Myles Powell pumped in 28 points as Seton Hall held off Rutgers for a 72-66 victory Saturday afternoon at the sold-out Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Sandro Mamukelashvili added 15 points for Seton Hall (7-3), which won its previous game a week earlier by knocking off Kentucky.
Powell, the reigning Big East Conference Player of the Week, scored 21 of Seton Hall's first 49 points. He finished with six 3-point baskets.
Reserve Peter Kiss scored 16 points off the bench for Rutgers (5-5).
Eugene Omoruyi's 15 points and Geo Baker's 14 points also helped the Scarlett Knights, who were hindered by 6-for-29 shooting on 3-pointers.
The Pirates held a double-digit lead for an extended stretch, but a scoring drought of more than 5 1/2 minutes allowed Seton Hall to pull within 54-48 with 8:23 remaining.
That ended with Mamukelashvili's 3-point basket at the 7-minute mark. Mamukelashvili made two free throws to stretch the lead to 68-58 with 1:21 left.
Seton Hall led 34-25 at halftime.
Rutgers starters managed only 12 first-half points. The Scarlet Knights shot 2 for 16 on first-half 3-point attempts.
The Pirates built an 11-point first-half lead, scoring the final 16 of their points in the last 6:50 before the break.
Twenty-one of the past 25 meetings between the teams have been decided by six points or fewer or in overtime. Rutgers won last year's meeting in the Garden State Hardwood Classic.
--Field Level Media
Rutgers | Seton Hall | |
Peter Kiss 16 | Scoring | Myles Powell 28 |
Geo Baker 5 | Assists | Quincy McKnight 4 |
Shaquille Doorson 12 | Rebounds | Sandro Mamukelashvili 9 |
Eugene Omoruyi 4 | Free Throws Made | Sandro Mamukelashvili 6 |
Shaquille Doorson 3 | Steals | Myles Powell 3 |
Geo Baker 2 | Blocks | Romaro Gill 5 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Rutgers | 66 | 31.6 | 6-29 | 10-15 | 13 | 44 | 5 | 10 | 11 |
Seton Hall | 72 | 40.8 | 11-27 | 21-32 | 14 | 35 | 8 | 5 | 11 |