
The Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball program is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate team of Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. The team, currently coached by Shaheen Holloway, competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The Pirates have appeared in the NCAA tournament 14 times and were national runners-up in 1989.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the Basketball Team | Seton Hall Pirates |
| Type of Program | NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program |
| University | Seton Hall University |
| Location | South Orange, New Jersey |
| Home Games Location | Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey |
| Coach | Shaheen Holloway |
| Conference | Big East Conference |
| Number of Appearances in the NCAA Tournament | 14 |
| NIT Appearances | 19 |
| NIT Championship Wins | 1953, 2024 |
| First Season | 1903-1904 |
| First Winning Season | 1908-1909 |
| Mascot | Pirate |
| Year of Adopting the Mascot | 1931 |
| Combined Record in the NCAA Tournament | 16-14 |
| Combined Record in the NIT Tournament | 13-19 |
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Seton Hall Pirates: The men's basketball team
The Seton Hall Pirates are the men's basketball team of Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. The team competes in the NCAA Division I and is a member of the Big East Conference, which they joined as a charter member in 1979.
The Pirates play their home games in New Jersey's premier sports and entertainment venue, the Prudential Center in Newark. The team's first season took place in 1903-04, but the university did not field a team again until 1908-09, which was also the year they achieved their first winning season. The school adopted the Pirate mascot in 1931, and the men's basketball team has since become one of the most prominent athletic programs at the university.
The Pirates have a rich history in men's basketball, appearing in the NCAA tournament 14 times and making it to the championship game in 1989, where they lost to Michigan in overtime. They have also experienced success in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), winning the championship in 1953 and 2024. The team has produced several notable players, including Derrick Gordon, who in 2016 became the first openly gay man to compete in the March Madness tournament, and 31 Pirates who have gone on to play in the NBA.
The Pirates' current coach is Shaheen Holloway. Previous coaches include J. Carlesimo, who led the team to great success in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and Kevin Willard, who helped the team win the Big East tournament Championship in 2015-16, securing their first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade. The team has also experienced some setbacks, such as a point-shaving scandal in 1961 and concerns about the direction of the program under former coach Bobby Gonzalez, who was fired in 2010.
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Big East Conference member
The Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball team is a member of the Big East Conference. Seton Hall University, located in South Orange, New Jersey, has a rich history in basketball, with the Pirates first taking the court during the 1903-04 season. While the university did not field a team again until 1908-09, that season marked the school's first winning record.
Seton Hall became a charter member of the Big East Conference in 1979, and they continue to be a part of this conference today. The original Big East Conference was formed when Dave Gavitt, a basketball coach at Providence College, took the initiative to create an east coast basketball-centric collegiate athletic conference. The core of the Big East was established when Providence, St. John's, Georgetown, and Syracuse invited several schools to join, including Seton Hall.
The high point of the early years of the Big East era for Seton Hall came with the success of coach P. Carlesimo. Under his guidance, the Pirates achieved notable feats, including a Big East tournament championship and an Elite Eight appearance in 1991, and a regular-season Big East Championship alongside a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 1992.
In 2012, the Big East Conference underwent a split, with the "Catholic Seven" members, including Seton Hall, voting to separate from the football-playing schools. This move aimed to return to the original vision of a strong, basketball-focused conference based in the Northeast. The new conference, which retained the Big East name, was officially launched in July 2013, with three additional schools joining: Butler, Creighton, and Xavier.
Seton Hall's men's basketball team has continued to find success within the Big East Conference. In the 2015-16 season, they won the Big East tournament Championship and secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Pirates have a total of 14 appearances in the NCAA tournament and were national runners-up in 1989. They play their home games at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and are currently coached by Shaheen Holloway.
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NCAA Division I
The Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball program is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports team of Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. The team plays in the Big East Conference and calls the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, home. Seton Hall University was one of the founding members of the Big East Conference in 1979, and the Pirates men's basketball team has been a member ever since.
The Pirates have a long and proud history, dating back to their first season in 1903-04, though the university did not field a team again until 1908-09, which was also the year they achieved their first winning season. The team adopted the Pirate mascot in 1931 and gained national prominence with the arrival of John "Honey" Russell in 1936. During an 18-year span, the Pirates accumulated an impressive 295–129 record, which included an undefeated 19–0 season in 1939–40 as part of a 41-game unbeaten streak.
Seton Hall has appeared in the NCAA tournament 14 times and was the national runner-up in 1989, losing to Michigan in a controversial overtime game. They have also found success in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), winning the championship in 1953 and 2024. The team hit a low point in 1961 due to a point-shaving scandal but rebounded and returned to the NIT in 1974 under coach Bill Raftery.
In recent years, the Pirates have continued to find success, winning the Big East tournament Championship in 2016 and securing an NCAA Tournament appearance. The team is currently coached by Shaheen Holloway, and their home arena, the Prudential Center, provides a great atmosphere for their passionate fans.
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1989: National Championship game
Seton Hall University's men's basketball team, the Pirates, has been in the Big East Conference since 1979. The team has enjoyed success over the years, including a memorable run to the National Championship game in 1989.
The 1989 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament began on March 16, 1989, and culminated in the championship game on April 3 at the Kingdome in Seattle. Sixty-four schools participated in single-elimination play to determine the national champion.
Seton Hall, coached by P.J. Carlesimo, made a strong run in the tournament. They defeated several formidable opponents en route to the final, including Evansville (87-73), Indiana (78-65), and UNLV (84-61). In the National Championship game, they faced off against Michigan, who were coached by Steve Fisher.
The championship game was a tightly contested affair, going into overtime with Michigan ultimately prevailing by a score of 80-79. In the closing minutes of overtime, with Seton Hall leading 79-78, the Pirates' Gerald Greene was called for a controversial foul on Michigan's Rumeal Robinson with just three seconds remaining. Robinson made both free throws to give Michigan a one-point lead. Seton Hall's last-second shot fell short, and Michigan clinched their first national championship.
Despite falling just short, the 1989 tournament remains a high point for Seton Hall men's basketball. Since then, their closest run at a championship was in 1991 when they reached the Elite Eight.
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2021: First time defeating a non-conference AP top-five team
The Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference, playing their home games at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
In 2021, the Seton Hall Pirates achieved a significant victory, marking a notable first in their program's history. Led by the talented play of junior guard Myles Powell, the Pirates travelled to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to face the formidable #4 ranked Michigan Wolverines. This highly-anticipated matchup was more than just a regular-season game; it was a chance for Seton Hall to make history.
The game held particular significance as it was the first meeting between these two programs since the 1989 NCAA National Championship Game, where Michigan narrowly edged out Seton Hall by a single point due to a controversial foul call. This time, however, the result would be different.
The Pirates rose to the challenge and played with determination and grit. They executed their game plan superbly and managed to pull off an impressive upset victory over the highly-ranked Wolverines. This triumph marked the first time that Seton Hall had ever defeated a non-conference AP top-five team, solidifying their place in the history books and showcasing the program's potential on a national stage.
This landmark victory added another memorable chapter to the rich history of Seton Hall Pirates basketball, which dates back to their first season in 1903-1904. The team has experienced both triumphs and setbacks over the years, but the 2021 win against Michigan serves as a testament to their resilience, talent, and ability to rise to the occasion.
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Frequently asked questions
Seton Hall University's basketball team, the Pirates, competes in the Big East Conference.
Seton Hall became a charter member of the Big East Conference in 1979.
Other universities that are part of the Big East Conference include Butler, Creighton, DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, Villanova, and Xavier.











































