Seton Hall @ Rutgers preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 15, 2018 ) Rutgers 66, Seton Hall 72

No. 22 Seton Hall's promising start to the season hit a significant snag this week. After suffering a loss - and a key injury - the Pirates aim to recover in time for Saturday's date at Rutgers.

The Pirates had won four of their previous five games before falling at Iowa State 76-66 on Sunday and, even worse, they lost their second-leading scorer, Sandro Mamukelashvili to a broken wrist. The junior forward, who is expected to miss up to two months with the injury, was averaging 10.9 points on 50 percent shooting from the field and 43.5 percent from the 3-point line. "This is an unfortunate injury for Sandro," said coach Kevin Willard, whose team has only one big man - Mamukelashvili - among its top six scorers. "He was having a great start to the season." Seton Hall will test its even smaller lineup against a Rutgers team that snapped a two-game skid with a solid win over Wisconsin its last time out.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT SETON HALL (6-3): The good news for the Pirates is that they still have star guard Myles Powell, who averages 22.9 points on nearly 40 percent shooting from 3-point range, but the team will still have to revamp its look without Mamukelashvili on the court. "It changes things a lot," Willard said. "But the good thing is, we have some guys that need to get comfortable in that role and step up in that role. ... We're going to need everyone to step up." Senior center Romaro Gill could see increased playing time as part of Willard's new-look lineup, as he has shot 7-of-8 from the floor over the last two games.

ABOUT RUTGERS (7-3): Rutgers has a balanced scoring attack with seven players averaging between 7 and 13 points per game and nine players overall averaging at least 10 minutes per contest. Geo Baker (12.8 points, 4.3 assists) is coming off a season-high-tying 22 points against Wisconsin after shooting 4-of-18 from the field over the previous two games. "You always got to stay positive and stay aggressive," Baker said after beating the Badgers. "I felt like I wasn't aggressive in the Michigan State game, looking for my shots and then when it's not there, find open teammates, so I really wanted to come out aggressive against Wisconsin and am just happy that it worked out this game."

TIP-INS

1. Powell has made at least four 3-pointers in seven different games this season.

2. Seton Hall leads the all-time series 40-30, including a six-point win last season.

3. Only two players on the Scarlet Knights' roster shoot above 31.3 percent from 3-point land.

PREDICTION: Seton Hall 63, Rutgers 60