Seton Hall Looks to Regain Form in Big East Clash Against Creighton

Pirates aim to earn NCAA Tournament bid with strong showing in conference tournament

Mar. 12, 2026 at 12:49am

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Seton Hall, the fourth seed in the Big East tournament, will face off against fifth-seeded Creighton in the quarterfinals on Thursday. The Pirates are looking to regain their form after a bumpy finish to the regular season, while the Bluejays are hoping to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive with a strong showing in New York.

Why it matters

Seton Hall is not currently on the NCAA Tournament bubble, but the team will need to run the table at the Big East tournament to secure a spot in the Big Dance. Creighton, on the other hand, is aiming to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, and a deep run in the conference tournament could be crucial to their chances.

The details

Seton Hall (20-11) raced out to a 14-2 start to the season but struggled down the stretch, losing two close games to Big East champion St. John's and two more to second-place UConn. Creighton (15-16) split a pair of thrilling regular-season matchups with the Pirates, with each team winning on the other's home court. The Bluejays are led by Josh Dix (12.7 ppg) and Austin Swartz (10.9 ppg), while Seton Hall's Adam 'Budd' Clark paced the team with 12.4 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game.

  • Seton Hall and Creighton played a pair of close games during the regular season, with the Pirates winning 56-54 at home on January 4 and the Bluejays getting revenge with a 69-68 victory in Omaha on February 7.
  • The Big East tournament quarterfinal matchup between Seton Hall and Creighton will take place on Thursday in New York.

The players

Shaheen Holloway

Seton Hall's head coach, who was named Big East Coach of the Year on Wednesday.

Greg McDermott

Creighton's head coach, who has led the Bluejays to the NCAA Tournament in every season since 2019 except this one.

Josh Dix

Creighton's leading scorer, averaging 12.7 points per game.

Austin Swartz

Creighton's second-leading scorer, averaging 10.9 points per game and recording four 20-point games in conference play.

Adam 'Budd' Clark

Seton Hall's leading scorer, averaging 12.4 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game.

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What they’re saying

“I thought with this team, it's shown that we can play with anyone, right? We just gotta finish games out or do the little things.”

— Shaheen Holloway, Seton Hall Head Coach

“They try to disrupt you with their physicality and their full-court pressure, and we handled all that really well at their place but weren't able to get the win. We turned it over and gave up some offensive rebounds (at home) and found a way to win that game.”

— Greg McDermott, Creighton Head Coach

What’s next

The winner of the Seton Hall-Creighton quarterfinal matchup will advance to the Big East tournament semifinals on Friday.

The takeaway

This Big East tournament clash between Seton Hall and Creighton will be a closely contested affair, as the teams split their regular-season meetings and both have something significant to play for. The Pirates are looking to secure an NCAA Tournament bid, while the Bluejays are hoping to keep their tournament hopes alive with a strong showing in New York.