Seton Hall University
17-7, 7-5BE
Butler
17-7, 6-6BE
Team Stats
Game Leaders
Whitehead Delivers Career Night in Narrow Setback Against Butler
2/10/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
NEWARK, N.J. - Sophomore Isaiah Whitehead (Brooklyn, N.Y.) exploded for career-highs of 26 points and 10 assists but Seton Hall came up just short of its fifth-straight victory, falling to Butler, 81-75, Wednesday at Prudential Center.
The Hall (17-7, 7-5 BIG EAST) entered the night riding its first four-game winning streak in conference play since 2011-12. Whitehead led four Pirates who scored in double-figures, carrying the load in the first half with 23 points on a perfect 8-for-8 from the field that included seven 3-pointers. The 6-foot-4 guard also added two blocks and two steals in 37 minutes of action.
Desi Rodriguez (Bronx, N.Y.) added 18 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Angel Delgado (Bajos De Haina, Dominican Republic) and Khadeen Carrington (Brooklyn, N.Y.) each posted 11 points with the big man grabbing five boards and Carrington handing out four assists.
Kelan Martin led five Butler starters in double-figures with a game-high 23 points to go with 10 rebounds. Kellen Dunham scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half to lead the Bulldogs (17-7, 6-6 BIG EAST) down the stretch.
Turning Point
Butler struck first in the second half after the two teams went into the break tied at 38-38 but the Pirates responded with five unanswered as two free throws from Ismael Sanogo (Newark, N.J.) capped an 11-4 run that extended back to the closing minutes of the first half and gave The Hall a 43-40 edge.
The Bulldogs bounced back to tally nine-straight points of their own, moving ahead for good on a layup by Kellan Dunham at the 17:06 mark in the midst of the run. SHU pulled within one possession four different times the rest of the way, the last of which came on the strength of six consecutive points inside the final three minutes.
With The Hall down 77-69, Whitehead found Carrington and Rodriguez for a pair of lay-ins in quick succession to cut the gap in half. Two more free throws inched the Pirates to within two at 77-75 heading into the last minute of regulation but with the arrow pointing Butler's way, a scramble for a rebound led to a second opportunity for the Bulldogs that saw the clock tick down to 20 seconds before Roosevelt Jones connected on a tough floater high off the glass that effectively sealed the win.
Inside the Numbers
- Whitehead was on fire shooting the ball in the first half, establishing a new season-high in scoring during the opening frame alone. The seven 3-pointers equaled a program record for triples in a half, matching the first half performance turned in by Jamel Jackson en route to a 40-point effort that included a record 12 trifectas against VMI on December 12, 2009.
- The Brooklyn native's 7-of-9 (.778) mark from downtown matches the third-best in program history among players who have attempted nine or more triples in a game
- With 26 points for the night, Whitehead posted the largest scoring total of any Pirate who has handed out 10 or more assists since Jordan Theodore finished with 26 points and 11 helpers in a 94-73 win over DePaul on January 10, 2012
- The Pirates' final eight field goals of the night came off an assist from Whitehead as the sophomore posted nine dimes in the second half. The outstanding showing marked the sixth time this season that he has recorded five or more assists in a single half
- For the season, Whitehead has now finished with 15+ points and 5+ assists in the same game 11 times this year
- Whitehead is also the first Pirate to finish perfect from the field with 7+ field goal attempts in a single half since Brian Laing shot 7-for-7 in the first period against Delaware State on December 31, 2007. Laing went on to finish the contests 12-of-12 from the floor, John Ramsey's school record for consecutive made shots in a single game that has stood since December 3, 1974.
- Five different Pirates have now recorded at least one double-double this season as Whitehead joins Delgado (12), Rodriguez (2), Carrington and Michael Nzei (Makurdi, Nigeria) who each own one. Whitehead is the first to record a double-double in points and assists this year.
- Rodriguez scored in double-figures for the 14th time this season and the sixth in BIG EAST play. The Bronx native also led The Hall in rebounds for the third time this year
- The Pirates lost for just the fourth time in 16 games that the team has topped the 70-point mark this season
- Seton Hall tied its high for assists in a BIG EAST game this year with 20 helpers as a team - a mark it has reached three times since the start of league play (vs. DePaul, vs. Marquette). The total is one off the season-high of 21 posted in a 66-49 victory over USF on December 22
Head Coach Kevin Willard on Isaiah Whitehead's performance:
"He really kept us in the game, especially in the first half. His first six 3-pointers were all good step-in three's, in-rhythm three's. In the second half, he did a very good job of getting everyone involved."
On the upcoming bye week:
"Win or lose, it is coming at a good time for us. We've been playing hard, had a good stretch. I obviously would have liked to win all three of the home games but to go two-of-three - I'm honestly not that disappointed. I still like the position we're in. It's a good time to get some rest and get re-energized...I've been playing guys a lot of minutes."
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News & Notes
- Seton Hall still sits in a three-way tie for third place in the BIG EAST standings with Creighton and Georgetown. The Pirates split the season series with the Bluejays and took the first of two from the Hoyas last week. SHU and G'Town wrap their series next Wednesday in that nation's capital
- Five of the Pirates' seven losses this season have come against current RPI Top-70 teams
- The Hall fell just short of its first five-game winning streak in conference play since 2008-09
- Head coach Kevin Willard is just one victory shy of becoming the sixth head coach to record 100 wins with the Pirates
Up Next
The Pirates will have a week off before returning to action against Georgetown in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, February 17. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. with a live national broadcast available on FS1. Fans can also catch the action online and through mobile devices via the FOX Sports GO app.
Gary Cohen and Dave Popkin will have the radio call on 570AM (WMCA) and can also be heard online through the Pirate Sports Network on PirateSportsNet.tv and on the Seton Hall Athletics Gameday App.
