Seton Hall coach Shaheen Holloway cuts down net after winning NIT
Seton Hall basketball coach Shaheen Holloway cuts down the net after winning the NIT
The Big East basketball schedule is finalized, and it contains some good news and bad news for Seton Hall.
Below is the Pirates’ slate, followed by three takeaways (all home games are at Prudential Center). Tip times and TV designations will be announced later.
Tuesday, Dec. 17: at Villanova (Finneran Pavilion)
Sunday, Dec. 22: vs. Georgetown
Tuesday, Dec. 31: at Xavier
Wednesday. Jan. 8: vs. DePaul
Saturday, Jan. 11: at Providence
Wednesday, Jan. 15: at Butler
Saturday, Jan. 18: vs. St. John’s
Tuesday, Jan. 21: vs. Marquette
Saturday, Jan. 25: at Creighton
Tuesday, Jan. 28: vs. Providence
Sunday. Feb. 2: at DePaul
Wednesday. Feb. 5: vs. Butler
Saturday, Feb. 8: at Georgetown
Saturday, Feb. 15: vs. UConn
Tuesday. Feb. 18: at Marquette
Sunday, Feb. 23: vs. Xavier
Wednesday, Feb. 26: vs. Villanova
Saturday, March 1: at St. John’s (Carnesecca Arena)
Tuesday, March 4: vs. Creighton
Saturday, March 8: at UConn (site TBD)
THREE TAKEAWAYS
1. A negative Big East pattern
Once again, Seton Hall has to play four of its first six league games on the road. This is a pattern: That’s been the case in five of the last six full seasons (we’re discounting the Covid-truncated 2020-21 slate) and seven of 11 since the Big East was reconfigured. Three other years, the split was 3-3. Only once have the Pirates enjoyed four home games and two road games out of the gate, and that was back in 2014-15.
Disney on Ice is a typical culprit; this year’s show runs from Jan. 2-5 at the Prudential Center.
Whatever the reason, it’s not equitable. Here’s the rundown of splits over the first six league games dating back to 2013:
2024-25: 4 road, 2 home
2023-24: 4 road, 2 home
2022-23: 3 road, 3 home
2021-22: 4 road, 2 home
2020-21: Covid season, truncated schedule
2019-20: 4 road, 2 home
2018-19: 4 road, 2 home
2017-18: 3 road, 3 home
2016-17: 4 road, 2 home
2015-16: 3 road, 3 home
2014-15: 4 home, 2 road
2013-14: 4 road, 2 home
2. A break for students?
Last season, as the Pirates made an NCAA Tournament push, student-fan turnout was shockingly low (in fairness, students who did show up made their presence felt). The low turnout was blamed on the proliferation of once-weekly Wednesday night classes on campus. There were five Wednesday Big East home games during the 2024 spring semester. In 2025, there are just two (Butler on Feb. 5 and Villanova on Feb. 26), with three home games on Tuesdays during the semester.
In addition, the Pirates’ two biggest home games take place on Saturdays while school is in session – St. John’s Jan. 18 for Kadary Richmond’s return, and defending national champ UConn Feb. 15 (notably, those are their only two Saturday Big East contests at home, compared to four last year).
With the Wednesday conflict minimized, there no reason the student section shouldn’t be packed if the Hall is in the hunt again.
3. A tough closing stretch
On paper, the schedule’s difficulty picks up over the final seven games, after the Hall’s second bye. The final week is by far the hardest – at St. John’s, Creighton at home, then at UConn from March 1-8. But Shaheen Holloway’s squads tend to improve as the season goes on, and especially with so many new players in key roles, this should be when the Pirates are peaking.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. He is an Associated Press Top 25 voter. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
