Seton Hall University
12-4
Butler
10-6
Powell, Pirates Edge Butler, 76-75
1/9/2019 11:11:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Powell was brilliant, shooting 8-for-15 from the field and 13-for-15 from the free-throw line. Junior Quincy McKnight (Bridgeport, Conn.) was the lone other Pirate to score in double-figures. He finished with 10 points to go with a team-high six assists to match a career high. All 10 Pirates who played in the game scored points.
The game was close throughout, but Butler never led or pulled even in the second half.
We took care of business against Butler and improved to 3-1 in the Big East. Check out some highlights from the win. #HALLin pic.twitter.com/leZ5M5nFKc
— Seton Hall Basketball (@SetonHallMBB) January 10, 2019
Turning Point:
Trailing 65-57, Butler scored six straight, and a pair of free-throws by Butler's Joey Brunk cut Seton Hall's lead to two with only 2:51 to play. The Pirates were held without a field goal for 4:43 of the final minutes, but connected on 9-of-10 free-throws down the stretch to maintain the lead. The team also executed a perfect end-of-game play to both score and shave time off the clock as all five players touched the ball to avoid the foul, and the ball ended up in sophomore Sandro Mamukelashvili's (Tbilisi, Georgia) hands, as he made a layup and put the Pirates up four, 74-70. The Pirates would need that bucket and every one of those free throws as Butler's Kamar Baldwin hit a long three-pointer at the buzzer to make the final score, 76-75, in The Hall's favor.
Butler began the second half with an 8-2 run to cut Seton Hall's lead to three points, 36-33, with 16:20 left to play. After the teams traded jumpers, the Pirates took off on an 8-1 run, highlighted by three-pointers from Jared Rhoden (Baldwin, N.Y.) and Anthony Nelson (New York, N.Y.), to extend their lead back to 10 points, 46-36, with 13:26 left in regulation.
The Seton Hall offense started the game slow as the Pirates committed five turnovers and didn't collect their first field goal until the 15:32 mark of the first half. Still, The Hall found itself down only 7-4 at the first media timeout. The Pirates upped their defensive intensity and held the Bulldogs scoreless for 4:21, allowing them to go on a 12-2 run and take a 14-9 lead with 9:01 left before the break.
Butler tied the score at 14, but the Pirates responded with a 10-2 burst, and a lay-in by Taurean Thompson (New York, N.Y.) gave The Hall a 24-18 advantage with 5:14 left in the first half. A three-pointer by Myles Cale (Middletown, Del.) gave Seton Hall its largest lead of the first half, 32-22, with 2:18 left before halftime. Ultimately, they took a 34-25 advantage into the locker room.
Seton Hall had eight turnovers in the first half, but only one over the final 13:33.
Myles Powell led us with 31 points as we improve to 3-1 in the Big East! #HALLin
— Seton Hall Basketball (@SetonHallMBB) January 10, 2019
This win is presented by @LifeStorage! pic.twitter.com/MTBAaSlCpg
Inside the Numbers:
- Seton Hall was 24-for-47 (51.1%) from the field, while Butler was just 26-for-67 (38.8%). The Pirates are now 9-0 this season when it out-shoots its opponent from the field. Both teams connected on five three-pointers with the Bulldogs attempting only two more, 20-to-18.
- The Hall out-rebounded Butler, 41-to-35, and had more second-chance points, 13-to-7. Seton Hall is now 7-0 this season when it out-rebounds its opponent.
- The Pirates were 23-for-37 (62.2%) from the free-throw line for the game, but were 9-for-10 in the final 2:43.
- Seton Hall had more fast-break points, 15-to-6, and more bench points, 17-to-13.
- Powell had a game-high 31 points, going 8-for-15 from the field and 13-for-15 from the free-throw line.
- McKnight finished with 10 points to go with team-highs of six assists and two steals. His six assists matched a career high.
- Mamukelashvili had seven points, eight rebounds and two blocks.
- Cale had seven points, eight rebounds and three assists.
- Freshman Darnell Brodie (Newark, N.J.) had played just 12 minutes in three games all season coming into tonight, but contributed 19 minutes tonight. He had three points and a career-high six rebounds.
- The victory improves Seton Hall to 12-4 overall and 3-1 in BIG EAST play, while Butler falls to 10-6 overall and 1-2 in conference games. The Pirates have now won eight of their last nine games.
- Seton Hall improves to 5-8 all-time against the Bulldogs and has now won four of the last five games in the series.
- The Pirates have started 3-1 in the BIG EAST for the fourth time in nine seasons under head coach Kevin Willard.
- This was the sixth game of the Pirates' season decided by three points or fewer. The Hall is now 4-2 in such games. In all, 12 of the team's 16 games have been decided by 10 or fewer.
- With 31 points tonight, Powell passed former Pirate John Ramsay into 32nd place on Seton Hall's career scoring list. He now has 1,243 career points.
- Seton Hall hasn't lost this season when leading at the half (7-0) or scoring at least 75 points (10-0). The Pirates were only the fifth team to score 70 points against Butler this season.
- With 31 points tonight, Powell has now reached the 20-point mark for the ninth time this season and the 17th time in his career.
- With five points tonight, Thompson surpassed 400 for his career.
- After scoring in only one of the first 10 games of the season, sophomore Shavar Reynolds (Manchester, N.J.) has scored in the last six games, including a pair of free-throws tonight.
Flex on 'em MP!!! The hoop and the harm! We lead Butler 59-51 with 7:41 to go. Get to @FS1 to see the conclusion of this one! #HALLin 💪🤩🔥 pic.twitter.com/HP0iuAaFny
— Seton Hall Basketball (@SetonHallMBB) January 10, 2019
Up Next:
Seton Hall will return to action on Saturday, January 12 when it travels to Milwaukee, Wis. for a contest at No. 21 Marquette. Tip time is scheduled for 2 p.m., Eastern. The contest will be televised on FS1 and the Fox Sports App, and the tandem of Dave Popkin and John Fanta will have the call on AM970 The Answer, simulcast on XM 384 and the Pirate Sports Network.
