Thursday night may always be remembered as one of the biggest nights in college basketball in the state of New Jersey. Seton Hall defeated the seventh-ranked Texas Longhorns at the Prudential Center in Newark. 29 miles south, Rutgers upset the No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers at Jersey Mike’s Arena. What can these teams do for an encore? Battle it out for the Garden State Hardwood Trophy with the entire college basketball universe focused on the battle in Newark.
The inter-state rivals resume their rivalry after a COVID-based hiatus. The 23rd-ranked Pirates bring an 8-1 record into the contest.