No. 25 Seton Hall is set to host Butler on Saturday at noon in Newark, New Jersey, looking to bounce back from a recent narrow defeat against UConn. This marks a significant moment for the Pirates, who have surprised many this season by breaking into the national rankings for the first time since 2022. UConn coach Dan Hurley has acknowledged the challenge posed by Seton Hall, expressing his hopes of avoiding them in the NCAA Tournament bracket.
With a record of 14-3 and 4-2 in the Big East, Seton Hall has shown resilience by coming back from significant deficits against rivals including Marquette, Georgetown, and Creighton. However, head coach Shaheen Holloway recognizes that relying on late-game comebacks is not sustainable. After the loss to UConn, Holloway voiced his frustration, noting the difficulty of constantly battling from behind, especially with home games presenting crucial opportunities.
On the other side, Butler arrives at the Prudential Center struggling with a four-game losing streak, with the last three losses coming by margins of 14 points or more. In contrast to Seton Hall’s strong defense—leading the Big East in points allowed—Butler has struggled, sitting ninth in the league by conceding an average of 76.2 points per game. In their latest defeat to Xavier, Butler’s transition defense faltered, leading to a significant disadvantage in fast break points.
Butler’s coach, Thad Matta, emphasized the importance of fulfilling defensive responsibilities after the disappointing showing, indicating that his players had ample preparation time. He expressed hope that the team could unify and elevate their game collectively to become more competitive. Notably, Butler forward Michael Ajayi is already making an impact, ranking third in the conference in scoring with an average of 16.5 points and leading in rebounds with 12.1 per game.
Seton Hall will rely on the strong inside presence of Stephon Payne III and Najai Hines to match up against Ajayi. The Pirates’ leading scorer, AJ Staton-McCray, is currently experiencing a shooting slump, having scored just two points against UConn and a mere 14 in his last three outings. Seton Hall’s struggles from the three-point line and at the free-throw line in the previous game have raised concerns, despite their earlier success in practice.
As both teams prepare for this crucial matchup, the hope remains for Seton Hall to continue their upward trajectory while Butler seeks to rediscover its form and become a formidable contender in the Big East. Fans can expect an intense battle as each team looks to assert itself in the season ahead.