Seton Hall Pirates vs Monmouth Hawks Picks and Predictions November 30th 2024

Rested Seton Hall Takes Aim at Garden State Foe Monmouth

Seton Hall Looking to Build Momentum After Charleston Classic

Seton Hall (4-3) has had a week to regroup and recalibrate after securing two wins at the Charleston Classic, including a nail-biting 63-61 victory over Florida Atlantic. Now the Pirates return home to Newark, N.J., to face in-state rival Monmouth (0-8) on Saturday.

The Pirates started their season on shaky ground, narrowly defeating Saint Peter’s before suffering back-to-back one-point losses to Fordham and Hofstra. However, the team has since steadied itself, bolstered by strong defensive performances.

Head coach Shaheen Holloway remains focused on optimizing his team’s rotations.

“We don’t play until Saturday, we got a couple days. I gotta see what lineups work best together,” Holloway said after the Charleston Classic. “But happy to come out 2-1 … Florida Atlantic is really good, VCU is really good, so to beat those two teams, it’s good for us.”

Seton Hall boasts the No. 4 scoring defense in Division I, allowing just 55.7 points per game. However, the Pirates have struggled offensively, averaging only 58.1 points per game — one of the lowest marks in the nation. Chaunce Jenkins leads the offense with 14.1 points per game, while the rest of the transfer-heavy roster continues to adjust.

Monmouth Searching for First Win of the Season

Monmouth enters the matchup as one of seven winless teams in Division I. The Hawks recently participated in a multi-team event hosted by Stephen F. Austin, where they lost all three games by margins of 10 points or fewer.

Jack Collins emerged as a bright spot in their 71-61 loss to Presbyterian, leading Monmouth with a season-high 25 points.

“I was so happy for Jack Collins that he played like we all know he can,” Monmouth coach King Rice said. “We have to get tougher, and there’s some things that we know we can fix. We just have to keep working together to get our chemistry.”

Abdi Bashir Jr. has been a standout performer for Monmouth, averaging 19.5 points per game. Bashir put on a show against Rutgers earlier this season, scoring 38 points with a program-record 10 3-pointers in a 98-81 loss. However, his scoring has been inconsistent, as evidenced by a 0-for-6 outing against Presbyterian.

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Recent History and Key Matchups

The last time Seton Hall and Monmouth faced off, the Pirates were pushed to their limits before securing a 70-61 victory. Isaiah Coleman, one of Seton Hall’s few returning players, delivered a breakout performance in that game with 17 points.

Seton Hall will rely on its elite defense to contain Bashir and Collins, while Monmouth will need to find offensive rhythm against one of the toughest defensive units in the country.

What’s at Stake

Seton Hall looks to continue its upward trajectory after finding some success in Charleston, while Monmouth is desperate for its first win of the season. Both teams aim to establish rhythm and chemistry heading into the next phase of their respective campaigns.