Newly Ranked #25 Pirates Look to Keep Rolling in Pivotal Matchup Against #3 UConn

Published: Monday, January 12, 2026

by Chris Heite

NEWARK, N.J.- The Seton Hall Pirates (14-2, 4-1) look to continue their historic season in a matchup against the #3 ranked team in the country, the Connecticut Huskies (16-1, 6-0), on Tuesday night.

An important fact to note from the start: the UConn Huskies have been unable to defeat the Pirates in the Prudential Center for four straight years. The Pirates certainly are trying to keep the streak going this season. To put it simply, the Rock is a house of horrors for the Huskies, ranked or not.

It’s been all about the comebacks for this Pirates team, with the last three wins requiring the Pirates to come from behind. Within these comebacks, it’s been different Seton Hall players each time who’ve stepped up.

The last time out it was the Hall’s point guard, Budd Clark, who led the way with a season high 22 points against Georgetown. Clark proved himself to be a clutch shooter in addition to the already established playmaking skills he has. Even a completely torn up jersey couldn’t stop him, as he continues to be a crucial piece of this Seton Hall team.

The Hall’s win against Georgetown marked their fourth win in conference play, with their only loss coming from a solid Villanova Wildcats team.

While it’s been a sensational and historic start to the season for the Pirates, this game certainly can be looked at as the biggest matchup of the season.

Switching gears, UConn is looking better than ever and certainly is looked at as a contender for not just the BIG EAST Tournament Championship, but the National Championship as well. Coach Dan Hurley, who of course is a former Pirate, has led his team to the best start they’ve had in years.  6th year player Alex Karaban proves to be a player to look out for but certainly will have his work cut out for him against this nationally recognized Pirates defense.

Returning back to the Pirates, there are a few different keys to victory against a tough ranked opponent.

First, the Pirates need to come out of the gate strong offensively. While their last few matchups having been wins, they have had stale performances on the offensive side of the ball to begin the game. If you want to beat a high-powered team like the Huskies, there needs to be a solid start on offense.

Secondly, on the flip side, Seton Hall needs to continue the lockdown defense they have had throughout the beginning of the season. As discussed before, UConn is a high powered, offensive team. With that being said, the Pirates need to continue to play their defensive game well to have a shot against the ranked opponent.

Last and certainly not least, they need to bring the energy. This game to many is considered to be the biggest matchup they have had in years. Intensity and passion is needed from the entire team if they want to defeat Hurley and his Huskies.

With that being said, will the Pirates defeat the Huskies for a fifth consecutive year at home? Or will UConn find a way against this hot Pirates team?

Find out on Tuesday night, where Seton Hall takes on UConn at 7 p.m. in the heart of Newark, the Rock, with Lauren Reese and AJ Rayer on the call for 89.5 FM WSOU.

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