3 keys for Seton Hall Basketball to upset Xavier Musketeers in Big East clash

Slow down the tempo!

The Seton Hall Pirates are currently averaging 68.3 points per game. They have three players averaging in double digits in scoring with their leading scorer, Al-Amir Dawes, contributing 12.7 points per contest.

While these offensive numbers are not embarrassing, they pale in comparison to the offensive firepower boasted by Xavier. The Musketeers boasts five players on the roster who are averaging double digits in the scoring column, and four out of those five average more than Seton Hall’s leading scorer. Xavier’s brand of basketball is based on pace and space. Head Coach Sean Miller teaches his players not to pass up open shots. Instead, his philosophy is to use constant ball movement to confuse opposing defenses, and then allow his highly talented offensive players to take advantage of the opportunities.

Seton Hall cannot afford to play at the same tempo as their Big East rival. Xavier is currently averaging 82.6 points per game, which is good for 1st in the Big East and 9th in the country. While getting into a track meet against any high-scoring team is dangerous, Xavier adds the added threat of transition 3-pointers. They have four players on the roster shooting better than 40 percent from beyond the arc. They are not afraid to pull up from long distance on the fastbreak; if Seton Hall allows them to feel comfortable, they could put the game out of reach in the first half. Their only chance is to slow the game down and execute their deliberate half-court offense.