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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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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 05: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans controls the ball in the second half of their game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Madison Square Garden on November 05, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 05: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans controls the ball in the second half of their game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Madison Square Garden on November 05, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /

2) Make someone other than Cassius Winston win the game

Cassius Winston, the Preseason National Player of the Year, plays the same kind of role for Michigan State. Everything they do runs through his hands and, without Joshua Langford due to injury, a secondary scoring option did not appear in their loss to Kentucky.

That is where Seton Hall’s defensive strategy is going to lie – make someone else beat them. Winston almost singlehandedly carried the Spartans to the Final Four last year before Texas Tech ended that run by focusing almost exclusively on him. The point guard shot just 25 percent from the field in that game and, as a result, the Michigan State had their lowest scoring output of the season.

Obviously, not everyone is as good defensively as the Red Raiders were, but the Pirates do have the size, length, and athleticism to really bother them.

That will impact Winston, who’s only 6-1, but it may have an even bigger impact on Xavier Tillman. Michigan State’s best big man is only 6-8 and, while he’s more than strong enough to handle the interior, he has traditionally struggled to score against bigger teams. He was limited to seven points on 3/8 shooting against Kentucky and has similar problems a year ago (he struggled in games against Maryland, Purdue, etc). Seton Hall is the second tallest team in the country, so that’s something to watch.

The guys that the Pirates want to make beat them are Aaron Henry and Gabe Brown on the wing. Both players have shown flashes of potential – Henry scored 20 points and Brown scored 15 in the NCAA Tournament against LSU – but have been inconsistent and have struggled when Winston isn’t on the floor.

As far was Willard is concerned, he’ll be fine if that duo beats them opposed to Winston getting open looks.

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