Newark, N.J. — Isaiah Coleman’s standout performance wasn’t enough to lift Seton Hall men’s basketball past Monmouth, as the Pirates suffered a 63-51 defeat at the Prudential Center. It marked Seton Hall’s first game at home in nearly a month.
Coleman matched his career-high with 20 points, shooting 8-of-13 from the hardwood and 3-of-7 from downtown. Garwey Dual also shined defensively, recording a career-best five steals. However, the Pirates (4-4) struggled offensively, shooting just 35.8% from the field. Meanwhile, the Hawks (1-8) had one of their most efficient outings from three-point range, hitting 10-of-21 attempts (47.6%).
“I’m different, man, I’m not giving us an excuse,” Seton Hall Holloway said when asked about Addae-Wusu’s absence. “Monmouth beat us. Does Dylan not being there hurt us? Yeah of course. He’s one of our leaders, one of the guys I trust out there. But they just outplayed us, and that’s sad and that’s on me. As the coach, that’s on me.”
Game Recap:
Returning to “The Rock” for the first time since their season opener on November 4, the Pirates started strong defensively. They limited Monmouth to just 2-of-7 shooting in the first five and a half minutes, taking an early 7-6 lead. A highlight came when Isaiah Coleman completed an and-one jumper, extending Seton Hall’s advantage to 12-8 with 12:12 left in the half.
Monmouth responded with a decisive 18-6 run fueled by Abdi Bashir Jr., who poured in 11 points during the stretch. The surge gave the Hawks a 26-18 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the first half. The Pirates fought back, regaining a slim 27-26 edge after Garwey Dual converted his second steal into a layup late in the half. However, Bashir’s fourth three-pointer of the period put Monmouth back on top, 29-27, heading into the break.
“We didn’t look like us today,” Holloway said. “We didn’t build on what we did the two games in Charleston and come in here and have that killer instinct to start off a three-game homestand. Monmouth was the hungrier team, which sucks, I can’t believe I’m saying that. King did a good job of having them ready.”
The second half opened with a quick basket by Chaunce Jenkins to tie the contest, but Monmouth regained control with their scorching shooting, hitting 4-of-5 shots to build a 39-29 lead with 17:25 to play on the clock. Coleman spearheaded a Hall comeback attempt, teaming up with David Tubek to spark a 9-3 run that trimmed the deficit to 42-38.
Despite the Pirates closing the gap, Monmouth’s defense proved too dominate down the stretch. The Hawks held Seton Hall to just four points over an eight-minute span while extending their lead to 57-42 with under five minutes remaining. Coleman and Jenkins tried to rally the Pirates, but the team couldn’t close the gap, ultimately falling by 12 points.
“Got to get more from everybody, not just the point guard spot,” Holloway said. “Today was a very bad game for us. It sucks because we’re home. You want to build on what you did last week in Charleston, and I thought today was a total letdown.”
Key Takeaways:
- This game marked the 16th meeting between the two teams, with Seton Hall now holding a 15-1 all-time record against Monmouth.
- The Pirates tallied 17 bench points compared to Monmouth’s five.
- Seton Hall outscored Monmouth in the paint 22-16 and recorded 10 steals to the Hawks’ six.
- Isaiah Coleman tied his career-high with 20 points, while Chaunce Jenkins scored 12 points, marking his 56th career game in double figures.
- Garwey Dual set a personal best with five steals.
Next Game:
Seton Hall will look to bounce back when they host NJIT at the Prudential Center on Wednesday, December 4, at 8:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on CBSSN.
