Seton Hall's stout defense encounters inefficient New Haven

Seton Hall should be well-rested when it hosts Division I newcomer New Haven on Tuesday night in Newark, N.J.

The Pirates (4-0) beat Monmouth 70-58 on Thursday, overcoming a sluggish first half. Coach Shaheen Holloway's team shot just 22.2% in the first half as Monmouth built a 31-22 lead with 2:27 to play. Seton Hall turned the tables after halftime as it limited the Hawks to just 20% shooting (4 of 20) in the second half.

The Monmouth game was the Pirates' third in less than a week, Holloway reminded everyone after the win.

"I think these guys are tired," he said. "I think it's important for me to understand you got to give these guys some rest."

TJ Simpkins, who scored a team-high 14 in Thursday's win, is one of four Pirates averaging double figures. The junior guard, a transfer from Elon, has yet to start for Seton Hall, but he leads the team with 12 points per game.

Defense has been the key to the Pirates' strong start. They limit opponents to just 57 points per game, which ranks 10th in Division I, and their opponents' 35.2% field goal shooting is 21st nationally.

That could be a major issue for the Chargers (2-3), whose adjusted offensive efficiency of 92.8 points per 100 possessions is the fourth-worst in the country, according to KenPom.com.

After making the NCAA Division II Tournament five times since 2013, including a 2023 trip to the Elite Eight, New Haven started transitioning to the top tier of college basketball this summer. Coach Ted Hotaling, in his 16th year leading the program, signed 12 scholarship players for the initial D1 campaign. The Chargers are not eligible to compete in the NEC tournament or the NCAA Tournament this season.

Hotaling compared the move to someone starting a business.

"Improving every day has been success for us," he told NECSports.com. "We're just trying to take small steps."

The Chargers already show some signs of success, having won their last two games. On Saturday, they defeated Delaware State 65-52.

Jabri Fitzpatrick, who averaged 19.9 points last season for Division II Felician University, leads the Chargers with 14.4 points per game. The junior guard had 18 points and nine rebounds against Delaware State.

--Field Level Media