The last time expectations were this low for Seton Hall, it had just graduated the senior quartet of Angel Delgado, Desi Rodriguez, Ismael Sanogo and Khadeen Carrington.
It was picked to finish eighth in the Big East.
The NIT was the expectation.
That team, however, played beyond those expectations, reaching the NCAA Tournament.
Several unexpected contributors helped lift up Seton Hall, but none more so than Myles Powell.
He was the star few outside of the New Jersey program saw coming.
Which brings us to this year’s team, and Kadary Richmond.
The Pirates were picked ninth in the Big East, and Richmond wasn’t selected for any of the all-league teams.
“As a player, you should be fired up about that,” second-year coach Shaheen Holloway said at the league’s media day.
The 6-foot-6 senior guard clearly has the upside to be one of the best players in the Big East and become this team’s Powell.
If he can raise his game, maybe Seton Hall can be the surprise of the league.
Last year, Marquette was picked ninth and won the conference regular-season and postseason titles.
“I hope people count us out. Like I said, I’m not a big talker when it comes to that. I’m a big doer,” Holloway said. “My guys, they got a big chip on their shoulders. These guys know what’s at stake.”
Why Seton Hall will make the NCAA Tournament
Richmond realizes his untapped potential, emerging as one of the premier guards in the Big East.
A healthy Dre Davis is a significant addition as a shotmaker on the wing who is a tough cover for most power forwards, and Al-Amir Dawes and St. John’s transfer Dylan Addae-Wusu combine with Richmond to form a dynamic three-guard attack.
Holloway gets more out of less after learning the Big East in his first year as a head coach in the conference last season, and has a hungry team that plays to its identity as an overlooked, doubted group of overachievers.
Why Seton Hall will miss the NCAA Tournament
The worries over depth, the thin frontcourt and lack of high-end talent is warranted.
Seton Hall needs everything to go right, and that so rarely happens.
The Pirates become too reliant on Richmond and Dawes, and are too perimeter-oriented on the offensive end.
They will be a quality defensive team — Addae-Wusu and a healthy Davis really help on that end of the floor — but their shortcomings inside and on offense in general lead to several frustrating, narrow defeats.
Three Key Questions
What is the plan in the paint?
Seton Hall lost its top big man last year, Tyrese Samuel, and didn’t really adequately replace him.
The plan is to use transfers Jaden Bediako (Santa Clara) and Elijah Hutchins-Everett (Austin Peay) as a two-headed tandem at center.
But there are questions about that duo in the Big East, where they will have to deal with the likes of Donovan Clingan (Connecticut), Joel Soriano (St. John’s), Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton), Eric Dixon (Villanova) and Oso Ighodaro (Marquette).
Can the bench produce?
Made up almost predominantly of young players who have yet to prove themselves, it is filled with question marks.
There is sophomore Jaquan Sanders, Boise State transfer Sadraque NgaNga, one of the two centers, and little else in the way of experience.
The bench produced just a single point in the exhibition victory over NJIT.
Is Davis ready to bust out?
The Louisville transfer produced career-highs in scoring (9.6), rebounds (3.3), field-goal percentage (51.7) and 3-point percentage (40.9) a season ago.
The problem: He only appeared in 23 games and logged just 18.7 minutes a game due to injury.
Now healthy, Davis is a breakout candidate given his ability to score inside and out and the comfort level he showed in Holloway’s offense last season.
X factor
Kadary Richmond
It’s never been a question of talent with Richmond, who averaged 10.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.0 steals last year.
He’s shown glimpses his entire career of his immense ability.
It’s been consistency that has held him back.
For every impressive performance, there was an impactless one.
That can’t happen this year, not if Seton Hall wants to outperform projections.
Richmond can be a top-five player in the Big East.
The potential is there.
Now he has to turn that upside into results.
Games to watch
vs. USC (Nov. 23, in San Diego)
The first of 10 games against preseason top-25 teams will take place in the Rady Children’s Invitational.
The Trojans are loaded, led by dynamic senior scorer Boogie Ellis and blue-chip freshman guard Isaiah Collier, the second-ranked prospect in the entire country.
USC’s stacked roster also includes Bronny James, the son of LeBron James, although his status going into the season is uncertain after suffering cardiac arrest in July.
vs. Rutgers (Dec. 9)
Rutgers will have the best player on the floor in star center Cliff Omoruyi, but Seton Hall has the significantly better backcourt and the experience edge.
In a season in which both programs are projected NIT teams, a victory could serve as a springboard for the winner.
vs. St. John’s (Jan. 16)
This isn’t the St. John’s of the last eight years.
Seton Hall has owned its Big East rival over that span, beating the Johnnies 10 of 13.
Rick Pitino is coaching St. John’s now, and has overhauled the roster to the point that the league’s coaches believe it is a top-five team in the conference.
Anonymous coach’s take
“Kadary Richmond, when he plays to his capability and he’s clicking, he’s one of the best players in the Big East. I think he’s going to put it all together now that he’s a senior. As he goes, they’ll go. Their centers just need to be solid, they need to defend, they need to rebound, they have to be physical.
“They’re going to get all of their scoring from their four perimeter players [Richmond, Dawes, Addae-Wusu and Davis]. I think they can be an NCAA Tournament team.”
Prediction
16-15, eighth place in Big East, NIT
In a weaker Big East, maybe Seton Hall could find a way to finish in the top half of the conference and do just enough to sneak into the NCAA Tournament.
Not in this version of the league, which is arguably the best in the country one-through-seven.
There are too many question marks on this roster, particularly in the unproven frontcourt and iffy-at-best bench.
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