Going into Tuesday night's game against Michigan, Seton Hall felt confident after winning their first two games of the season by a combined 80 points. Guard Jared Rhoden was set to return to the lineup for their visit to face fourth-ranked Michigan, and it seemed as if Kevin Williard's group was ready for their first major test this season. This test would be whether the Pirates would be able to withstand a Top 5 Wolverine team with their sights on a National Championship along with a raucous crowd in Ann Arbor.
To the surprise of everyone outside of the state of New Jersey, Seton Hall was ready.
The Pirates shocked the college basketball world defeating Michigan, 67-65. The game was somewhat of a payback for the Seton Hall program after Michigan defeated the Pirates in the 1989 NCAA Championship game. Yes, that was 32 years ago, but grudges hold firm for many Pirate fans as this was the first meeting between the teams since that night in Seattle.
The game's story was how both teams struggled shooting, significantly beyond the arc. Seton Hall shot just 9-of-30 (30 percent) from three, while Michigan shot 3-of-15 (20 percent). With both squads shooting abysmally from long-range, the play went to the inside, which created an old-school, rough-and-tough game reminiscent of Big East games of the 1980s and 1990s.
"It's a testament to what this team is all about," said Rhoden, who finished with 16 points, and five rebounds. "We had one day's rest. I think Michigan took us a little light. We went out and did what Seton Hall does — play 40 minutes of hard-nosed basketball."
While Rhoden led The Hall in scoring, two key contributors from the bench were the story. Tray Jackson scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds to help the Pirates overcome a bad shooting night from Myles Cale (3-of-9 from the field). Jackson, originally from Michigan, also assisted on defense on Michigan's Hunter Dickinson, who scored a quiet 18 points for the Wolverines.
Another bench player who made a difference was guard Bryce Aiken, who was mentioned as an X-Factor after an injury-ravaged 2020-2021 season. Aiken finished with 13 points, including four big free throws in the final 1:15 of regulation to push the Pirates to a win that will undoubtedly put them in the AP Top 25.
"This is where we are as a program," said Willard. "I expected us to win this game. This wasn't a shock to me. We can play with anybody in the country, and we've done that in the last seven years."
The lone blemish of this big win has to be the Pirates only picking up eight assists on 24 made field goals which display a lack of ball movement. With a potent mix of veteran players and new players to the program, this issue will almost surely rear its ugly head early in the season. However, for now, the Pirates can celebrate a win that makes up for a lost championship over three decades ago.
"It was an opportunity to relive our moment from 1989 and get one back from Michigan," said Rhoden.
What's Next For Seton Hall
On Monday, Seton Hall travels to Fort Myers, Florida to face another Big Ten team in 19th-ranked Ohio State in the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off. The game can be seen on FS1 at 6 p.m.
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