No. 4 Seton Hall (20-11, 10-10)
Coach: Shaheen HollowayStar: Jr. G Adam “Budd” Clark (12.4 PPG, 4.7 APG)
The 5-foot-10 floor general is a defensive menace who makes Seton Hall go. He has a strong midrange game, and has adjusted well to the Big East level after starring at Merrimack. He can be one of the league’s premier guards next winter if he returns to Seton Hall.
X factor: Fr. F Najai Hines (6.5 PPG, 2.2 BPG)
The 6-foot-10 freshman is coming on, with two double-doubles in his last four games. He’s a load inside and could be a star as he develops further offensively — not just in this league, but in the entire sport.
12Pirates guard Adam Clark drives up the court during Seton Hall’s road loss to UConn at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.David Butler II-Imagn Images
Strength: Rim protection.
Nobody is better nationally at blocking shots. The Pirates reject a whopping 18.8 percent of their opponents’ attempts.
Weakness: Shooting.
Seton Hall is 331st out of 365 Division I teams in 3-point shooting at 30.5 percent.
Can win title if: Shots fall. It’s really that simple. Seton Hall pushed St. John’s and Connecticut in all four meetings. The Pirates rarely get blown out. They just don’t produce nearly enough on the offensive end to beat top teams.
BetMGM Odds: 18/1
