Pirates Comeback Falls Short Against Oklahoma State

Published: Sunday, December 8, 2024

by Michael Federico

NEWARK, N.J. — The Seton Hall Pirates (5-5) fell to the Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-2) in an 85-76 loss in the BIG EAST–Big 12 Battle at the Prudential Center on Sunday afternoon. This marks the third consecutive year Seton Hall has lost in the conference matchup.

From the opening tip to the final buzzer, the Cowboys were in control. Their high-octane offense was dominant in the first half, shooting 60.7% from the field and 46.7% from 3-point range. The Cowboys finished the game shooting 56.9% overall.

The Pirates struggled to keep pace with Oklahoma State’s offense, much of it due to self-inflicted mistakes. Seton Hall committed more turnovers (10) than field goals made (9) in the first 20 minutes. One bright spot in the rough first half was sophomore Scotty Middleton, who scored seven points in eight minutes. The Ohio State transfer finished with 16 points, going 4-for-4 from 3-point range, including a pair of clutch shots late as the Pirates attempted a comeback.

In the postgame press conference, Middleton credited his teammates for his performance, saying, "Credit to my teammates for finding me and having the confidence in me." When asked about the team’s recent struggles, he added, "Confident as ever... got to keep getting better. Every team has ups and downs throughout the season. [We] have to try and be the best you can be every day."

Isaiah Coleman led the way for the Pirates late in the second half during a run that brought the game within seven points. The Cowboys committed nine turnovers in the second half, allowing Seton Hall to rally, but the comeback fell short. Coleman finished with 18 points, marking the fourth time this season he has scored in double figures.

Offensively, the Pirates had their strongest showing, scoring 76 points—well above their season average of 58.3 points per game—and shooting 50% from the field, surpassing their season average of 39.2%. This marked the first time this season the Pirates scored more than 70 points, exceeding their previous season high of 69 against VCU.

Despite the tough loss and a crucial non-conference game remaining before BIG EAST play begins, the Pirates showed no signs of quitting as they continued to fight until the final buzzer.

The Pirates' next and final non-conference game is against Rutgers in the Garden State Hardwood Classic in Piscataway. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, with Joe Morales and Michael Federico on the call.

Michael Federico is the Technical Operations Director at WSOU 89.5 FM and can be reached at michael.federico@student.shu.edu. 

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