Seton Hall Pirates: 21-10, 10-8 in the Big East
Head coach: Kevin Willard (7th season)
Players to watch: Angel Delgado (15.3 PPG, 13.1 RPG), Khadeen Carrington (16.9 PPG, 37.7 3PT%), Desi Rodriguez (15.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG)
Season recap: Coming off its first NCAA tournament appearance in 10 years, Seton Hall lost three players during the season to transfers, but looks prepared for the Big Dance again thanks to another competitive year in the Big East. The Pirates picked up quality nonconference wins against South Carolina and California, then finished better than .500 in conference play with victories against Creighton and Butler.
Seton Hall boasts one of the best big men in the country in Angel Delgado, a 6-foot-10, 240-pound junior who led the country in rebounding and was a unanimous first-team All-Big East selection. Thanks in large part to Delgado's production, the Pirates as a team have a top-20 rebounding margin, and 6-foot-8 forward Ismael Sanogo helps him crash the glass, in addition to serving as the team's most versatile defender.
Seton Hall surrounds Delgado with a pair of juniors in Khadeen Carrington, a second-team All-Big East selection, and Desi Rodriguez, who can make opponents pay from deep if they choose to double down low. Freshman Myles Powell is one of four Pirates to average at least 10 points per game, and he can also come off the bench to give Seton Hall a big scoring boost if he gets hot.
How they make a run: Seton Hall rides the inside play of its key big man, along with enough outside scoring from the trio of Carrington, Rodriguez and Powell, to pull off a few upsets and make the Sweet 16.
How they falter: Although the Pirates have plenty of offensive weapons, they allow more than 70 points per contest. A poor defensive showing and foul trouble for Seton Hall's man in the middle leads to a first-round exit.
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