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Preview: No. 20 Pirates Look to Get Back on Winning Track at Marquette

Date: January 14, 2022

By: Louie Pasculli

Seton Hall's Jared Rhoden, Kadary Richmond, and Ike Obiagu stand on the court during a home game.

Wendell Cruz/USA TODAY Sports

Who says lunch and basketball don’t go together?

Whether you are eating at home or out at a restaurant, the No. 20 Seton Hall men’s basketball team will be playing at 12 p.m. this Saturday against the Marquette Golden Eagles. After losing the first game against DePaul in this two-game road trip, the Pirates will look to bounce back with a win against a fellow Big East team.

Seton Hall, who has been a ranked team for majority of the 2021-2022 season, is coming of a tough loss to DePaul. After being down by 16 on a few different occasions, Seton Hall rallied its way back making it a one possession game towards the end.

The final score was 96-92 in favor of the home team, but the Pirates managed to score their third highest point total of the season. With how well rounded and extremely deep Seton Hall’s rotation has been throughout the season, it’s quite challenging to pick out a single player that has led the way.

That being said, Jared Rhoden has shown his ability night in and night out leading the team in both scoring and rebounding. Averaging nearly 17 points and more than a steal-per-game, Rhoden’s presence is felt by any team Seton Hall plays.

One of the Pirates’ best attributes is how well the bench plays every game. Led by one of the best sixth men in the Big East, Bryce Aiken always provides hustle, energy, and flashy swagger whenever head coach Kevin Willard decides it’s time for him to go in.

Aiken is second on the team in points (13.6) and assists (40) and is capable of turning Seton Hall’s offense into a fast paced, high powered machine.

The most menacing part of Seton Hall’s basketball team is 7-foot-1 center, Ike Obiagu. The defensive stalwart has 37 blocks on the season and continues to guard the paint like his life depends on it.

He is certainly the leader of the defense and has the uncanny ability to change an opposing team’s possession into a highlight reel play for himself. Every aspect of this Seton Hall team is going to have to be working together if they want to take down a stout Marquette team.

Sitting at 11-6 and fourth in the Big East, the Golden Eagles pose a threat to any opponent. Marquette, unlike Seton Hall, is fresh off a victory against DePaul and currently on a three-game win streak.

Forward and redshirt freshman Justin Lewis leads the team in scoring with 15.1 points and 7.8 rebounds-per-game. It will be interesting to watch Coach Willard choose who he wants guarding Lewis throughout the game.

Kam Jones also was recently named Big East Freshman of the Week after a career-high 14 point-performance against Providence a week ago, and redshirt freshman Tyler Kolek also leads the Big East in assists (109) and is coming off a 10-assist outing vs. DePaul.

It doesn’t get better then this: two teams hungry for a win, fighting to climb the Big East standings and set themselves apart from the competition. Fans of both programs are in store for a doozy due to the high-octane nature of conference play.

A Pirate’s victory would be very meaningful for both regaining confidence and improving their record and current standing of eight in the Big East.

Make sure to tune into 89.5 FM WSOU where Christian Gardner and John Makuch will be on the call from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. Pregame coverage begins at approximately 11:30 a.m., and tipoff is scheduled for 12 p.m.

Louie Pasculli can be reached at louis.pasculli@student.shu.edu.

Posted in: Game Previews, Men's Basketball, Sports

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