Seton Hall is well-coached and have a mix of youth and experience which should fuel a deep run into March.
March Madness is getting closer and closer; can you feel the excitement?
Selection Sunday is only five weeks away, it’s that close. Now that football has moved aside, at least until the draft, the time is now for college basketball. That’s no disrespect to the XFL, they had a great opening weekend. But for fans of college hoops, this is their time.
And it’s especially a good time to be fan of Seton Hall basketball. The Pirates once again are ranked No. 10 in the AP Top 25 poll after back-to-back road wins at Georgetown and at Villanova.
It was another strong week in the polls for the Big East conference. Villanova slipped from the 10-spot to No. 15. But the conference is well-represented with No. 18 Marquette, No. 19 Butler, and No. 23 Creighton.
It’s Seton Hall, however, which has opposing teams shaking in their sneakers right now. In a season which started out with the No. 1 spot in the AP poll resembling a revolving door every week, the Pirates are shaping up to be the team opponents want no part of in the NCAA Tournament.
Sky’s the limit for this Seton Hall team
Seton Hall has a scary mix of experience and youth on its roster. They’re always well-coached and rarely ever rattled. It never hurts to also have one of the best players in the country leading the way every night.
Myles Powell is having another spectacular season. The senior guard is averaging 21.9 points per game and can’t wait for when the spotlight gets hot.
There’s so much to like about this Seton Hall team. Because it’s not just all Powell. Quincy McKnight is the type of point guard I’d want to be in a foxhole with. Sandro Mamukelashvili and Romaro Gill are two enforcers in the frontcourt. Mamu, along with McKnight and Jarred Rhoden, are excelling in complimentary roles. Gill, meanwhile, is a shot-blocking machine with a developing offensive game.
The Pirates were projected as a No. 3 seed in the South bracket for the upcoming NCAA Tournament. It’s important to remember the second weekend of the tournament in the East this year will be played at Madison Square Garden.
The Pirates have a resume built for March
Seton Hall has a three-game lead over Villanova, Creighton, and Marquette, in the Big East. They’re 18-5 overall, 10-1 in the conference, and have won 12 of its last 13 games. They’re also 6-0 in conference road games.
When it comes to quadrant 1, however, that’s where the Pirates are making some major noise.
As March Madness and Selection Sunday get closer, basketball fans will hear more about quadrant 1 wins. A quadrant 1 win is defined as a game for the home team vs teams with an RPI (ratings percentage index) ranked 1-30, a neutral-court game vs 1-50, or an away game vs 1-75.
For a team, like Seton Hall, quadrant 1 wins will factor into how high a seed the Pirates could get in the tournament. They’re a potential conference champion and could very well find themselves in position for a two-seed.
As of now, the Pirates picked up their eighth “Quad 1” victory of the season and now have a 13-5 record against “Quad 1+2” opponents. Their six “Quad 1” road wins are the most in the nation.
A strong finish to the regular season, followed by an impressive showing in the conference tournament, could pave the way for a smooth road to the Final Four.
If you’re a college basketball fan and you’re not up on Seton Hall yet, now’s your time. This is a special team, primed for a special run, and those don’t come around too often.
