Seton Hall University
5-1
Vanderbilt
2-4
Defensive Intensity Lifts No. 20 Pirates Over Vandy
11/25/2017 12:57:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Brooklyn, N.Y. - Senior Desi Rodriguez (Bronx, N.Y.) scored a season-high and game-high 27 points, and the Seton Hall men's basketball team went a stretch of 11 minutes without allowing Vanderbilt to score a point as the No. 20 Pirates topped the Commodores, 72-59, in the NIT Season Tip-Off third-place game Friday at Barlcays Center.
The Hall (5-1), which has now won five of its first six games of the season, limited Vanderbilt to 33.9 percent shooting overall and 20.8 percent (5-for-24) from the three-point line.
Rodriguez, who went 12-for-21 from the field, was joined in double-figure scoring by senior Angel Delgado (Bajos De Haina, Dominican Republic), who had 15 points, and sophomore Myles Powell (Trenton, N.J.), who had 11 points.
The defense was led by senior Ismael Sanogo (Newark, N.J.), who grabbed eight rebounds and tied a career-high with four blocks.
Turning Point
Vanderbilt led the Pirates, 32-27, after a three-pointer from Saben Lee at 4:27 of the first half. From that point on, the Pirates turned up the defensive intensity, limiting Vandy to 0-of-4 shooting with two turnovers and went into the halftime break down only one, 32-31.
It was more of the same to start the second half as Vanderbilt started 0-for-12 from the field with five turnovers. Vandy's first two points of the second half came at 13:28 on a pair of Jeff Roberson free throws, and its first field goal made of the half came at 11:45 on a Ejike Obinna dunk.
Meanwhile the Pirates built a 12-point lead, 46-34, on a junior Michael Nzei (Makurdi, Nigeria) dunk, and then Rodriguez had eight of The Hall's next 10 points, including a layup on a feed from senior Khadeen Carrington (Brooklyn, N.Y.) at 7:39 to put the Pirates up 56-42.
Seton Hall led by as many as 17 points in the second half.
Inside the Numbers
- Seton Hall shot 46.6 percent for the game, going 27-for-58 from the field. Its two-point field goal percentage was very good, but the team struggled from outside (4-for-18) and the free throw line (14-for-24). The Commodores only shot 33.9 percent (19-for-56) for the game, and was just 6-for-29 from the floor in the second half, 0-for-12 from downtown.
- The Pirates forced 16 turnovers and turned them in to 17 points. The Hall also outscored Vanderbilt in the paint, 36-26.
- This was the first game this season that Seton Hall was out-rebounded (39-33).
- Rodriguez scored a season-high 27 points on 12-of-21 shooting. He finished only three points shy of his career high of 30 that he got last season at Marquette. It was his 13th career 20-point game and second of the season.
- Delgado finished two rebounds shy of another double-double, but he had 15 points and eight boards.
- Sanogo, making his first start of the season, was outstanding on defense, matching a career-high with four blocks. He paired it with eight rebounds and a steal.
News & Notes
- This was only the second all-time meeting between Seton Hall and Vanderbilt. The series is now even at one. Vandy won back in 1967.
- The Pirates are now 49-3 in their last 52 games when holding at least a seven-point lead at any juncture of the game.
- Seton Hall is now 147-49 all-time as an Associated Press ranked team.
- The Pirates are 3-2 all-time in games at Barclays Center.
Up Next
Seton Hall will be back in New York City on Thursday, only this time at Madison Square Garden, as the Pirates clash with Texas Tech in the Under Armour Reunion at 6:30 p.m. FS1 will carry the national television broadcast, and the dynamic duo of Gary Cohen and Dave Popkin will deliver the radio call on AM970 The Answer. Tickets to the game can be purchased online through Ticketmaster, and fans can sign up for a free Pirate Blue pregame reception at Hudson Station Bar & Grill.
