World News – USA – Seton Hall Basketball: Clutch Reynolds is upset in Marquette

It’s a familiar sight for Seton Hall basketball fans: Sandro Mamukelashvili drives, pulls three defenders, and goes to Shavar Reynolds for a 3-pointer clearance in the last minute.

It happened twice already. Do it three times now. The pirates landed this knockout blow in Marquette on Thursday evening. Reynolds broke a tie with his opportunistic triple, then iced it off the free throw line for a 70-63 win on the road.

It’s the latest chapter in the incredible story of Reynolds, a Manchester Township High School graduate and former escort who nearly left Seton Hall because he couldn’t afford classes. Hall coach Kevin Willard promoted him to a scholarship after his first year at university. Now he’s carving a place in pirate history.

« I don’t think we have enough radio time to talk about his work, » Willard said in his post-game radio interview with Gary Cohen and Dave Popkin.

The senior guard finished the race with nine points, four rebounds, four assists and only one turnover. His defense was stifling and he made four free throws in the final seconds to seal the deal.

« He’s accepted his role, » said Willard. « He understands what I want from him. I don’t need it to get 27 exposures like Myles Powell did. I need it to ease the offense. He puts us on our offensive and gives us great energy, and he’s doing it right now at the highest level. … He really gives us great defense too. It starts with him. ”

Seton Hall (5-3 total, 2-0 Big East) has won four games in a row to reverse a rocky start. The pirates took five straight from Marquette from 2018. They play 2-0 in the Big East game for the fifth consecutive year and continue the program’s trend of success on Big East Road after winning eight such competitions last winter.

Marquette (5-3, 1-1) came from a road injury to ninth-placed Creighton. The Golden Eagles, who started with a Kenpom ranking of 33, took second place in the Big East in terms of percentage field goal defense, ricochets and 3-point shooting. They yelled back from eleven in the second half to bring matters to the last minute and then Mamukelashvili got the ball as everyone expected.

The older striker made up for a night without shooting with a final, excellent pass. He finished the 6-of-16 shooting with 17 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals in 39 minutes.

Willard told reporters that Aiken would not return from an ankle sprain until Sunday against Providence at the earliest. But coach Tony Testa worked his magic and the Harvard transfer took the place for the first time since its cameo in the opener Nov. 27.

Aiken’s movement looked good. His shot was rusty, which is to be expected. The senior guard, a native of Randolph, barely played or even practiced in a year.

« Bryce has been practicing for the past few days, » Willard told Gary Cohen in his pre-game radio interview. « Looks good. A little rusty. ”

Aiken was needed when the starting point guard Shavar Reynolds got into bad trouble early on. His defense was solid.

After a rocky start to the season, this team comes into its own defensively. Throwing at the press seems to help this group focus on that goal. The first half was a defensive clinic when the pirates forced nine turnovers and Marquette shot 40 percent, including just seven looks from outside the bow.

One of the challenges of the season so far has been getting Mamukelashvili and Rhoden to shoot in the same game. There can only be one alpha dog, but when Rhoden can be a 1-A it makes a world of difference.

He’s not a huge fan of longer rotations, but Willard got the Reynolds-Aiken dynamic just right. At some point they will play together, one would think.

The second Missouri striker became immediately eligible on Wednesday when the NCAA waived the suspension penalty for all transfers. He dressed but didn’t play. Look for him to run a little in the upcoming games.

« I’m excited about this for Tray because it is difficult to sit, » Willard told Cohen before the game. « I think it will really help Tray for next year. He brings down the dynamism of another athlete, another man who can make shots. He can play backup power forward and play some backup 3 as well. ”

When asked about Jackson’s fights in Missouri as a freshman, Willard said, “Missouri plays a very aggressive style of man-to-man defense, very aggressive denial and catch. We’re a little more traditional. We try to get him to understand a defensive philosophy. He worked hard. Now he’s got to get used to playing Big East basketball. ”

Jerry Carino has been reporting on the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. He is an Associated Press Top 25 voter. Contact him at jcarino @ gannettnj. com.

Marquette Golden Eagles Men’s Basketball, Seton Hall Pirates Men’s Basketball, Big East Conference, Marquette University, College Basketball