Pirates Sail Past No. 23 NC State in Maui Invitational Opener

Monday, November 24

Lahaina, Hawai'i

2:30 p.m.

Seton Hall University

6-0,0-0Big East

NC State

4-1,0-0ACC

Seton Hall

NC State

Pirates Sail Past No. 23 NC State in Maui Invitational Opener

11/24/2025 5:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

LAHAINA, HAWAII . — Off the back of stifling defense and a season-high 22 points from AJ Staton-McCray, the Seton Hall men's basketball team downed the No. 23 NC State Wolfpack, 85-74, in The Hall's opening round game of the Maui Invitational inside the Lahaina Civic Center.

The Pirates (6-0) overpowered the NC State with a 50-point second half, led by 14 from Staton-McCray, and 15 offensive rebounds. Meanwhile, the Wolfpack (4-1) committed seven second-half turnovers while shooting 38.7 percent (12-31) from the field.

How It Happened
As the Pirates tipped off for their first game at the Maui Invitational since 2001, the team stared face-to-face with their biggest test of this young season in NC State. While the Wolfpack struck first off the tip, Mike Williams attempted to dispel any doubt about The Hall immediately. The junior sharpshooter had his fingerprints all over the opening minutes, going a perfect three-for-three from beyond the arc, as well as assisting on the Pirates' other basket, to put The Hall up 12-6 as the clock ticked under 16 minutes.

Mike is COOKIN' early 🧑‍🍳 pic.twitter.com/1d3TCPlKht
— Seton Hall Men's Basketball (@SetonHallMBB) November 24, 2025

Despite the Pirates' opening salvo, NC State's Matt Able would not allow the Pirates to pull a gap. The freshman guard amassed seven points on a 9-4 run to pull within one, 16-15, with just under ten minutes remaining in the first half.

While the game sat on a seesaw, the Pirates' stifling defense allowed the offense to start flying in transition. At the spearhead of the ensuing track meet were AJ Staton-McCray, Elijah Fisher and Najai Hines. The trio combined to go on an 11-8 run to keep the Pirates in front, 29-25, as the four-minute mark arrived. Both sides traded blows in the final minutes of the first half, but the Pirates entered the break with a 35-33 lead.

AJ gives us our largest lead 😤😤 pic.twitter.com/EkQE2KAjR2
— Seton Hall Men's Basketball (@SetonHallMBB) November 24, 2025

As the second half began, the Pirates opened the sails and began to overpower NC State. Staton-McCray set the pace with a three-pointer to open the half, and from there things only started to snowball for the Pirates. A parade of Pirates blocks and steals, compounded by Wolfpack misses, allowed Seton Hall to push at a relentless pace. By the time five minutes had elapsed, the Pirates' lead had grown to 16, 51-35, while holding the Wolfpack to 1-10 shooting.

Slowly, as the half went on, NC State managed to cut The Hall's lead to 10, 61-51, with eight-and-a-half minutes remaining in the game. However, once again, it was Staton-McCray who would respond. As the defense swarmed, forcing turnover after turnover, the sixth-year wing rattled off six points in an 8-0 Seton Hall run to put the team back up 18, 69-51, as the clock approached seven minutes.

GET UP AND RIDE THAT WAVE 🌊🤙 pic.twitter.com/ox23Kh0AaC
— Seton Hall Men's Basketball (@SetonHallMBB) November 24, 2025

Once again, the Wolfpack would respond with their own 9-0 run to reduce the lead back to nine, 69-60, with six minutes remaining. However, from this point forward, any idea of a comeback for NC State disappeared in the hands of Seton Hall's guard play. Tajuan Simpkins' pressure in transition earned him four points, while floor general Budd Clark turned out the lights on the Wolfpack. In the final minutes, the junior added eight points to secure Seton Hall's 85-74 over No. 23 NC State.

News & Notes

With the win, the Pirates move to 4-3 against the Wolfpack.
The Hall moves to 6-0 to open the season for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
The Pirates' six-game winning streak is Seton Hall's longest winning streak of the Shaheen Holloway era.
- The Pirates last won six straight from Feb. 19-March 9, 2022 under former head coach Kevin Willard.
This win marks the first time this season an unranked team has beaten a ranked team.
- Ranked teams were previously 95-0 heading into the game.
Seton Hall's 11-point win today over NC State was its first double-digit regular season win over a non-conference opponent from a power conference since a 77-63 win over Rutgers on December 12, 2021.
With 85 points tonight, the Pirates have logged 68 or more points in their first six games for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
- The Hall's 85 points were the most since their 91-85 loss at Providence on Jan. 11, 2025.
Seton Hall had six players finish in double figures for the first time since Dec. 1, 2021 against Wagner.
The Hall has recorded a minimum of three double-digit scorers in every game this season.
The Pirates have recorded nine or more steals in every game this season.
- The team last achieved this in six consecutive games last season from Jan. 18 versus St. John's to Feb. 5 against Butler.
With nine steals today, the Pirates have eight or more steals in five of the team's six games
The Hall finish tied for its best single-game free-throw percentage of the season (.833)
Williams recorded a career-high 14 points and six rebounds.
Fisher logged a season-high seven rebounds, three of which were on the offensive glass.

Up Next
The Pirates are back in action on Tuesday, Nov. 25, when they face off against USC in the winner's bracket of Maui Invitational inside the Lahaina Civic Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPN with opening tip slated for 5 p.m. EST.