George Washington vs. Seton Hall: 3-Point Preview

The Seton Hall Pirates are coming off a very impressive Paradise Jam Tournament victory, after taking down Nevada, Gardner Webb and Illinois State. Now, the Pirates return to the Garden State for a three game home-stand, starting with the Colonials of George Washington.

Three Point Shooting

For anyone that has watched Seton Hall this season, you know that the Pirates love to take shots from beyond the three-point line at a high rate. Their one problem in this contest will be GW's solid perimeter defense, reminiscent of a similar matchup when Seton Hall took on Nevada in the Paradise Jam Tournament. Heading into this matchup with the Colonials, the Pirates are shooting 46.7% from downtown, while George Washington is holding opponents to just 21.4% from three. Even if Seton Hall can knock down some three's, they should still have the advantage in this category, as George Washington shoots below 30% from beyond the arc.

Halftime Adjustments

Some adjustments the Pirates are making at halftime might actually be hurting them. The Pirates are averaging an 11-point lead this season when going into the second half, but after the break, Seton Hall has only a combined one-point advantage in the second half. The Pirates are a team that tends to turn the switch off in the second half of games, but can easily turn it back on in an instant. On the other hand, George Washington is outscoring opponents by a combined 59 points in the first half through their first four games. The Colonials have the same problem as Seton Hall, as that number decreases in the second half to a combined 18 points.

Turnovers

Seton Hall comes into this matchup averaging 13.5 turnovers a game, which by national standards is a very low number. The Pirates also force 15 turnovers a game, which is also a good amount. George Washington commits 11.5 turnovers a game, and forces just under 15. It'll be a battle of which team can hold on to the ball and take the air out of it the most. If Seton Hall plays under control and Sterling Gibbs plays like he did in the Virgin Islands last week, there may not be a team on this home stretch that can stop the Pirates.