Rutgers–Seton Hall men's basketball rivalry
First meeting | February 4, 1916 Rutgers 40, Seton Hall 20 |
---|---|
Latest meeting | December 9, 2023 Rutgers 70, Seton Hall 63 |
Next meeting | December 14, 2024 Piscataway, New Jersey |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 74 |
All-time series | Seton Hall leads, 42–32 |
Largest victory | Rutgers, 81–49 (1998) |
Longest win streak | Seton Hall, 7 (1986–1996) |
Current win streak | Rutgers, 1 (2023–Present) |
The Rutgers–Seton Hall men's basketball rivalry, also known as the Garden State Hardwood Classic, is an intercollegiate basketball intrastate rivalry[1][2][3][4] between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights of Rutgers University in Piscataway, NJ and Seton Hall Pirates of Seton Hall University in Newark, NJ. The series dates to 1916 and the teams have met continuously since 1996, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Former conference opponents in the Big East, Rutgers left for the American Athletic Conference in 2013 and then the Big Ten in 2014, while Seton Hall continued in the restructured Big East as part of the 2010–2014 NCAA conference realignment. Since changing conferences, the schools have continued to meet annually in the non-conference slate.
The rivalry is a trophy game, with the Garden State Hardwood Classic trophy at stake.[5] The 33-pound wooden memento, made from reclaimed Asbury Park boardwalk planks,[6] is fashioned in the shape of New Jersey with the teams' logos imprinted on it.
Series History
[edit]While the teams met intermittently before, the series began to be played more regularly in the 1970s on a near-annual basis. Rutgers joined the Pirates in the Big East Conference in 1995,[7] ensuring an annual matchup, including several years with a regular season home-and-home. In the early 2000s, a revival in Scarlet Knight fortunes led to several high-profile and heated games between the rivals.[8] The teams continued to meet annually in the non-conference slate after diverging paths in conference realignment.
After the 2020 game was not scheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the teams squabbled about whether to continue the rivalry.[9] Rutgers had hammered Seton Hall in their previous 2019 meeting in Piscataway but Seton Hall did not schedule the Scarlet Knights for 2020, using the rationale that they could not have fans in the arena due to COVID-19 restrictions.[10] Rutgers fans accused the Hall of ducking what turned out to be its first NCAA Tournament team in 30 years in order to avoid a second-straight loss. Rutgers’ stance was that it was willing to play at Seton Hall last season and that they should resume the series in Piscataway per the terms of the contract. Seton Hall continued to insist the game be played in Newark or not at all. Ultimately, the Scarlet Knights conceded that the 2021 game would be played in Newark.
Once played, the No. 23-ranked Pirates won 77–63. With the win, Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard moved past P.J. Carlesimo into second place (213 wins) on the program's all-time coaching wins list, behind only Naismith Hall of Famer Honey Russell (294 wins).[11] Seton Hall also took strides to limit the number of Rutgers fans at the Prudential Center by boxing them out from getting tickets through the normal channels and only 1,500 Scarlet-clad faithful attended. Nonetheless, Seton Hall's efforts reduced the number from the 2016 and 2018 sellouts, in which there were roughly 3,000 Rutgers supporters. The following year, Seton Hall won its second consecutive game in the series in a low-scoring 45–43 contest[12] and the first time victory in Piscataway since 2015.
Rival Accomplishments
[edit]The following summarizes the accomplishments of the two programs.[13][14]
Team | Rutgers Scarlet Knights | Seton Hall Pirates |
---|---|---|
NCAA National Titles | 0 | 0 |
NCAA Final Four Appearances | 1 | 1 |
NCAA Tournament Appearances | 8 | 14 |
NCAA Tournament Record | 6–9 | 16–14 |
Conference Tournament Titles | 4 | 3 |
Conference Championships | 9 | 4 |
Consensus First Team All-Americans | 1 | 3 |
Naismith Players of the Year | 0 | 0 |
All-time Program Record | 1,308–1,265 | 1,571–1,119 |
All-time Winning Percentage | .508 | .584 |
Game Results
[edit]Rutgers victories | Seton Hall victories | Tie games |
|
References
[edit]- ^ "Seton Hall, Rutgers agree to renew rivalry in '21". ESPN.com. June 8, 2021.
- ^ NJ.com, Brian Fonseca | NJ Advance Media for (December 12, 2022). "Rutgers falls to rival Seton Hall in rock fight". nj.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Powell, Seton Hall thwarts late Rutgers rally, 72-66". ESPN.com.
- ^ Monteiro, Leslie. "For This Rivalry to Shine Nationally, Rutgers and Seton Hall Need to Be Good". Bleacher Report.
- ^ Accardi, Kristen. "Seton Hall vs. Rutgers: New Jersey rivalry that will last a lifetime". New Jersey 101.5.
- ^ Witz, Billy (December 13, 2021). "New Jersey Shakes Up Men's College Basketball Rankings" – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ "Rutgers vs. Seton Hall basketball: A history of high jinks". Asbury Park Press.
- ^ Finley, Bill (February 27, 2002). "COLLEGE BASKETBALL; Rutgers Revival" – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ NJ.com, James Kratch | NJ Advance Media for (June 8, 2021). "Rutgers, Seton Hall resume men's basketball rivalry game as sanity prevails". nj.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ NJ.com, Brian Fonseca | NJ Advance Media for; Media, Adam Zagoria | For NJ Advance (December 12, 2021). "Rutgers-Seton Hall preview, prediction: Who will win latest installment of N.J.'s premier college basketball rivalry?". nj.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Carino, Jerry. "Seton Hall basketball gets revenge against Rutgers as rivalry returns". Asbury Park Press.
- ^ "Seton Hall nips rival Rutgers in tight defensive battle". Associated Press. December 12, 2022.
- ^ "2022-23 Men's Basketball Media Guide (PDF)" (PDF). Rutgers University Athletics.
- ^ [1][dead link]