The Pirates left Madison Square Garden yesterday with a chip on their shoulder. They were picked to finish ninth in the Big East preseason coaches' poll for the 2023-2024 season. A surprise was the rebuilding Georgetown Hoyas, under new coach Ed Cooley, being selected one spot ahead of the Pirates. To no one’s surprise, defending Big East regular season and conference tournament champion Marquette was picked to finish first. The Golden Eagles are followed by Creighton, Connecticut, Villanova, Saint John’s, Xavier, Providence, Georgetown, Seton Hall, Butler and DePaul in the 2023-2024 preseason coaches poll.
As for the preseason player awards in the conference, Seton Hall did not have a single player selected to any team. When asked about his players not being selected Shaheen Holloway said, “None of these guys got picked for any teams, which I think is disrespectful.”
Coach Holloway has been very vocal in the off-season about having one of, if not the best backcourt in the Big East. Coach Holloway specifically felt disrespected for Kadary Richmond and Al-Amir Dawes, two key returners in his backcourt. Regarding Richmond and Dawes Holloway said, “I think what those guys did last year merits being selected.”
They will have the chance to prove the other coaches wrong and will need to if the Pirates want to finish better than ninth in the loaded Big East.
The reoccurring theme from media day from Seton Hall players and coaches is carrying a chip on their shoulder. Coach Holloway when asked about being selected ninth overall said, “They have to have a chip on their shoulder about this.
Seton Hall captain Dre Davis echoed the same sentiment. Davis said, “We are going to have that chip on our shoulder and work to be able to get to the goals that we want to get to. We believe in ourselves and we’re going to prove to ourselves that we are who we believe we are.”
The time to prove that Seton Hall is who they think they are begins Saturday, as the Pirates take on NJIT in a charity exhibition for the Walker Foundation.
- NJIT Host Seton Hall Saturday for Walker Foundation - October 25, 2023
- Davis Poised to Breakout for Seton Hall in the 2023-2024 Men’s Basketball Season - October 25, 2023
- Seton Hall Picked 9th by Big East Men’s Basketball Coaches - October 25, 2023
