The Seton Hall Pirates entered the Big East Tournament with momentum, buoyed by a recent victory over Villanova and a strong performance against DePaul. With a firm grip on fourth place in the Big East, they seemed poised for a spot in the NCAA Men’s Tournament. However, the Pirates stumbled out of the gate, falling flat in a 91-72 loss to St. John’s. A major factor in the defeat was the subpar performance of Jaden Bediako, who struggled against St. John’s throughout the game.
Photo Cred: USA Today
Bediako, typically an outstanding rebounder, managed only one rebound against the Red Storm, a team he had previously dominated. Kadary Richmond also failed to impress, tallying 13 points and 9 assists but shooting just 3 for 10 from the field. Richmond was notably absent on defense for the Pirates. Dre Davis, who had been excelling earlier in the season, struggled with only 8 points on 3-for-10 shooting. On the other side, Joel Soriano led the charge for the Red Storm, recording 14 points and 12 rebounds, outplaying Jaden Bediako throughout the contest.
Senior Jordan Dingle also made significant contributions with 14 points on 6-for-13 shooting. Seton Hall finds itself among the notable snubs of 2024. Seton Hall and St. John’s were bubble teams on the outside looking in. Seton Hall’s case rests on its five Quad 1 wins, particularly impressive victories against UConn and Marquette.
Photo Cred: New York Post
Few teams in the field can claim two wins against top-two seeds. However, Seton Hall’s low NET ranking of 67 was a setback, influenced by a non-conference schedule that included only one high-major win against Missouri, with losses to USC, Iowa, and Rutgers. St. John’s victory over Seton Hall significantly bolstered their tournament chances, but both teams still missed out on their ticket to the big dance.
