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Seton Hall Basketball: 2019-20 keys for Pirates against Michigan State

By Brian Rauf

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ - NOVEMBER 05: Quincy McKnight #0 of the Seton Hall Pirates attempts a shot as Curtis Cobb #33 and Will Martinez #11 of the Wagner Seahawks defend during the first half of a college basketball game at Walsh Gym on November 5, 2019 in South Orange, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ - NOVEMBER 05: Quincy McKnight #0 of the Seton Hall Pirates attempts a shot as Curtis Cobb #33 and Will Martinez #11 of the Wagner Seahawks defend during the first half of a college basketball game at Walsh Gym on November 5, 2019 in South Orange, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – MARCH 21: Head coach Kevin Willard of the Seton Hall Pirates calls out instructions in the first half against the Wofford Terriers during the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena on March 21, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – MARCH 21: Head coach Kevin Willard of the Seton Hall Pirates calls out instructions in the first half against the Wofford Terriers during the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena on March 21, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

Seton Hall Basketball’s first real test of the season will come on Thursday against Michigan State. Here are the biggest keys to the game for the Pirates.

Seton Hall Basketball will host Michigan State on Thursday in perhaps the biggest game of the season so far outside of the Champions Classic.

The Spartans participated in that and suffered a disappointing defeat to Kentucky in that game and, after blowing out Binghamton over the weekend, are looking to pick up the kind of marquee win to validate the preseason expectations surrounding this group.

That is the opportunity given to Seton Hall as well, who is ranked No. 12 in the country and is expected to have one of the best seasons in program history.

This was viewed as their chance to make a national statement against a Michigan State team that was ranked No. 1 in the preseason. Of course, the Spartans are no longer the top-ranked team (No. 3) and the Pirates will have to try to win without preseason All-American and leading scorer Myles Powell, who is expected to miss the game with an ankle injury he suffered in a victory over Stony Brook.

Those factors have admittedly dampened the excitement surrounding this showdown between two top 12 teams, but Seton Hall guard Quincy McKnight told NJ Advance Media’s Adam Zagoria that the Pirates are ready for the stage even without Powell.

"“It’s going to be another regular stage for us. These guys that I play with, I have their back, they have my back. We play hard for each other. We play hard for coach at the end of the day. “These guys have been on big stages before. We live to play on big stages, we’re not afraid to play on big stages. When the lights do come on, we do show up.”"

But what has to happen for the Pirates to pick up this important early-season win? Here are the three biggest keys to the game.

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