Seton Hall University
12-8,9-5Big East
Marquette
9-12,5-10Big East
Pirate Defense Grounds Golden Eagles, 57-51
2/14/2021 5:27:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Pirates used their swarming defense to hold Marquette to just 30 percent shooting for the game and 3-for-25 from three-point range. The contest got close down the stretch, but The Hall remained in control, leading for the final 31:31 of the game.
Rhoden scored 20 points on 7-for-17 shooting, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out four assists in a strong all-around game. Mamukelashvili had 11 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. A third Pirate to reach double-figures in scoring, Shavar Reynolds, Jr. (Manchester, N.J.), added 10 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Seton Hall is currently in third place in the BIG EAST with a 9-5 record and has now won at least nine conference games for the sixth straight season.
Here's all of the 🎥 you need from our third straight 𝗪!
— Seton Hall Men's Basketball (@SetonHallMBB) February 14, 2021
🎙 @kevinburkhardt & @SteveLavin64#HALLin 🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/CFECtSW72R
What Happened:
The Pirates defense flexed its muscles in the first half, holding Marquette to only 20 points and 26.7 percent shooting from the floor, while forcing eight turnovers in the first 20 minutes. With the score tied at 10 early, Seton Hall kept the Golden Eagles off the scoreboard for 4:18, and a layup by Rhoden gave The Hall a 17-10 advantage with 9:37 left to play before the break.
Marquette responded with a quick 6-0 burst to cut their deficit to only one point with 7:47 left before halftime, but the Pirates were able to maintain their lead, and Mamukelashvili's score with five seconds left in the half sent The Hall into halftime up, 26-20.
Rhoden caught fire for the Pirates to begin the second half. In the first 2:02 after halftime, the junior outscored Marquette, 7-2, and a pair of made free-throws jumped The Hall's lead to 33-22. The Golden Eagles, however, responded with a 7-0 run to cut the Pirate lead to just four points with 14:34 left to play.
A three-pointer by Rhoden put The Hall up 41-32, but the Golden Eagles methodically chipped away and were able to cut the Pirates' lead to just three, 47-44, with only 2:59 left to play. Then it was Reynolds Jr. making impact plays, hitting a midrange jumper to answer Marquette's rally and put the Pirates back up six. Then with Marquette having a chance to cut the deficit to one possession, Rhoden made a huge steal to quell the Golden Eagles.
A dunk off the rebound by Marquette's Theo John brought the Golden Eagles to within two points, 49-47, with only 49 seconds left, but the Pirates were able to ice the game on the free-throw line as Reynolds Jr., Rhoden and senior Myles Cale (Middletown, Del.) combined to go 8-for-8 following the dunk.
Inside the Numbers:Wins come in all sorts of forms, but no matter what happens in the game or how they occur, the result is always the same:
— Seton Hall Men's Basketball (@SetonHallMBB) February 15, 2021
𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒂 𝒘𝒊𝒏. 👊#HALLin 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/oOto63U49G
- Seton Hall was 20-for-54 (37.0%) from the floor for the game, while Marquette was 18-for-60 (30.0%). The Hall was 4-for-15 (26.7%) from three-point range, while the Golden Eagles were just 3-for-25 (12.0%).
- Rebounding was even with each team pulling down 40 boards. Marquette had an edge on the offensive glass, 12-to-7.
- Seton Hall was 13-for-17 (76.5%) from the free-throw line, while the Golden Eagles were 12-for-15 (80.0%).
- Seton Hall forced 14 turnovers, while Marquette forced 15. The Golden Eagles had a 15-to-9 edge in points off turnovers.
- Rhoden finished with a game-high 20 points to go with seven rebounds, four assists and two steals.
- Mamukelashvili had a double-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds and three assists.
- Reynolds, Jr. had 10 points, three rebounds and three assists.
- The victory improves Seton Hall to 12-8 overall and 9-5 in the BIG EAST, while Marquette falls to 9-12 overall and 5-10 in conference play.
- It's the sixth straight season that Seton Hall has reached at least nine victories in BIG EAST play.
- Seton Hall improves to 13-19 all-time against Marquette and has now won five of its last six games in the series at Prudential Center. It's also only the third time in program history that The Hall has swept the Golden Eagles in the season series.
- Seton Hall has now defeated Marquette six straight times – it's only the third time the Pirates have ever defeated a BIG EAST opponent in six straight.
- 8 straight wins over Villanova between Feb. 27, 1988 and March 9, 1991
- 8 straight wins over Miami between Jan. 7, 1992 and Jan. 2, 1995
- 6 straight wins over DePaul between Jan. 2, 2016 and Feb. 18, 2018
- 6 straight wins over Marquette between March 6, 2019 and today
- This is the first BIG EAST win for Seton Hall when only scoring in the 50s since a 55-47 win over USF on Jan. 23, 2013.
- This is the first time Seton Hall has started the month of February with three straight BIG EAST wins since 2009. Including this season, the Pirates are now 25-15 in the month of February over the last five seasons.
- Seton Hall is now 143-66 (.684) all-time at Prudential Center. They're 36-17 (.679) against BIG EAST competition in the building since the 2015-16 season.
- Rhoden reached 20 points for the fourth time this season. He's now scored in double-figures 18 times this year and 33 times in his career.
- Mamukelashvili's double-double is his third of the season and the 10th of his career. He has now scored in double-figures in 10 straight games, 18 times this season total and 49 times in his career.
- Mamukelashvili moved up to 46th all-time in Seton Hall scoring history. He now has 979 career points.
For Valentine's Day, we'll give you our ninth BIG EAST win of the season ♥😊#HALLin 🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/KDhbPB2s0E
— Seton Hall Men's Basketball (@SetonHallMBB) February 14, 2021
Up Next:
Seton Hall will return to action on Wednesday, February 17 when it hosts DePaul. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m., Eastern. The game will be televised on FS1. Gary Cohen and Dave Popkin will handle radio duties on WMCA 570 AM, simulcast on XM 384, the Pirate Sports Network and TuneIn.
