2014-15 Seton Hall Pirates Preview

The Big Picture - The Pirates had their ups and downs last season, but finished on a high note. As the No. 8 seed in The BIG EAST Tournament, they notched two one-point victories, a 51-50 win over ninth-seeded Butler and then pulled off the most dramatic win of the tournament when they beat top-seeded Villanova at the buzzer 64-63. A loss to Providence in the semifinals ended the Hall’s season at 17-17. A very highly-rated recruiting class to go with an experienced backcourt should translate into an improved record in 2014-15.

Who’s Back - Guard Sterling Gibbs is the most productive returnee. In his first season as a Pirate after transferring from Texas, Gibbs averaged 13.2 points and led the team in assists with a 4.2 average. Freshman Jaren Sina started 19 games at point guard and showed a deft shooting touch. He averaged 6.0 points and showed to be a 3-point threat. Brandon Mobley also returns in the frontcourt after averaging 7.6 points and 4.2 boards. He made 16 starts. Forward Haralds Karlis (1.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg) made 11 starts. Reserve forward Stephane Manga (3.0, 1.8) also is back.

Who’s Gone - Fuquan Edwin, the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and one of the most versatile players in the league, graduated. He led the team in scoring at 14.5 and was first in the league in steals at 2.7. Forward Eugene Teague was a productive low-post player who averaged 11.2 points and 7.9 rebounds, which ranked third in the BIG EAST. Guard Brian Oliver averaged 10.4 points. Forward Patrik Auda averaged 9.6 points and 4.5 boards.

Storylines - Coach Kevin Willard should have plenty of options with his seven freshmen. Isaiah Whitehead is the most heralded player in the recruiting class. He is a 6-4 guard who is expected to make significant contributions. Six-nine Angel Delgado should have a prime opportunity to see some playing time close to the basket, while 6-9 Rashed Anthony redshirted last year and is expected to challenge for a major role. Guard Khadeem Carrington brings strong scoring credentials. Six-six Desi Rodriguez will push for time on the wing. A pair of 6-7, forward Michael Nzei and guard Ismael Sanogo, will push to be noticed as well.