BIG EAST TEAM PREVIEW #7 SETON HALL PIRATES

The Shaheen Holloway era looked like it had gotten off to a great start after his first two seasons after taking over. In Holloway's first year at the helm, Seton Hall finished 17-16. They would then have an 8-win increase the following year, going 25-12 and winning the NIT title game. Last season, everything went downhill for the program. They went 7-25 and finished dead last in the conference with a 2-18 record in Big East play.

Projected Lineup:

G Adam 'Budd' Clark (Merrimack transfer)

G TJ Simpkins (Elon transfer)

G A.J. Staton-McCray (Miami transfer)

F Elijah Fisher (Pacific transfer)

C Godswill Erheriene

Seton Hall will be relying on four veteran transfers to turn the program around this season. Budd Clark is the guy that Seton Hall fans should have the most excitement about. Clark was one of the best mid-major guards in the country last season, doing everything for Merrimack. He averaged 19.8 points, 4.5 boards, and 6 assists while earning first-team all-conference honors in the NEC. Elon transfer TJ Simpkins will play alongside him in the backcourt. He was also a very good guard at the mid-major level, averaging 14.6 points and 3.8 rebounds, although he only shot 26.3% from three-point range last year. A.J. Staton-McCray is their only transfer who comes from a power conference program. He started at the three for a very bad Miami team last season, averaging 7.3 points and 2.4 rebounds.

In the frontcourt, Seton Hall returns Godswill Erheriene. He was a Top-150 recruit in the 2024 class, but struggled in his first season at the Big East level. He started 23 of his 32 games, and averaged 2.8 points and 2.9 rebounds on 56.2% shooting. A breakout season from him next year would be huge for Shaheen Holloway's team. Seton Hall has just one player in their freshman recruiting class, and it's a guy who should contribute right away. 6-foot-10 center Najai Hines was the #72 prospect in the 2025 class by 247 Sports, and the 8th player at the center position. Hines may take over the starting center spot at some point next year if Erheriene can't improve on last season's performance. Seton Hall also added Pacific transfer Elijah Fisher, who should start at the four next season. Fisher is slightly undersized at 6-foot-6, but that wasn't an issue for him last year playing in the West Coast Conference. Fisher averaged 15.7 points and 4.8 rebounds last year.

I'm expecting more than two conference wins next year for Seton Hall, but I don't think they did enough to become an NCAA tournament-level team. Budd Clark will be really good, and I think he could even make an all-conference team. I also think Elijah Fisher is a pretty good player. It's just not that deep of a roster, and I don't really see how they have that great of an offense next year.

Prediction: 11th in Big East