After stellar opener, Seton Hall's Najai Hines squares off with Wagner

Seton Hall is aiming for a bounce-back season after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign in which it finished 7-25. A 2-0 start would be a strong step for coach Shaheen Holloway and the Pirates, who host Wagner on Friday in South Orange, N.J.

Seton Hall is coming off a 77-50 neutral-site victory vs. Saint Peter's on Monday in Newark, N.J. Freshman reserve forward Najai Hines had an impressive debut, leading the Pirates with 12 points, nine rebounds and six blocks.

The 6-foot-10 Hines even heard some chants of "Baby Shaq" in the birthplace of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal. Hines enjoyed the lively environment, but it was a business-first mentality on opening night.

"It was exciting," Hines said. "High-energy atmosphere, but I'm not really worried about that. I'm worried about winning."

Holloway believes Hines' strong first impression is a testament to strides he made behind the scenes.

"I thought he was good, but this is how he practices every day," the coach said. "He's one of the guys that I can never say that don't have energy. He's getting in better shape. I like what I've seen. The good thing for him is that he's only going to get better."

Anchored by Hines, Seton Hall's defense stifled Saint Peter's into 27.5% shooting. The Pirates forced the Peacocks into 15 turnovers and scored 23 points off those miscues.

Wagner lost 103-74 at VCU on Monday in its first game under interim head coach Dwan McMillan. Seahawks head coach Donald Copeland is suspended as the school investigates allegations of player abuse.

Grad transfer forward Sam Smith had a team-high 16 points for Wagner off the bench on Monday. The Seahawks' perimeter defense was porous, as the Rams made 14 of 34 3-point attempts (41.2%).

McMillan joined Wagner's staff in 2024 and was previously a graduate manager for the program in 2014-15. He is embracing the opportunity after learning under coaches including UConn's Dan Hurley.

"I'm just trying to do what they did, in my way. I can't be those guys," McMillan said. "I'm just trying to take what I've learned from them, the wisdom that they had and try to implement that and give it to the players."

--Field Level Media