Nba Betting Odds

As I sit down to analyze this season's Seton Hall basketball roster, I can't help but draw parallels to the competitive landscape we're seeing in professional leagues worldwide. Just yesterday, I was studying the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League standings where Abra leads the North Division with an impressive 23-2 record, while Quezon Province dominates the South with their 20-4 performance. These numbers aren't just statistics—they represent the kind of roster depth and strategic player development that championship teams are built upon, something Seton Hall will need to emulate if they want to make noise this season.

Looking at Seton Hall's current lineup, I'm particularly excited about the backcourt combination of Kadary Richmond and Al-Amir Dawes. Having watched Richmond develop over the past two seasons, I've seen him transform from a raw talent into what I believe could be an All-Big East caliber player. His length and defensive instincts remind me of some of the great Seton Hall guards of the past, while Dawes brings a scoring punch that this team desperately needed last season. What makes this backcourt special isn't just their individual skills, but how they complement each other—Richmond's playmaking paired with Dawes' shooting creates the kind of backcourt balance that coaches dream about.

The frontcourt situation presents both opportunities and concerns that keep me up at night thinking about this team's potential. While we have solid contributors in Tyrese Samuel and Alexis Yetna, I'm not entirely convinced we have the dominant big man needed to compete with the physical centers of the Big East. Samuel shows flashes of brilliance—I remember specifically his 18-point, 12-rebound performance against St. John's last season where he looked unstoppable—but consistency remains the issue. What this team really needs is for one of their big men to average a double-double, much like how Abra's dominant big man in the MPBL has been putting up consistent numbers night after night.

Where I think Seton Hall might have a secret weapon is in their freshman class. I've been particularly impressed with what I've seen from Jaquan Sanders in preseason workouts. The kid has a scorer's mentality that you just can't teach, and his shooting range extends well beyond the college three-point line. While freshmen typically struggle with consistency, I have a feeling Sanders might be the exception. His development could be the difference between a good season and a great one, especially if he can provide the kind of offensive spark that Dawson Garcia gave Minnesota last season.

The bench depth is another area where I see both strength and potential vulnerability. Having watched countless hours of game footage from last season and preseason practices, I'm convinced that Tray Jackson could be one of the most improved players in the conference. His athleticism has always been there, but what I'm seeing now is a more polished offensive game and better decision-making. However, beyond Jackson, there are legitimate questions about whether the Pirates have enough reliable options to withstand the grueling Big East schedule. In my experience covering college basketball, championship teams typically have at least eight players they can trust in big moments, and I'm not sure Seton Hall is there yet.

When I look at the overall roster construction, what stands out to me is the balance between experience and youth. The Pirates return four players who started at least 15 games last season while bringing in what I consider to be a top-25 recruiting class nationally. This blend is crucial because it means the team shouldn't suffer through the kind of early-season growing pains that often plague younger squads. At the same time, the infusion of new talent prevents the stagnation that can sometimes affect veteran-heavy teams. It's a delicate balance that coach Kevin Willard has managed beautifully, in my opinion.

As we approach the season opener, the player I'll be watching most closely is Kadary Richmond. His development from Syracuse transfer to potential team leader has been fascinating to track, and I believe his performance will ultimately determine Seton Hall's ceiling this season. If he can improve his outside shooting—he shot just 28% from three-point range last season—while maintaining his elite defensive presence, we could be looking at a first-team All-Big East selection. The tools are all there, and from what I've seen in preseason, his work ethic suggests he's committed to taking that next step.

What really excites me about this team is their potential to exceed expectations. Most preseason projections I've seen have Seton Hall finishing somewhere in the middle of the Big East pack, but I have a feeling they could surprise people. The combination of returning experience, promising newcomers, and what appears to be improved team chemistry gives me reason to be optimistic. While they may not have the sheer talent of some top-10 programs, they have the pieces to be greater than the sum of their parts—the kind of team that could make a deep March run if everything clicks at the right time.

Ultimately, my assessment of this roster comes down to three key factors: backcourt excellence, frontcourt development, and bench reliability. If two of those three areas perform at or above expectations, I believe Seton Hall can secure a NCAA tournament bid. If all three come together, we might be looking at a team capable of reaching the second weekend of March Madness. Having covered college basketball for over fifteen years, I've learned to trust my instincts about teams that have the right mix of talent and chemistry, and this Seton Hall squad gives me that same feeling I had about the 2016 team that surprised everyone by winning the Big East tournament. The pieces are there—now it's about putting them together consistently.