Seton Hall opens season with rare Top 25 ranking (Nov 10, 2017)
NEWARK, N.J. -- When Seton Hall opens the season against in-state rival Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday at the Prudential Center, it will do so with its highest preseason ranking in 17 years.
The No. 23 Pirates began the 2000-01 season at No. 10 but finished a disappointing 16-15.
This season should have a different ending.
Led by guards Khadeen Carrington and Desi Rodriguez and center Angel Delgado, the only active trio of 1,000-point scorers in the country, Seton Hall is picked to finish second in the Big East behind Villanova.
The early portion of the schedule is favorable for coach Kevin Willard's team. The Pirates play six of their first 10 games at home. Including the Fairleigh Dickinson game, four of those are against New Jersey-based schools that Seton Hall has dominated.
A candidate for National Player of the Year, Delgado enters the season as the NCAA's active career leader in rebounds (1,053) and double-doubles (50). He led the country in rebounds last season, averaging 13.1, and is just 88 conference rebounds shy of becoming the Big East's career leader.
In 2016-17, he grabbed 200 more rebounds than anyone else in the Big East, setting the conference single-season rebounding record (14.1 per game) and becoming the first Big East player with 20 rebounds or more in back-to-back conference games.
"I think this team has a real opportunity to go to a Final Four," Delgado said. "I think this year is going to be really special. I promised the guys I would get them a ring."
Delgado's decision to return for his senior year rather than enter the NBA Draft could mean a deep run in the NCAA Tournament for the Pirates.
"From the time (Delgado) said he was coming back, there's been a buzz around the whole program," Willard said.
Carrington, who has moved over to point guard after the graduation of Madison Jones, averaged 17.1 points last season playing off the ball.
Willard has faith in Carrington's ability to run the show based on what he has seen in the preseason.
"We're a much better offensive team than we were last year because of (Carrington) in that spot," Willard said. "We now have a scoring threat at all five positions. I have tremendous confidence in him. It's his turn to run the program. It's his turn to run the show."
Seton Hall holds an 18-4 advantage over Fairleigh Dickinson, having won 12 of the past 14 meetings.
The Knights will look to senior guard Darian Anderson for the bulk of their scoring. Anderson, a preseason All-Northeast Conference pick and two-time All-NEC second-team honoree, finished third in the conference last season in scoring at 17.0 points per game. He is the NEC's leading active scorer with 1,326 career points.
"I just want Darian (Anderson) to be extremely aggressive but selective when everyone's going to be guarding him," Knights coach Greg Herenda said.
Center Mike Holloway, one of the NEC's top interior players, averaged 11.4 points on 56.6 percent shooting from the floor while grabbing a team-best 6.3 rebounds per game a year ago. His matchup with Delgado in the low post should be an intriguing one.
"I just like to look at these games as opportunities," Holloway said, downplaying the matchup. "These guys I am competing against are the best in the nation at what they do, and to compete against them, I am able to prove myself and take advantage of every moment."
