5 Thoughts: Seton Hall stumbles late, bows to DePaul at MSG

Nick Ongenda celebrates after game-winning block on Femi Odukale as DePaul upset Seton Hall in Big East tournament. (Photo by DePaul Athletics)

By Jason Guerette (@JPGuerette)

NEW YORK — Since the DePaul Blue Demons joined the Big East in 2005, they had never played against Seton Hall and vice versa more than twice per season. On Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, that changed, as the Pirates faced off with their occasionally bedeviling opponent for the first time ever at the Big East Tournament.

And in the end, DePaul bedeviled the Hall again, winning 66-65 when the Pirates failed to hold a four-point lead with 17 seconds left in a stunning defeat, sending them home early from New York City.

Here are five thoughts from a rough night at the office for the Hall:

1. DEEPaul

DePaul's strategy early in the game was to try and get post man Nick Ongenda going. That didn't go very well, as Tyrese Samuel and company were stout on defense. DePaul did have 10 points in the paint, but they were all on drives, and particularly drives that came later in the shot clock.

To compensate, however, the Blue Demons shot 6-10 from 3-point range, as Seton Hall paid for leaving Umoja Gibson (1-of-1), Jalen Terry (3-for-3) and Javan Johnson (2-for-5) too far open from beyond the arc. It was the main reason why the Pirates trailed by four points at the break despite strong first halves from Samuel (8 points, 7 rebounds) and KC Ndefo (10 points).

“Coming into the game, that was one of the things we talked about, Johnson and the point guard Gibson shooting,” a sullen Seton Hall head coach Shaheen Holloway said after the game. “And Johnson made some tough ones. They made six in the first half, and I really got on my guys at halftime about it.”

Credit where credit is due, Seton Hall did make an adjustment, holding the Blue Demons without a three for nearly the first ten minutes after halftime, and without a single field goal of any kind for over eight minutes. The Pirates were up nine points after that, and what broke the run was back-to-back 3-pointers by the Blue Demons, making it a three-point game again. DePaul concluded the game by nailing four of its final seven attempts from three to finish 10-for-20 overall. 

“I thought we did a good job until the last five minutes,” Holloway said. “Then the little guy, Terry, he hit one that was kind of out of here, no one expected him to shoot it from there. But that's why you've got to be ready at all times.”

Putting aside the ending sequence, that is the reason DePaul won this game, a game where Seton Hall shot 50 percent from the field, outrebounded the Blue Demons by eight, and outscored them 40-24 inside the paint. The three-point line has been referred to as the great equalizer in basketball loads of times before, and tonight was the absolute epitome of that maxim.

2. Late-Game Blunders

Nevertheless, the end of this game is what you have to point to and criticize. Aside from Seton Hall's run about midway through the second half, this game was back and forth all night, the type of game where mistakes get magnified.

After a Samuel free throw put the Pirates up five with one minute left, Terry made the aforementioned crazy, step-back-and-a-half three to cut the lead to two points. Then, however, came the first of Seton Hall's crucial turnovers, with Al-Amir Dawes unable to keep control of the ball near halfcourt. DePaul got a great shot to tie the game by Da'Sean Nelson in their next possession that just barely rimmed out from two feet away, and Jamir Harris made two more free throws to make it a four-point lead with 17 seconds left.

The Blue Demons pushed the ball up the floor and got a layup off a crazy sequence by Terry once again, and DePaul called timeout. On the ensuing inbounds pass, the Pirates gave the ball away again when they did not cut hard or strong enough towards the basketball, and Gibson fired a three-pointer from the left wing while being hammered by Ndefo with under three seconds to play, a cardinal sin at the worst possible time.

“We had a chance to ice the game, but we had two killer turnovers right there at the end,” Holloway said. “And it's something we work on all the time, too. That's why I'm really upset because we know we've got to step to the basketball and be strong with it. And we just couldn't do it tonight.”

The final seconds were insane. After Gibson made all three free throws to put DePaul up one, the Pirates drew up a play to get Femi Odukale going to the basket with a chance to either score or get fouled, and they ran it to perfection. Odukale's layup, however, was blocked by Ongenda at the buzzer, initially ruled goaltending (which would have given Seton Hall the win), but reversed, correctly, upon review, capping off the wild ending sequence.

As Holloway also pointed out after the game, it wasn't just the end of the game. Seton Hall shot only 11-for-18 from the free throw line, including one for its first four, and also two missed front ends of one-and-ones in the second half with the game close. So, as in most cases with an obvious screwed-up sequence late that decides a game, Seton Hall could point the finger at itself, too.

In essence, a perfect storm of DePaul heroics (ridiculous threes, Ongenda's game-winning block) and Seton Hall blunders (namely the two turnovers and the foul on a three-point shooter) conspired to give the game to the Blue Demons. 

3. Ferocious Femi

Okay, now to a positive note. With Kadary Richmond sidelined late this year with a back injury, it's been Odukale taking the reins of the Pirates' offense. I've long thought he was one of the most critical pieces to the Pirates' success on the court this year because he's the best perimeter defender on a team that must win with their defense. But his offense and ability to handle the ball have been brought out by his increased role since Richmond's absence.

His presence on both ends was crucial in the first half, as he contributed three points, three rebounds, one assist, and four steals. But he was also whistled for one half of a double technical by Brent Hampton, followed by an offensive foul on the next possession with Seton Hall up 24-22. 

After Odukale headed to the bench, DePaul closed out the half by outscoring the Pirates 10-4 in the final five minutes of the half, underscoring his status in my mind one of Seton Hall's most important players along with Samuel and Ndefo. Indeed, at the end of the game, he had a plus-minus rating of plus-3, second on the team to Samuel (who had a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds while also drawing nine DePaul fouls).

Holloway said that the Pirates will absolutely accept an NIT bid after the game tonight, and if they are to advance in that small-D dance, they will need Odukale to continue his strong late season play.

4. Rutgers Sunk As Well?

Local bracketologist Brad Wachtel (who's worth a follow on Twitter at @Brad_Wachtel if you don't follow him already) made a point after the game on Twitter that I thought was worth mentioning. When Seton Hall and Rutgers played each other back in December, the Pirates narrowly won at the RAC, and at the time, with how well Rutgers was playing, I and others thought that it would be a result that could potentially lift the Pirates at this time if they had built a solid NCAA Tournament resume.

Seton Hall obviously won't be dancing this year, but Rutgers is also teetering on the brink of missing out thanks to its own late-season swoon, and when so much can happen in so little time for college basketball teams this time of year, this loss's effect on Seton Hall's resume (and by transitive property, Rutgers') might play a part in keeping the archrival Scarlet Knights out of the NCAA Tournament. 

And oh, how ironic that would be after the exact opposite was expected back in Piscataway a few months ago. Only time will tell, but per Mr. Wachtel, tonight's result makes that defeat against the Pirates a Quad 3 loss, the fourth on Rutgers' resume, and the most such defeats of any bubble team. It would not shock me if the domino effect from this tough loss also had (for Seton Hall fans) a NET positive in that way, pun fully intended.

5. NIT-ty Gritty

As I mentioned, Seton Hall is bound for the NIT, likely to receive an invite and assured that it will accept. Tonight's loss, while painful, is also a painful illustration about what can happen in March when teams don't execute when it matters most. I am willing to bet that if Seton Hall finds itself in a similar close contest in the NIT, that the Pirates will harken back to this game and correct their mistakes.

The Pirates will learn their postseason fate soon, and have a chance to play another basketball game. Tonight, though, this loss will sting.