Where does Seton Hall athletics go from here?
This question could be asked in response to so many different scenarios that have come up within the last week.
When St. Anthony's senior point guard Kyle Anderson chose UCLA over the Hall on Monday night, what once was a promising 2012 recruiting class turned into nothing.
Kevin Willard and the men's basketball coaching staff went all-in on the final hand of their version of the 2011 World Series of Poker with pocket aces and lost to UCLA who caught a straight on the river.
The timing of Pittsburgh and Syracuse's decision to leave the Big East could not have come at a worse time for Seton Hall.
At one point this year, Big East basketball was the talk of country. The conference sent a record 11 teams to the NCAA Tournament, including Pittsburgh and Syracuse, as well as the national champion Connecticut.
Though many close to Anderson's camp will say the current turmoil within the Big East had nothing to do with his decision to play for UCLA, you cannot help but imagine what could have been for Willard and the Pirates.
Why would any five star recruit want to play in a conference where two of the top tiered schools will be leaving halfway through their college career?
At this moment in time, the Pac-12 is the more stable and a smarter conference to play in. There is no chance that the Pac-12 will lose teams to another conference anytime soon.
On top of that, UCLA head coach Ben Howland has coached current NBA point guards Jordan Farmar and Darren Collison.
I'm sure that for a very long time Seton Hall was the favorite to land this once-in-a-lifetime recruit, but Seton Hall fans should not be discouraged. Even though Anderson chose another school, he put Seton Hall basketball back on the map.
The hard work and dedication that Willard showed during his pursuit of Anderson should give Seton Hall fans a glimmer of hope for the future of Seton Hall basketball.
The Pirates might have lost their chance at the bracelet this year, but rest assured the Pirates will be back at the main event's final table and win with their next hand of pocket aces.
Tim LeCras can be reached at timothy.lecras@student.shu.edu.
