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Preview: Pirates Take On Yale in Second Home Game of Season

Date: November 14, 2021

By: Joe Matthews

Seton Hall Pirates celebrate on the sidelines during a game.

Kayla Fonseca/WSOU Sports

The Seton Hall men’s basketball team will look to follow up their dominating season-opener performance against Fairleigh Dickinson with a win in a Sunday afternoon matinee against Yale.

The history between Yale and the Hall is not an extensive one, with only one meeting between the two schools ever occurring, back in 2011. The Pirates emerged victorious in that contest by a score of 73-62.

In what is considered the softer part of the Pirates out-of-conference schedule, the Bulldogs will prove to be a tougher matchup than some may think for head coach Kevin Willard’s squad. Yale was ranked No. 1 in the Ivy League Preseason Poll and are coming off of two blowout wins against Vassar and UMass.

However, while there is potential for a trap game, the Pirates have some great momentum on their own side that should help them potentially repeat history this Sunday.

The Pirates are riding the high of a massive 93-49 victory on opening night, behind stellar performances from Tyrese Samuel (19 points, 11 rebounds), and Bryce Aiken (15 points). Perhaps the most stellar part of that victory was the fact that the Pirates were without possibly their best player in Jared Rhoden, who sat out while nursing an ankle injury.

While Rhoden’s status has not yet been confirmed for the showdown with Yale, the Pirates have shown that they have the depth to still put up big offensive numbers without their number one option on the floor. And if Rhoden is good to go for the game, he’s just another incredibly lethal weapon for what seems like so far, a monstrous Seton Hall offense.

On the Pirates side, another name to look out for is Aiken.

After a frustrating and injury riddled 2020-21 season, Aiken made people remember why Pirates fans were so excited for the addition of the Harvard transfer last year. He left the FDU game early after tweaking his lower body, but still put up a stellar performance in just over a half of basketball. Another solid performance by Aiken would be a great tone-setter for the beginning of his sixth NCAA campaign.

Additionally, look for better things from Syracuse transfer Kadary Richmond. Richmond has struggled in his first two appearances as a Pirate but has still shown flashes of his sky-high potential. Richmond fouled out of the season opener, but on a number of questionable calls. While he also didn’t put up great offensive numbers, he showed a very impressive handle and was able to find himself and teammates some good looks on the offensive end.

While Richmond still may be adjusting to the move from Jim Boeheim’s system to Willard’s, a solid showing against Yale would be a much-needed spark to what could be a special season for the sophomore guard.

On Yale’s side, a pair of names to watch out for are the guard duo of Matthue Cotton and Azar Swain. They lead the Bulldogs in scoring, with 16.5 points-per-game each, and currently sit tied for sixth in scoring in the Ivy League.

Additionally, a threat for the Pirates to watch out for is forward Yussif Basa-Ama. The 6-foot-8 forward currently leads both Yale and the Ivy League with 2.0 blocks-per-game and has been a force in the paint.

He could prove a tough challenge for Seton Hall forwards, and the Pirates may have to rely on the skills of both Alexis Yetna and Samuel to stretch the floor to create better scoring chances on offense.

Speaking of Yetna, don’t be surprised if he has a big game. His Pirates debut was a bit lackluster on the scoresheet with only seven points, but he had a strong showing in the Pirates’ scrimmage against Misericordia and has the skillset to take over a team like Yale.

He’ll be able to hold it down in the paint and on the glass but is a deceptively elite shooter from deep. If the Pirates play the advantage Yetna could hold over Basa-Ama and the Bulldogs, it’s not out of the question that he could be one of, if not the top Pirates scorer.

But enough of the hypotheticals, the only thing set in stone is that the Pirates and Bulldogs will tip-off at the Prudential Center at noon. Be sure to stay tuned in to 89.5 FM WSOU all afternoon for coverage, with Liam Plate and Michael Daly on the call, and Heaven Hill and Jonathan Heite with their in-studio coverage and Hall Line.

Joe Matthews is an Assistant Sports Director for WSOU Sports and can be reached at joseph.matthews@student.shu.edu.

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

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