Seton Hall drops 2nd straight to mid-major opponent: ‘This is our team. This ain’t the NBA, there’s no trades.’

Shaheen Holloway’s game plan entering Wednesday’s game with Hofstra was to avoid a running game with the high-scoring Pride.
Speedy Claxton’s group came in averaging 89.5 points in its first two games, while Seton Hall had averaged just 56.5.
The Pirates succeeded in keeping the game at their tempo but once again their offense struggled mightily in a 49-48 loss in the “Icons of the Game” event at Nassau Coliseum. The Pirates (1-2) were coming off a 57-56 loss to Fordham on Saturday afternoon at Walsh Gym. The Pride moved to 3-0.
Isaiah Coleman missed a desperation 3-point attempt off the side of the backboard in the final seconds.
“We gotta continue to keep fighting, there’s no other way,” Holloway said in his post-game radio interview. “This is our team. This ain’t the NBA, there’s no trades, so we gotta continue to keep fighting and clawing and scratching and try to figure it out.”
Iona transfer Jean Aranguren led Hofstra with 13 points and 6 assists. Former Pirate Jaquan Sanders scored 12 points against his former team, including a big 3-pointer to give the Pride a 49-45 lead with under two minutes.
“I had bad shooting early in the game, and my coaching staff just kept telling me during halftime, ‘We need you to shoot the ball, we need you to shoot the ball,’ so it just gave major confidence coming into the second half, just being ready to shoot and help my team get the win,” Sanders said in a TV interview.
Chaunce Jenkins led The Hall with 18 points, making 4-of-7 from deep, giving him 1,000 points for his career. Dylan Addae-Wusu finished with 11 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists.
The Pirates dished just nine assists against 14 turnovers, and struggled from deep (6-of-29) and from the foul line (8-of-15). They shot 35% from the field.
“As bad as we are playing, if we just made some freakin’ free throws, we would win the games,” Holloway said.
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St. John’s transfer Cruz Davis stole the ball and scored on a transition layup to give Hofstra a 40-39 lead with about five minutes remaining, their first lead since 13-12 in the first half.
Two foul shots from Davis put Hofstra up 44-42.
Jenkins drained a 3-pointer to give The Hall a 45-44 lead, but Sanders drained a 3 to give Hofstra a 49-45 lead.
A three by Addae-Wusu cut the deficit to 49-48.
The Hall seized a 24-22 halftime lead while shooting just 29% and shooting 3-of-12 from deep. Holloway lamented in his halftime television interview that his team should’ve been up 8-10 points.
“That’s my guy right there,” Claxton said of Holloway in a TV interview. “I wish nothing but the best to my man Sha. I’m just proud of my guys and the effort that they brought tonight.”
The Pirates return home to host Wagner on Saturday afternoon. The Seahawks lost to No. 22 St. John’s 66-45 Wednesday at Carnesecca Arena.
“We gotta figure it out, and we gotta figure it out quick,” Holloway said, “because it ain’t getting no easier.”
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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.