Alabama’s first real measuring-stick game of the season arrives Friday night, and it comes with a style clash baked right in.
Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide will host Seton Hall at Coleman Coliseum in a matchup of undefeated teams, and the Pirates bring the kind of profile that can force Alabama out of its comfort zone. The two schools have split their previous two meetings, with Seton Hall winning the last one in 2010.
Shaheen Holloway’s team comes to Tuscaloosa after a major reset. Holloway is in his fifth season at Seton Hall after returning to his alma mater in 2022 following his run at Saint Peter’s, where he led the Peacocks to the Elite Eight as a No. 15 seed in 2022.
His time with the Pirates has already had some sharp turns: a 25-win season and NIT championship in 2024, then a 7-25 collapse the next year, then a strong rebound in 2025-26 that produced a 21-12 record and a Big East Coach of the Year award. Even with that turnaround, Seton Hall was one of the first four out in March and chose not to pursue another NIT bid.
What makes this matchup especially interesting is how different the two teams want to play. Alabama ranks 11th nationally in pace, while Seton Hall sits 325th, according to WalterNolan.
The Pirates have been stingy defensively, giving up just 54.7 points per game, but their offense has lagged behind. If the Tide can turn this into a transition game, the night could get away from Seton Hall quickly.
If the Pirates succeed in dragging Alabama into a half-court grind, that’s where the test really begins.
Seton Hall is also piecing together a roster almost from scratch. Holloway lost his top four scorers, a group that accounted for 41 points per game.
Among those departures was Budd Clark, the do-everything point guard now at Ole Miss, who scored 15 against Alabama in exhibition play. Reserve Trey Parker is the only scholarship player back from last season, which makes this one of the more extreme rebuilds in the country.
The Pirates are also the toughest opponent Alabama has seen so far. Seton Hall checks in at 79th on KenPom, while the Tide’s first three opponents are all outside the top 150.
A few names stand out for the visitors. Roddie Anderson, a 6-foot-3 senior in his fourth stop after UC San Diego, Boise State and Xavier, leads the team at 17 points per game and has been deadly from deep, hitting 10 of 18 threes.
Terry Copeland Jr., a 6-foot-9 junior and 270-pound presence inside, brings a different kind of problem. He took a winding path to South Orange, starting at Northern Illinois before going the junior-college route, where he was the juco player of the year last season after averaging 19.8 points and 7.9 rebounds to help Howard College win a national title.
Seton Hall also has Simeon Wilcher, a 6-foot-4 senior and former top 50 recruit who returned home after stops at St. John’s and Texas.
He’s more of a slasher than a shooter, but he’s still contributing 4.7 rebounds and one steal per game. Mihailo Petrovic, a 23-year-old junior transfer from Illinois, has emerged as a primary ballhandler and posted 12 points, six assists and three steals against Charlotte.
Del Jones, another guard, came over from Radford after earning Second-Team All-Big South honors with 17.2 points and 3.5 assists per game last season, though his minutes have started to shrink as Petrovic’s role grows. Up front, Elijah Fisher gives Holloway a physical 6-foot-6 wing who leads the team with 5.7 rebounds per game, while Devin Williams, a 6-foot-10 junior transfer from Florida Atlantic, provides length and shot-blocking off the bench and scored 16 points with two blocks against Charlotte.
For Alabama, the biggest questions are straightforward.
First, who controls the tempo? The Tide want to run and create quality looks early, while Seton Hall wants every possession to feel like a wrestling match.
The Pirates have kept opponents under 55 points per game, but they haven’t seen an offense like Alabama’s yet. If the game slows down, Alabama’s revamped frontcourt will be asked to operate in the half court for the first time this season.
Second, can the Tide keep bombing away from three? Alabama was scorching against Oakland, hitting 24 threes and matching a school record with 30 assists.
London Jemison went 6-for-6 from deep, and Amari Allen plus Aden Holloway combined to make seven of 12. Seton Hall should offer a much tougher perimeter challenge.
Third, can Alabama clean up the glass? Nate Oats has not been pleased with his team’s work on the defensive boards, and that could matter here.
Seton Hall ranks 165th nationally with a 30.2 offensive rebounding percentage, according to The Breakdown, while Alabama is allowing 35 percent and 14 second-chance points per game. Those numbers rank 285th and 271st, respectively, and that’s the kind of issue that can become a real problem once SEC play arrives.
Friday’s game is set for 8:00 p.m. CT at Coleman Coliseum and will air on SEC Network.
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