Newark, N.J. — Seton Hall stayed unbeaten with a strong second-half surge, defeating Monmouth 70–58 on Thursday night at the Prudential Center before a crowd of 6,179.
TJ Simpkins provided a major spark off the bench, posting 14 points and eight rebounds to lead the Pirates (4–0). Adam Clark delivered another steady performance, contributing 13 points, six assists, and four steals. A.J. Staton-McCray added 13 points as well, knocking down three three-pointers and going a perfect 4-for-4 at the foul line.
Monmouth (1–2) kept things competitive early behind Stefanos Spartalis, who paced the Hawks with 16 points and six rebounds. Jack Collins chipped in 13 points, while Jason Rivera-Torres nearly recorded a triple-threat line with 10 points, eight boards, and five assists.
The Pirates trailed 34–27 at halftime despite Staton-McCray’s nine early points, but they came out energized after the break. Seton Hall locked down defensively and erupted for an 11–0 run late in the second half, pushing the margin to 66–48 with just over three minutes to play. Clark’s 11 points in the final period helped seal the victory.
Seton Hall’s balanced scoring and strong rebounding effort proved too much for the Hawks as the Pirates remain perfect to start the season.
