Seton Hall Basketball: 3 takeaways from dominant win over Xavier Musketeers

Pirate fans got something much better than flowers this Valentine's Day, as Seton Hall took down the Xavier Musketeers in a blowout 88-70. It was an impressive performance for the whole team, and they dominated from the jump all the way to the end of this matchup. For a team on the bubble of an NCAA Tournament bid, this was a much-needed win against a quality Xavier team that has made some noise this season.

Seton Hall got another great game out of star guard Kadary Richmond, who has continued to be the dynamic leader of this team on all ends of the floor. The Big East Player of the Year contender finished with 20 points, 13 assists, and eight rebounds. These well-rounded performances are what he has done best all season long, and he has done it yet again.

Some unfortunate news was that Dre Davis was taken out of the game due to injury, and he did not end up returning for the second half. The hope here is that this move is simply precautionary, as the game was all but wrapped up when he was taken out. However, due to his previous injury history, it will be impossible to not be concerned ahead of their next matchup against St. John's if you are a Pirate fan.

This victory solidifies Seton Hall in the top four of the Big East Conference, and that late February matchup against Creighton starts to matter even more. This team continues to fight for seeding in the Big East Tournament, and the NCAA Tournament, but this game was a huge step in the right direction after a slide.