WATCH: KC Ndefo hits wild last-second shot to send Seton Hall to upset victory over UConn
The Big East race got even more interesting Wednesday night when Seton Hall knocked off No. 15 UConn in dramatic fashion. The victory helped the Pirates jump the Huskies in the standings.
KC Ndefo got the rebound off a missed three-pointer from Femi Odukale as time ticked away. He put it back up and got it to go, even drawing a foul, to put Seton Hall up 66-65. He missed the free throw, but Tyrese Samuel got the offensive rebound to seal the victory and cap off a 15-point comeback.
For UConn, it marked the Huskies’ fourth loss in conference action, while Seton Hall improved to 5-4 in league play.
Ndefo is in his first season with Seton Hall, joining coach Shaheen Holloway as they left Saint Peter’s following last year’s Cinderella run in the NCAA Tournament. He had 14 points for the Pirates, second on the team only to Kadary Richmond, who had 18. This season, Ndefo is averaging 7.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game for the Pirates, who are now 12-8 overall.
UConn went through the game without head coach Dan Hurley, who — along with associate head coach Kimani Young — entered health and safety protocol Wednesday after testing positive for COVID-19. Assistant coaches Tom Moore and Luke Murray split the head coaching duties for Wednesday’s matchup. Adama Sonogo had a team-high 16 points for the Huskies while Andre Jackson added five points and 10 rebounds.
Xavier remains in the lead in the Big East standings with a 7-0 record in league play, followed closely by Providence at 6-1. Seton Hall currently sits in fifth place after Wednesday’s win while UConn is a game behind in sixth place. The Pirates now turn their attention to another top-25 matchup against No. 20 Marquette. That game tips off Saturday at 4 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.