Seton Hall reaches Big East Tournament semifinals

Pirates set up semifinal matchup with St. John's after defeating Creighton

Mar. 13, 2026 at 5:20am

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Seton Hall, picked to finish last in the Big East before the season, reached the Big East Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2019 with a 72-61 quarterfinal win over Creighton. Jacob Dar, a Rice transfer averaging just 2.4 points per game, exploded for 16 points in 15 minutes off the bench. Seton Hall point guard Adam 'Budd' Clark also had a strong game with 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Though the Pirates went 0-4 against the league's top teams, St. John's and Connecticut, during the regular season, they will get another shot at the Johnnies in the semifinals.

Why it matters

Seton Hall's surprising run to the Big East Tournament semifinals is a feel-good story for a team that was picked to finish last in the conference before the season. Though they likely need to win the tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament, the Pirates have proven they can compete with the Big East's top teams.

The details

Seton Hall, picked to finish last in the Big East before the season, reached the tournament semifinals with a 72-61 quarterfinal win over Creighton. Jacob Dar, a Rice transfer averaging just 2.4 points per game, scored 16 points in 15 minutes off the bench, equaling his entire output from the previous nine games. Seton Hall point guard Adam 'Budd' Clark also had a strong game with 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists, igniting a 12-4 run late in the second half to seal the win.

  • Seton Hall reached the Big East Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2019.

The players

Jacob Dar

A Rice transfer averaging 2.4 points per game who exploded for 16 points in 15 minutes off the bench for Seton Hall.

Adam 'Budd' Clark

Seton Hall's starting point guard, an All-Big East second team selection who had 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the quarterfinal win.

Shaheen Holloway

Seton Hall's head coach, who praised Clark's play with a 'chip on his shoulder' and the passion and determination that Holloway himself played with as a point guard.

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What they’re saying

“It was great. My coaches trust me, my teammates trust me, so it was just about going out there, playing hard, putting in the work. It's always going to pay off.”

— Jacob Dar (New York Post)

“That's what we came here to the Big East for. That's what we came to Seton Hall for, to play in the big games on a big stage in the Garden. You can't ask for anything better.”

— Adam 'Budd' Clark, Seton Hall point guard (New York Post)

“What I liked about Budd was that he played with a chip on his shoulder. He played with the passion and the heart and the determination that I kind of played with. And I love the fact that people counted him out because of his size.”

— Shaheen Holloway, Seton Hall head coach (New York Post)

What’s next

Seton Hall will face top-seeded St. John's in the Big East Tournament semifinals on Friday night.

The takeaway

Seton Hall's surprising run to the Big East Tournament semifinals, after being picked to finish last in the conference, is a feel-good story for a team that has overachieved all season. Though they likely need to win the tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament, the Pirates have proven they can compete with the Big East's top teams.