The Trapezoid of Terror in Piscataway, New Jersey is usually where opponents hopes go to die. The loud campus gym better known officially as Jersey Mike’s Arena or colloquially as its former name The RAC was the site of the latest installment of the rivalry between the biggest basketball programs in New Jersey Sunday evening, as the Seton Hall Pirates upset the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 45-43 in a rock fight of a game. The gym was packed to the gills with over 8,000 fans for an upset win by the Pirates in the Garden State Hardwood Classic featuring the two power programs in New Jersey.
The Pirates jumped out to an early 19-12 lead as both teams played smothering defense for the course of the game. The Scarlet Knights countered with a 14-3 run to end the first half with a 26-22 lead. A Jamir Harris 3-pointer at the 2:10 mark was the only Pirate scoring during that run. Rutgers came out in the second half and jumped out to their biggest lead at 30-23 when SHU coach Shaheen Holloway called time out to settle the game down with 16:42 left in the second half. A Femi four-minute jumper tied the game at 33, capping a four minute 7-0 run for the Pirates coming back from the brink. Al-Amir Dawes hit a 3 from the corner to put the Pirates up 38-37 with 8:15 left.
This rivalry has had numerous testy moments between individual players over the years which has provided the cherry of genuine hate on top of this rivalry for decades to the delight of all the fans watching. The 2022 installment introduced Femi Odukale and Cliff Omoruyi to the long list of characters out of the blue and red casting calls over the years. Both players had been frequently exchanging words and rough play for the course of the game, with tensions approaching the boiling point at the 4:31 mark of the second half. Both players got tied up going for a rebound, jawed at each other, and ignored referee directions to simmer down resulting in a double technical foul being called on both players to lower the temperature on that pot just before it boiled over. At the 2:18 mark with the Pirates leading 43-42 Kadary Richmond fouled Caleb McConnell of Rutgers to put McConnell at the line with a chance to give the Scarlet Knights the lead. McConnell made 1 of 2 to tie the score at 43.
A KC Ndefo layup put the Pirates up 45-43 with just under two minutes left to put the Pirates up for good. Rutgers had a few chances to counter but kept coming up short. Paul Mulcahy missed a jumper for the Knights but Omoruyi got the offensive rebound and fed Aundre Hyatt for another chance but he missed the layup and Ndefo got the rebound for the Pirates. KC appeared to fall out of bounds, but since he was bobbling the ball at the time and did not have full possession of the ball as he stepped on the baseline, the officials checked the video and confirmed the Pirates had a clean rebound and maintained possession.
The RAC packed full of apoplectic Rutgers fans that just watched their team fall to Ohio State a few days ago on a controversial buzzer beating 3 after replay showed Tanner Holden of the Buckeyes had stepped on the sideline just prior to hitting the game winning shot went nuclear at another perceived hose job from the officials. Dre Davis of the Pirates missed his final free throw intentionally to run off the last few fractions of a second and preserve the win for Seton Hall.
News and Notes:
- Seton Hall is now 6-2 since the rivalry was rebranded as the Garden State Hardwood Classic in 2014 with the winner gaining possession of the Hardwood Classic Trophy. This is the first time that Seton Hall has won at The RAC/Jersey Mike’s Arena since December 2016, otherwise the Home team has won every game since then before tonight. Seton Hall leads the series 42-31 overall since 1915.
- KC Ndefo of Seton Hall was named the Joe Calabrese MVP of the game with 9 points and 8 rebounds.
- Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said of the Pirates after the game “In the rivalry you’ve got to bring it. They brought it, and they deserved to win”
- The Pirates go to 6-4 on the season and return home to play Drexel at Prudential Center on Wednesday at 7pm on FS1 for their final non-conference game before Big East play starts on Saturday against Providence. Rutgers falls to 6-4 on the season and plays Wake Forest next at home on Saturday at 12pm.
For more information on the Seton Hall University Athletics Department fans are encouraged to click on the link seen here:
This is Our State – Seton Hall University Athletics – Official Athletics Website (shupirates.com)