NCAAB Game Preview - Seton Hall at Butler
Wed Jan 15, 2020 6:30 PM EST

IaSt
55
Baylor
68
F
Aub
64
Bama
83
F
Seton
78
Butl
70
F
UVA
50
FSU
54
F
KY
78
SouthCar
81
F
WichSt
53
Temp
65
F
Crei
80
GTown
83
F
Colg
67
Lafy
71
F
StFPA
100
FaDi
85
F
CenCT
55
SacHr
66
F
BC
50
Syr
76
F
Samf
63
ETSU
88
F
Tuls
65
ECU
49
F
Mia-FL
63
NCSU
80
F
GMas
67
GrgWas
73
F
Ford
56
Duques
58
F(OT)
Bry
67
(N/A)
71
F
Vermt
72
Bingha
53
F
Woff
59
Chat
72
F
LIU
69
StFNY
66
F
UMass
61
StBon
74
F
Ind
50
Rut
59
F
Albany
76
UNH
73
F(OT)
VMI
62
Mercer
73
F
UMassL
98
Maine
104
F(OT)
Navy
88
Leh
83
F
Evans
42
IndSt
65
F
Stony
65
Hartfo
68
F
Tenn
63
UGA
80
F
WCU
79
Furm
83
F
StPet
51
Fairf
61
F
UNCG
79
Citad
69
F
Buck
60
Amer
61
F
InWor
56
McNee
72
F
URI
71
StJos
61
F
Tex
76
OkSt
64
F
Xav
65
Marq
85
F
UND
66
SDSt
87
F
SDak
70
NDSU
72
F
SFA
77
CenAR
76
F
Brad
91
MOSt
78
F
TXAMC
56
SeLA
62
F
Valpa
78
NrthIA
88
F
NWSt
73
Nich
72
F
SHSU
80
Lamar
75
F(OT)
NOrl
106
HCU
98
F
ND
78
GaTec
74
F
Vand
55
Ark
75
F
StJon
58
Prov
63
F
SMU
62
Hou
71
F
UTSA
77
UTEP
80
F(OT)
NM
72
ColSt
105
F
Bois
78
AF
85
F
PSU
69
Minn
75
F
UCIrv
74
CS-Ful
61
F
Stan
74
UCLA
59
F
SJSU
87
UNLV
98
F
Army
HolyC
PPD
No. 18 Seton Hall visits No. 5 Butler in Big East battle for 1st
Wed Jan 15, 2020 12:18 PM

That No. 18 Seton Hall is playing for sole possession of first place in the Big East Conference on Wednesday night is no surprise. After all, the Pirates (12-4, 4-0) were picked to win the conference in preseason polls.

The identity of their second-place opponent? No, not Villanova, not Marquette, not even Creighton. It's No. 5 Butler, the same Butler that was predicted to finish eighth in a 10-team league.

Instead, the Bulldogs (15-1, 3-0) are the Big East's highest-ranked team, and deservedly so. They have returned to the roots that helped the program make its name 20 years ago and then flourish a decade ago under Brad Stevens when they played for back-to-back national championships.

Following a 70-58 win Friday night at Providence, Butler has limited opponents to 54.4 points per game and 36.8 percent field-goal shooting. Only four teams have managed to score 60 points or more against the Bulldogs' man-to-man defense.

"We can always come in and hang our hat on defense," forward Bryce Golden said to the Indianapolis Star after the win at Providence. "That's basically what we've been doing up to this point so far. Sometimes shots are falling, sometimes they're not. But we can't let that affect what we're doing on the other end."

The Friars were unbeaten in conference play before running into Butler. They were held to 31.7 percent shooting from the field and 6 of 25 from the 3-point arc. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs got 17 points each from Kamar Baldwin and Jordan Tucker.

Baldwin is Butler's leading scorer at 14.8 points per game while sharp-shooting senior Sean McDermott chips in 11.6, canning 43 percent of his 3-point attempts. Butler converts on nearly 48 percent from the field while outrebounding opponents by an average of 7.1 per game.

As for Seton Hall, it found its stride late in nonconference play with an upset win over then-No. 7 Maryland and hasn't let up since. The Pirates are on a six-game winning streak, including a 69-55 verdict over Marquette on Saturday.

Myles Powell pumped in 23 points for Seton Hall, doing nothing to hurt his cause to win the Big East Player of the Year award he was predicted to take in the preseason. Powell is averaging 21.5 points, nearly twice as many as teammates Quincy McKnight and Sandro Mamukelashvili, who are at 10.9.

During their winning streak, the Pirates have outscored opponents by an average of 12.3 points per game.

"We have a group of guys that everybody wants to buy in," Powell said to the Asbury Park (N.J.) Press. "It doesn't matter how it's getting done, who's doing it, as long as it's getting done. That's when you find yourself up on top. That's how our train is rolling right now."

The Pirates enter play Wednesday with a 3-2 road record, including Big East away victories against DePaul and Xavier.

The Bulldogs have a 9-0 home mark that features a 71-57 victory over Creighton on Jan. 4 in their lone conference home game.

--Field Level Media

Team Record Comparison

Standings GB W-L Aw/Hm Stk L10
Seton Hall  
Butler  

Hot Players (Last 10 team games)

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