miss from beyond the arc. He scored 28 points while shooting an impressive 78% from 3-point range, making seven of them. Another standout for the Pirates was Chaunce Jenkins, who contributed 17 points and grabbed six rebounds. However, Jenkins fouled out late in the game and failed to score a single point in the second half.

Although the Pirates had one of their worst defensive performances in terms of allowing 3-pointers to fall, their full-court press toward the end of the game was very successful. Players such as Scotty Middleton racked up three steals, while Dylan Addae-Wusu and Chaunce Jenkins each recorded two steals.

In a strong effort and surprising performance from the Pirates' offense, they will need to refocus on their defensive identity. After allowing just 60 points per game in their non-conference slate, Shaheen Holloway's defense has allowed 81 points per game in BIG EAST play.

Seton Hall will be back in action on Wednesday evening, as they will take on Butler. The Bulldogs and Pirates will tip off at 7 p.m. Mike Federico and Joe Morales will have the call. Live coverage will begin at 7:30 p.m. on WSOU 89.5 FM, with analysis from Jack Pine and Victor Gonzalez.

Anthony Collins can be reached at anthony.collins@student.shu.edu.

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