Seton Hall is losing players at the same alarming rate it is losing games. After yesterday’s 78-67 setback against Connecticut consigned the shorthanded Pirates to a fifth consecutive defeat, they are on the verge of losing their season.
Guard Aaron Cosby returned to the lineup with a career-high 25 points, and Fuquan Edwin played through a right ankle injury to post 19 points and five steals. But bereft of Brandon Mobley and Brian Oliver, the rest of the Pirates (13-11, 2-9 Big East) combined for just 23 points as turnovers, missed foul shots and fatigue turned a seven-point second-half lead into their ninth loss in 10 games.
“We just continue to kill ourselves. Turnovers toward the end really killed us — that’s the ballgame right there,’’ Edwin said. “I was just telling our guys we have to get one [win]. I didn’t get that feeling in a long time, that winning feeling. It [stinks], but we’re going to figure out, find a way to pull through and get a victory.’’
UConn (16-6, 6-4) pulled through thanks to guard Shabazz Napier’s 22 points (18 in the second half), nine assists and six steals. Ryan Boatright added 20 points. With the Hall up 46-42 with 12:15 left, Napier made a free throw, a transition layup and a straightaway 3-pointer in a 9-0 run that put UConn up by five.
“We had three turnovers in a row when we were up seven, that really changed the momentum of the game,’’ said Hall coach Kevin Willard, who has seen injuries change the momentum of the season.
“We don’t feel sorry for ourselves. We’re disappointed we lost, but it’s a matter of us figuring out how to win more than us losing. Every time we do good things … like in Pittsburgh, we played good defense, but we struggled on offense. Here we play pretty good offense, but we struggle on defense.’’
The Pirates are badly outmanned. Guard Freddie Wilson has left the program. Junior forward Patrik Auda is injured, junior swingman Oliver (right ankle) is day-to-day and sophomore forward Mobley (right shoulder) could be lost for the season.
“I’m going to sit with the doctors [today] and contemplate shutting him down and having surgery,’’ Willard said of Mobley. “Brandon dislocated his shoulder again on Wednesday. … If it keeps popping out, it’s not going to do us any good. You think you have him, then you don’t.’’
Down early, the Hall made a game of it. Edwin’s scoop capped a 16-0 run and put the Pirates up 28-25, and they held a 43-36 lead in the second half. But after missing their only free throw in the first half, they missed 10 of 16 in the second-half collapse.
Now they brace for tomorrow’s game at rival Rutgers, amid a six-game skid.