Retooled Seton Hall hoping to surprise Big East after disastrous season

The good news for Seton Hall is there is nowhere to go but up.

Coming off a seven-win season, the Pirates’ fewest victories since 1981-82, there is bound to be progress.

The question is how big a leap can they make.

Expectations on the outside are still low. Seton Hall was picked to finish last in the Big East by the conference’s coaches and didn’t have a single player selected to the three all-league teams.

Seton Hall coach Shaheen Holloway remade the roster, bringing in 10 transfers. There is talent, namely at point guard with newcomer Adam “Budd” Clark of Merrimack, an All-MAAC first team selection a year ago who averaged 19.8 points and six assists.

“What Budd brings to the team is that he’s a winner,” Holloway said of the 5-foot-10 Clark during Seton Hall media day. “He’s a Philly kid. He’s tough, he plays my style of basketball. He’s fearless. He’s got a chip on his shoulder bigger than anybody I know, and he’s got something to prove, and that’s why I love the qualities that he [has]. He scored a lot last year, but I don’t think people understand how good of a playmaker he is.”

High-scoring Pacific wing Elijah Fisher, and guards Trey Parker (N.C. State), Mike Williams (LSU) and AJ Staton-McCray (Miami) are intriguing additions. Top-75 freshman forward Najai Hines was a major late coup. He could form a solid inside pairing with returning sophomore big man Godswill Erheriene.

The year before he came to Seton Hall, Holloway led Saint Peter’s to the Elite Eight, emerging as a big March star. In his second season, Seton Hall was an NCAA Tournament snub and won the NIT. But after losing stars Kadary Richmond and Dre Davis to the transfer portal, the program took a massive step back. The hope is the Pirates are primed to be a surprise this winter after a program-worst 25 losses last year. In a soft bottom half of the Big East, Seton Hall could be better than expected.

“This team is going to be a joy to watch. We’re different, we’re fast, we’re quicker, we’re athletic, we’re deep,” Holloway said. “I think when you bring all those things together, now it’s time for me to do my job as a coach and put it all together.”

“I’m super transparent, and I wear my heart on my sleeve,” he added. “That’s just the way I am. So if I didn’t think that we were going to be good [this season], I’d tell you guys. As long as we stay healthy, and everyone keeps buying in, I think we have a chance to be really great.”