Big East Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2020-21 season
Projected Starters:
Guards – Bryce Aiken- SR, Takal Molson-JR and Jared Rhoden-JR
Forwards – Sandro Mamukelashvili-SR and Ike Obiagu-JR
Bench – Myles Cale-SR, Shavar Reynolds-SR, Tyrese Samuel-SO, Dimingus Stevens-FR, Jahari Long-FR, Tray Jackson-JR
Kevin Willard’s Pirates find themselves in a similar position to Wojciechowski and Marquette entering the 2020-21 college hoops season. Having to replace one of the most prolific scorers that the “new” Big East has seen in Myles Powell, but also having to replace two other senior contributors in Quincy McKnight and Romaro Gil.
It gets tougher when you have thrown in two more guys that fled the program in transfers in Anthony Nelson and Taurean Thompson. They were going to be counted on to play expanded roles.
Also, like Marquette, the loss of its best player, primary ball-handler, and multiple role players is being remedied through the transfer Marquette. The commitment from Harvard star point guard Bryce Aiken (averaged 22 points per game in 2018-19) should help ease Seton Hall fans transition out of the Powell era and into a new one.
Of similar ilk is the arrival of another mid-major addition to the Pirate backcourt in Takal Molson. Molson scored 17 points per game for Canisius in 2018-19 on his way to a 1st Team All-MAAC selection. He and Aiken present what will be a very intriguing 1-guard, 2-guard punch.
Outside of the transfer route, Willard returns backcourt players familiar with his system. Jared Rhoden (9.1 Pts, 6.4 Reb, 1.1 Ast) will probably get the start coming off of a breakout sophomore season but Shavar Reynolds (4.2 Pts, 1.8 Reb, 1.0 Ast) and Myles Cale (6.0 Pts, 3.7 Reb, 0.9 Ast) will see big minutes ahead of the 15 and 23 each played a season ago.
Freshmen Dimingus Stevens, 6’5, and Jahari Long, 6’3, are top 250 guards with elite size that Willard signed to be Powell and McKnight’s heir apparent, but the work he did in the transfer portal will give both players time to ease into what are sure to be big roles sooner than later in their Seton Hall careers.
The announcement of the return Sandro Mamukelashvili (11.9 Pts, 6.0 Reb, 1.4 Ast) may have been the most important NBA Draft decision for any team in the Big East. Mamu will be an under the radar candidate for Big East POY honors as his minutes will drastically increase from the 26 per-game he played a season ago. Seton Hall is going to need Mamu to stay on the floor as long as he can because the only flaw in this team is its lack of depth up front.
Ike Obiagu (2.4 Pts, 2.0 Reb, 0.0 Ast) and Tyrese Samuel (3.2 Pts, 2.7 Reb, 0.4 Ast) are massive, measuring 7’2 and 6’11 respectively and will help a lot on the defensive, but both only played about 10 minutes per game in 2019-20. It will be a big adjustment for either of them if they have to go from 10 to 20 minutes every night.
Willard also signed 6’8 transfer and former 4-star recruit Tray Jackson after he only played eight minutes a game his freshman season at Missouri. The Detroit native is not expected to get a waiver for immediate eligibility this season.
Despite the loss of Myles Powell, Seton Hall is going to be really good because they have options. While there is a lack of depth upfront, there is enough skill and size in the backcourt for Willard to employ a four-guard lineup with Mamu as the center if he wants. That solution would put five guys on the floor at a time that can all shoot or drive the ball making them one of the toughest guards in the Big East. Mamu was second behind Shavar Reynolds in 3-point shooting percentage in 2019-20, draining them at a clip of 43%. He is 6’11.
Just how good Seton Hall can be is probably the most under-covered storyline in the Big East. An increased role for an NBA caliber talent in Mamu, the arrival of an All-Big East quality point guard in Aiken, and the return of a solid core of guys that fit Willard’s culture has the Pirates uniquely capable of making a run at the league crown while dealing with attrition. Gone are the offseason days of talking about how HOT Kevin Willard’s seat is. Seton Hall is on the verge of becoming a perennial power in the Big East.