Not all surprises in college sports are good surprises, but the last-minute arrangement of Seton Hall’s game against Iona on Monday night was a pleasant one for Kevin Willard and the Pirates. While it served as another good tune-up ahead of their Big East schedule in December, it also provided Willard with the opportunity to get a nice 86-64 win over his old mentor, Rick Pitino, in the Pirates’ home-opener at the Prudential Center.
“The emotions hit me when I walked on the floor and saw [Pitino],” Willard said. “Just hearing him coach, it felt like I was an assistant coach again.