PISCATAWAY – It may not come as a surprise considering St. Peter’s historic advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last March.
And Shaheen Holloway reintroduced herself to the bubbling cauldron of Rutgers and Seton Hall’s rivalry, stirring the pot with an immediate surprise upset.
Considering when Rutgers manager Steve Piquel first experienced an intrastate rivalry seven seasons ago, he faced Seton Hall with a lineup that included Angel Delgado, Desi Rodriguez and Kadeen Carrington. please look. Eddie Jordan era at Rutgers.
Fast-forward to Sunday night at Jersey Mike’s Arena, Piquel has a five-man starting lineup that includes Caleb McConnell, Paul Mulcahy and Cliff Omolluy, while Holloway returns to the annual grudge match. It has emerged and is still trying to shape the Pirates’ identity with its collection. Kevin Willard’s retention and his first recruit harvest as Pirates head coach while managing injuries.
Expect unexpected results when the two intertwine, even if the roles seem to be completely reversed.
Holloway’s team is a work in progress, but he’s back in contention in a big way. Seton Hall pulled off a stunning 45-43 victory.A place where the enemy seldom escapes victoriously.
“I think they’ve come to understand the importance of the game and the rivalry,” Holloway said.
Three days after being robbed at Ohio State University, the Scarlet Knights return to the scarlet-clad fanatics. After the referee missed two routine calls in the final seconds, the Buckeyes were able to hit a desperate triple at the buzzer.
Nothing was pretty about this. Seton Hall ensured that, and a block by Holloway star KC Ndefo at St. Peters in the final minute muddied the waters with stifling defense throughout, sealing the victory.
more:Rutgers-Seton Hall: Why teacher-first assistant coaches are the wave of the future
“I’m really sick of these emotional types of games. We’ve had like five already this year,” Holloway said. We came out with a sense of urgency and pride, and I thought KC was the guy who stepped up.
It shows you everything you need to know about the state of this rivalry.
The Scarlet Knights are tough, both physically and mentally. And while we’re not entirely sure what the offensive production will be like, their calling card is the best defense in the country.
And once Holloway’s signature defense started to take hold, Seton Hall came in and was able to match for stop.
Do any of these ring bells?
It’s a good example of a team that surprised the nation by becoming the first 15th seed to win the Final Four, paving the way for a return to their alma mater as Holloway’s St. Peters team became the first.
The Peacocks are the culmination of a four-year build and have risen to the top of the MAAC despite the presence of Hall of Famer Rick Pitino at Iona. They were unphased by the Big Boys of college basketball, beaten Kentucky and Purdue, and ended their Cinderella dreams at Murray State University as their own ambitions grew.
This is all part of the blueprint for returning Seton Hall to the pinnacle of the Big East.
“I think the defense has to go on. I said a long time ago, the offense is in the works,” Holloway said. Keep defending to give yourself and the chance to win the match. “
Even with a chaotic atmosphere and a team that has been part of some surprising wins over ranked opponents in recent years, Rutgers has been unable to hold serve in his building…in a win.
When the game returns to Newark next year, Holloway will likely roll the team and rock the Prudential Center.
But it was a game that proved anything could happen when Seton Hall and Rutgers got together.
