History is repeating itself for Seton Hall.
At this time last year, you couldn’t find anyone outside of South Orange, N.J., who thought the Pirates would finish in the top four of the Big East. The league’s coaches picked them ninth. They overachieved to finish fourth in the league, but were an NCAA Tournament snub and won the NIT.
Nothing has changed a year later. Preseason expectations are even lower. Seton Hall was picked 10th out of 11. The obvious hope is to follow the same script as last winter, except to not get excluded from March Madness.
It is easier said than done. The Pirates lost four starters and six of their top eight scorers. Kadary Richmond is at St. John’s. Dre Davis is at Ole Miss. Al-Amir Dawes is playing professionally in Greece.
Coach Shaheen Holloway has 10 new scholarship players. The lone contributing holdovers are senior guard Dylan Addae-Wusu and sophomore wing Isaiah Coleman. Holloway went to work in the transfer portal, bringing in former top-100 recruits Scotty Middleton (Ohio State), Garwey Dual (Providence) and Zion Harmon (Bethune-Cookman), among others.
“I’m intrigued — I’m intrigued by them,” Holloway said. “I think this team has a really [high] ceiling. … You know me, you know my teams, we get better as the year goes on. So right now, I’m not happy where we are, but I think we’re going to be really good. I think we have a chance.”
Why Seton Hall will make the NCAA Tournament:
In case you forgot, Holloway is pretty good at this coaching thing. He took low-major Saint Peter’s to the Elite Eight in 2022 and was robbed of an NCAA Tournament bid last year with a team that was picked to finish near the bottom of the Big East. There are significant personnel losses to overcome, but this roster isn’t devoid of talent. Middleton, Dual, Harmon, Coleman and Wisconsin transfer Gus Yalden were four-star prospects for a reason. Holloway turns that potential into production.
Why Seton Hall will miss the NCAA Tournament:
Too much experience and scoring to replace. Too many question marks. The Big East is too deep. While the expectations were low at this time last year, there were known quantities in Richmond, Davis and Dawes. The same cannot be said about this group of Pirates. A second straight NIT appearance would be a success.
3 Key Questions
Who is Seton Hall’s point guard?
Holloway has options. Dual, Harmon and Old Dominion transfer Chaunce Jenkins are all capable ball handlers. A senior, Jenkins has the most experience, but he will likely play off the ball. Dual has the highest upside, although Harmon is coming off a season at Bethune-Cookman in which he averaged 14.6 points and 4.0 assists. Last year, when Richmond was sidelined or in foul trouble, Seton Hall’s offense bogged down without another point guard. The Pirates will be less reliant on one offensive creator this season.
Can the Pirates hang on the glass?
Seton Hall is thin up front. Evanston transfer Yacine Toumi will be the anchor of the frontcourt, but he needs help. Louisville transfer Emmanuel Okorafor won’t be ready for the season opener on Monday after missing time due to a dehydration incident. Boston College transfer Prince Aligbe and Yalden will need to contribute.
How long will the acclimation period take?
This is almost a brand new team. New teammates playing for an extremely demanding coach. Holloway was smart to scale back the nonconference schedule, since it will likely take time for this group to adjust to him and one another. There have also been injuries to a number of players in the summer and fall, which is far from ideal. Everyone is going to need to be patient.
X Factor
Garwey Dual
The Providence transfer was considered a potential first-round NBA draft pick at this time last year, but the former top-50 prospect never could quite put it together for the Friars. Now, the 6-foot-5 sophomore with a 7-foot wingspan will get a major opportunity under Holloway, who is known for maximizing his guard play.
Games to watch:
VCU (Nov. 21)
Seton Hall has a chance to create early momentum, starting against Atlantic 10 preseason favorite VCU, in the Charleston Classic. The tournament doesn’t feature any top-25 teams, but it will still be three quality games against solid opponents. Seton Hall shouldn’t fear anyone it sees in South Carolina.
At Rutgers (Dec. 14)
This will likely be Seton Hall’s lone look at the Rutgers phenoms, Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper. The Garden State Hardwood Classic will have a prime slot this year, Saturday at 3 p.m. on Fox, and extra attention with all the hype surrounding the Scarlet Knights and their fourth-ranked recruiting class, according to 247Sports.com.
St. John’s (Jan. 18)
Kadary Richmond returns to Newark as the villain after ditching Seton Hall for St. John’s. Pirates fans will certainly let him have it, and what better way to welcome him back than by beating the Johnnies, who are 1-12 all time at the Prudential Center? This is the most anticipated game on Seton Hall’s schedule.
Anonymous coach’s take:
“They have a lot of work to do. They’re not as tough as they were last year. … Their best player should be [Dual]. He is talented. … Zion could be a key to their team. He is an experienced player who has played in big games. … They’ll get better. I think they’ll finish in the middle of the pack [in the Big East].”
Prediction:
19-17, 8th place in Big East, NIT Quarterfinals
Seton Hall was picked too low. Like he did last winter, Holloway will squeeze everything out of this roster and finish ahead of Butler and Georgetown, both of whom were projected ahead of the Pirates. Dual blossoms under Holloway’s watch and Coleman becomes a quality two-way wing. By February, the Pirates will be a pain to play.
