Despite trailing for over 34 minutes, and leading for just two and a half minutes, Seton Hall men’s basketball pulled off a thrilling 16-point comeback win over Creighton in Newark on Wednesday afternoon.
Freshman phenom Najai Hines came through for the Pirates (13-2, 3-1 BIG EAST) when it mattered most, scoring a go-ahead, putback layup plus the foul, then converting the free throw to give SHU a one-point lead with just one second remaining. The three-point play ultimately sealed the comeback win for the Pirates and sent the crowd at the Prudential Center into a frenzy.
After a missed shot in the final seconds by junior guard Adam “Budd” Clark, Hines stayed active under the basket, grabbed the offensive rebound, and finished through contact. When asked what he would take away from hitting the game-winning and-one, Hines smirked and kept his answer short and sweet: “The win.”
Long before Hines’ game-winning putback, the game began with both teams struggling to score. Poor shooting defined the first half, as neither side found a rhythm on offense. The Bluejays (9-6, 3-1 BIG EAST) built a lead, but points were hard to come by for both teams, as the Pirates trailed 27-18 at halftime.
The second half brought a major shift in the game. After going down by as much as 16 points, SHU increased their defensive pressure and rolled out a full-court press that completely changed the flow of the game. The Pirates forced several turnovers, which led to quick baskets and easy points in the paint. The defensive energy helped The Hall slowly cut into the deficit and rally late, as they got within two points of Creighton several times in the final minutes of the game before finally taking the lead with Hines’ last-second putback.
After the win, head coach Shaheen Holloway praised his team’s toughness and guard play.
“This team doesn’t give up,” Holloway said. “When you have good guard play, good things happen.”
As for how his team managed to pull off such a comeback, Holloway also pointed to better ball movement and unselfish play from the Pirates after halftime.
“In the first half, there were a lot of ‘me’ shots,” Holloway said. “In the second half, we took more Seton Hall shots. We played together and picked up our intensity.”
This is reflected in the stat sheet, which showed a true team effort. Only one Pirate—senior guard Elijah Fisher—scored double figures, as contributions came from across the lineup. Multiple players stepped up with timely plays on both ends of the floor as well.
Holloway also made a significant late-game decision, closing the game with senior forward Josh Rivera and sophomore guard Trey Parker on the floor together rather than his starters in those positions. . When asked about playing Parker alongside Clark late in the game, Holloway highlighted Clark’s experience.
“Budd is a veteran,” Holloway said. “He takes some of the pressure off Parker, handling the ball and creating opportunities for everyone on the floor.”
With the win, Seton Hall improves to 13–2 overall and 3–1 in BIG EAST play. The Pirates will look to carry this momentum into their next matchup on Jan. 10, when they travel to the nation’s capital to face the Georgetown Hoyas (9-5, 1-2 BIG EAST).
Jaden Highsmith is the assistant editor of The Setonian’s Sports section. He can be reached at jaden.highsmith@student.shu.edu.
