Seton Hall senior guard Khadeen Carrington (Image Credit: The Associated Press)
Seton Hall continued their strong start to the season with statement win over VCU. The opening game of the 2017 Never Forget Tribute Classic was a forgettable one for VCU. On a snowy Saturday, here are my three takeaways from press row at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey:
Seton Hall Has Winning Formula
This team is built to win in the postseason and win big. Seton Hall is a senior-heavy team that’s full of experience. They’ve been through the growing pains together and that’ll only help them when it’s time to make a push for the NCAA tournament.
But, it’s more than just that. The Pirates, with Angel Delgado, present an inside-out offense that’s giving their opponents fits.
Delgado is a walking double-double, when he’s not eating up rebounds he’s scoring baskets in the post. If teams want to double-down on Delgado, he’s kicking it out to the guards for a better shot.
Seniors Desi Rodriguez, Khadeen Carrington, and sophomore Myles Powell are all benefitting from having Delgado in the post. If the Pirates are not going to their big man, then their spreading opponents out with a strong perimeter attack.
It’s pick your poison with an experienced, battle-tested team. The Pirates are tough in the paint but they can also run opponents out of the building. When you add the fact they’re well-coached under Kevin Willard, their time is now.
Khadeen Carrington At The Point Is Working
Carrington can put the ball in the basket, however it was his ability to run the point against VCU’s trademark press defense which opened eyes. It’s worth keeping an eye on as Willard spoke after the game about putting an emphasis on how the Pirates are getting into their offensive sets.
“We experimented with four different press offenses during the week,” Willard said. “We started off having Desi take it out, then it just wasn’t natural. After watching them on film, I decided to just do what we do. I thought Khadeen and Eron (Gordon) did a great job.”
A Long Week For VCU
Emotionally drained. That’s the first thing I thought of while watching VCU fall to Seton Hall. The Rams looked exhausted.
After the week they’ve had, who can blame them?
In their previous game, VCU lost a close game at home to Texas. It was also the return of Texas head coach Shaka Smart to the campus where he coached for six seasons. The scene was an emotional one for Smart, the fans, and the players Smart recruited and coached.
VCU, under new head coach Mike Rhoades may take some time to come together. Against Seton Hall, there were too many offensive droughts by the Rams. They shot 33 percent from the field in the first half, their lowest performance this season. By the time leading scorer Justin Tillman and the offense got going, in the second half, the Pirates were already in their groove.
This game was looked at by some as a chance for VCU to get a quality non-conference win on their schedule, but they were outgunned and looked fatigued.
