Tuesday, March 3
Cincinnati, Ohio
7:00 p.m.
Seton Hall University
at
Xavier
Hall Wraps up Road Slate at Xavier on Tuesday Night
3/2/2026 3:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball
SETON HALL PIRATES (19-10, 9-9) at XAVIER MUSKETEERS (14-15, 6-12)
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 3 • 7 p.m. Eastern
Site: Cincinnati, Ohio • Cintas Center
TV: truTV • Brian Anderson, Stan Van Gundy & Andy Katz
Online: HBO Max
Radio: SHU Pirates Mobile App • Dave Popkin
SHUPirates.com • Varsity Network App
Seton Hall All-Time vs. Xavier: 17-15 (Streak: W1)
NOTES YOU NEED TO KNOW
WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO LATELY
SECOND HALF SUCCESS
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 3 • 7 p.m. Eastern
Site: Cincinnati, Ohio • Cintas Center
TV: truTV • Brian Anderson, Stan Van Gundy & Andy Katz
Online: HBO Max
Radio: SHU Pirates Mobile App • Dave Popkin
SHUPirates.com • Varsity Network App
Seton Hall All-Time vs. Xavier: 17-15 (Streak: W1)
NOTES YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Seton Hall knocked down nine 3-pointers on Saturday at No. 6 UConn, one game after making zero in a win over Georgetown on Feb. 21.
- The Pirates' next win would match the program record for biggest win improvement at +13.
- Seton Hall currently is tied with Stephen F. Austin for the third-largest win improvement in the nation this season, only trailing Green Bay (+13) Miami (+16).
- The next win for the Pirates would be their 20th of the season, tying them with Providence and Xavier for the third-most 20-win campaigns since the BIG EAST reconfigured in 2013 (8).
- Shaheen Holloway, now in his eighth season as a head coach, has exceeded his team's conference preseason poll selection seven times.
- The Pirates program as a whole has met or finished higher in the standings than their preseason projection in nine of the last 11 years, including this season.
- Seton Hall is one of two teams in the nation to rank inside the top-10 in both steals and blocks average (Utah Valley).
- The Pirates lead all Power 5 schools in combined steals and blocks.
- Budd Clark is 4th in the BIG EAST with 1.9 steals per game in conference games.
- Najai Hines ranks 13th in the nation and second among all freshmen in blocks per game (2.3).
- Hines' 2.5 blocks per game in BIG EAST play is tops in the conference.
- The Pirates are 9th in the nation in scoring defense (64.7) and 7th in blocks per game (5.9).
- Seton Hall is atop the BIG EAST with 65.5 ppg allowed, .396 FG% defense and .300 3PT% defense in conference games.
- Seton Hall is 13-1 this season when scoring 70 or more points.
- The Pirates have held 22 of their 29 opponents this season to under 70 points and are 16-6 in those games.
- Furthermore, they've held 14 foes to 65 or less points and are 12-2 in such games.
- Seton Hall has held two of its last four opponents to 30% FG or worse.
- The Pirates lead Power 5 teams with eight wins this season after trailing at halftime. Seton Hall also has 11 victories when behind at any point in the second half.
- Clark had one of the best games by a college player on Feb. 11 vs. Providence, scoring 31 points to go with eight assists and five steals.
- Clark is the first BIG EAST player since at least 1996-97 to compile such a stat line in a regulation game. He is the first BIG EAST player to do it in any game since Jonny Flynn (34 pts, 11 ast, 6 stl) in the six-overtime classic against UConn in the 2009 BIG EAST Tournament.
- It was the first 30-point performance by a Pirate since Jared Rhoden, who scored 30 against Xavier on Feb. 26, 2022.
- Tajuan Simpkins has been essential to the Pirates' success this season, averaging 11.8 points and shooting 48% FG in Seton Hall's 19 wins this season.
- Shaheen Holloway is one of 51 coaches in the nation to be coaching at his alma mater.
WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO LATELY
- The Pirates' nine made three-pointers on Saturday at UConn were their most in a game since
- Seton Hall's offense has clicked over the past six games, shooting 45.7% as a team over that span and shooting at least 47% in five of the six contests.
- The Pirates gutted out a 51-47 win over Georgetown on Feb. 21.
- The Hall held Georgetown to just 27.3% FG on the night, their best defensive effort against a BIG EAST foe since holding DePaul to just 22% FG on Jan. 30, 2024.
- The win over the Hoyas gave Seton Hall its eighth win when trailing at halftime this season, most among power conferences.
- Seton Hall defeated Providence back on Feb. 11, 87-80, completing its first season sweep of the Friars since 2017-18.
- Seton Hall overcame a halftime deficit for the second straight game in a 69-64 win over Marquette on Jan. 31.
- Tajuan Simpkins tied his career-high with 27 points and knocked down five 3-pointers in the win over Xavier on Jan. 28.
- Simpkins had the most points off the bench by a Pirate since Kadary Richmond, who also scored 27 as a reserve on Jan. 8, 2022 against UConn.
- Simpkins' five made three-pointers off the bench are the most by a Pirate non-starter since Jamir Harris (6) against Nyack on Dec. 4, 2021.
- Picked to finish last in the BIG EAST before the season, the Pirates have already more than doubled last year's win total and have scored double-digit signature wins over No. 23 NC State in Maui as well as on the road at Kansas State.
SECOND HALF SUCCESS
- Shaheen Holloway admits the second half rallies his team has become synonymous with are "not good for my health," but the final 20 minutes have been friendly to the Pirates for most of this season.
- Interestingly enough, Seton Hall has eight wins this season when trailing at halftime, which leads all Power 5 schools. Five of those victories coming in BIG EAST play.
- One step further, The Hall has 10 wins this season when trailing at any point in the second half.
- The Pirates have overcome four double digit second half deficits to win this season, including three straight from Dec. 30-Jan. 10 against Marquette, Creighton and Georgetown.
- Seton Hall's 56 point second half against Xavier was its most points in a half since Jan. 13, 2022 at DePaul (57).
- Seton Hall also trailed UConn by 18 in the second half on Jan. 13 before trimming that deficit down to just one with under a minute remaining.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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