Seton Hall basketball: 2024-25 Big East schedule announced

Posted by Admin September 12, 2024 Basketball

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The Big East basketball schedule is finalized, and it contains some good news and bad news for Seton Hall.

Below is the Pirates’ slate, followed by three takeaways (all home games are at Prudential Center). Tip times and TV designations will be announced later.

Tuesday, Dec. 17: at Villanova (Finneran Pavilion)

Sunday, Dec. 22: vs. Georgetown

Tuesday, Dec. 31: at Xavier

Wednesday. Jan. 8: vs. DePaul

Saturday, Jan. 11: at Providence

Wednesday, Jan. 15: at Butler

Saturday, Jan. 18: vs. St. John’s

Tuesday, Jan. 21: vs. Marquette

Saturday, Jan. 25: at Creighton

Tuesday, Jan. 28: vs. Providence

Sunday. Feb. 2: at DePaul

Wednesday. Feb. 5: vs. Butler

Saturday, Feb. 8: at Georgetown

Saturday, Feb. 15: vs. UConn

Tuesday. Feb. 18: at Marquette

Sunday, Feb. 23: vs. Xavier

Wednesday, Feb. 26: vs. Villanova

Saturday, March 1: at St. John’s (Carnesecca Arena)

Tuesday, March 4: vs. Creighton

Saturday, March 8: at UConn (site TBD)

THREE TAKEAWAYS

1. A negative Big East pattern

Once again, Seton Hall has to play four of its first six league games on the road. This is a pattern: That’s been the case in five of the last six full seasons (we’re discounting the Covid-truncated 2020-21 slate) and seven of 11 since the Big East was reconfigured. Three other years, the split was 3-3. Only once have the Pirates enjoyed four home games and two road games out of the gate, and that was back in 2014-15.

Disney on Ice is a typical culprit; this year’s show runs from Jan. 2-5 at the Prudential Center.

Whatever the reason, it’s not equitable. Here’s the rundown of splits over the first six league games dating back to 2013:

2024-25: 4 road, 2 home

2023-24: 4 road, 2 home

2022-23: 3 road, 3 home

2021-22: 4 road, 2 home

2020-21: Covid season, truncated schedule

2019-20: 4 road, 2 home

2018-19: 4 road, 2 home

2017-18: 3 road, 3 home

2016-17: 4 road, 2 home

2015-16: 3 road, 3 home

2014-15: 4 home, 2 road

2013-14: 4 road, 2 home

2. A break for students?

Last season, as the Pirates made an NCAA Tournament push, student-fan turnout was shockingly low (in fairness, students who did show up made their presence felt). The low turnout was blamed on the proliferation of once-weekly Wednesday night classes on campus. There were five Wednesday Big East home games during the 2024 spring semester. In 2025, there are just two (Butler on Feb. 5 and Villanova on Feb. 26), with three home games on Tuesdays during the semester.

In addition, the Pirates’ two biggest home games take place on Saturdays while school is in session – St. John’s Jan. 18 for Kadary Richmond’s return, and defending national champ UConn Feb. 15 (notably, those are their only two Saturday Big East contests at home, compared to four last year).

With the Wednesday conflict minimized, there no reason the student section shouldn’t be packed if the Hall is in the hunt again.

3. A tough closing stretch

On paper, the schedule’s difficulty picks up over the final seven games, after the Hall’s second bye. The final week is by far the hardest – at St. John’s, Creighton at home, then at UConn from March 1-8. But Shaheen Holloway’s squads tend to improve as the season goes on, and especially with so many new players in key roles, this should be when the Pirates are peaking.

Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. He is an Associated Press Top 25 voter. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.