Seton Hall Athletics
Between now and the end of the year, the men’s basketball team will likely suffer a few losses. But at the moment, the team is free of any blemishes, riding an untouched 5-0 record heading into a battle with Mount St. Mary’s on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
According to Jerry Carino of the Asbury Park Press, the team is also garnering some national recognition. After outlasting a strong George Washington team at home on Saturday by a 58-54 final, the Pirates received five votes for the AP Top 25, per Carino.
Point guard Sterling Gibbs, averaging 19.8 points on 51.9 percent shooting this season, was also named as the Big East Player of the Week. He’s riding a school-record streak of 19 consecutive free throws, 13 of which came during a 40-point explosion as the Pirates beat out Illinois State for the Paradise Jam championship in St. Thomas.
Isaiah Whitehead had the best game of his young career against George Washington. The freshman racked up 15 points, six rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals in 34 minutes. He’ll look to continue to break out on Tuesday when the Pirates host Mount St. Mary’s.
Mount St. Mary’s does not appear to be too formidable of an opponent, but no one should be taken lightly, especially this early into the young season.
The Mount opened up the season at Arizona, falling 78-55 to the nation’s No. 2 team on Nov. 14. A Nov. 19 loss 53-41 to Maryland Eastern Shore, a 73-69 win at Bucknell and an 83-49 loss at Wake Forest on Friday, Nov. 26 sees Mount St. Mary’s open the season 1-3 with Seton Hall the third location on a five-game road trip that started at Bucknell.
No Mount St. Mary’s players are averaging double-digit scoring numbers. Seton Hall has three—Gibbs, Whitehead and senior Brandon Mobley, who has been a steadying source of offense early on.
Having played against a string of high quality opponents, the 1-3 team will be hungry for a win. Still, the Pirates are favored here.
Seton Hall will host the appropriately named Mountaineers tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at the Prudential Center.
Thomas Duffy can be reached at thomas.duffy@student.shu.edu or on twitter @TJDhoops.
