After getting snubbed by the NCAA Tournament, Seton Hall rolls into the NIT championship game

INDIANAPOLIS --It’s April and Seton Hall will play for a championship.

It’s not the postseason tournament the Pirates initially wanted to compete in, but it’s the only one that matters to them now.

After getting snubbed by the NCAA Tournament, The Hall will play Indiana State for the NIT championship on Thursday (7 p.m., ESPN) after demolishing Georgia, 84-67, at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. Seton Hall was given 250 tickets for its fans and an enthusiastic group sat behind their bench dressed in Pirate Blue, while another 50 or so came to support Indianapolis native Dre Davis. Chants of “Lets go Pirates” rang out after the final buzzer sounded.

Al-Amir Dawes, Kadary Richmond and Davis combined for 54 points for the Pirates, who won three games in the cozy and electric atmosphere of Walsh Gym to advance to the NIT’s Final Four. Dawes went off for 20 points and made 4-of-7 from deep, while Davis tallied 19 points and 9 boards and Richmond posted 15 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Jaden Bediako added 13 points and 7 boards, and Jaquan Sanders scored 11 off the bench.

“It feels very good to be still playing in a championship,” Dawes said. “It feels real good just to put the ball in the hoop again and [try to] come out with the hardware.”

Said Richmond: “Our message in the summer was we’re going to be playing for a championship in April, and that’s the position we put ourselves in. And we’re just happy to be here.”

The Pirates (24-12) and the Sycamores (32-6) were among the “First Four Out” of the Big Dance and many people -- including UConn’s Dan Hurley and St. John’s Rick Pitino -- felt Seton Hall deserved a shot on the main stage, but five “bid thieves” kept them out. Now they will play for the program’s first NIT title since 1953.

“I know it’s going to be a tough game,” Pirates coach Shaheen Holloway said. “They’re a really good team and it’s pretty much a home game for them.”

He added: “Any time you get to play for a championship, it’s super huge.”

The Sycamores advanced to the final with a decisive 100-90 win over Utah in the first semifinal in front of a huge pro-Indiana State crowd dressed in powder blue. They roared for folk hero Robbie Avila -- whose nicknames including “Larry Nerd, “Cream Abdul-Jabbar” and “Steph Blurry” -- and who finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds.

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By the time the Seton Hall-Georgia game began, only about a quarter of Hinkle’s 9,100 seats were still full, as many Indiana State fans exited to celebrate.

The Hall came roaring out of the gate, with Richmond getting a steal on Georgia’s first possession and racing downcourt for a layup.

The Pirates raced to leads of 13-2, 18-3 and 26-11 before taking a 42-25 halftime lead.

Dawes, Richmond and Davis combined for 31 at the break.

“They threw the first punch early,” Georgia guard Silas Demary Jr. said. “We threw punches back but we kind of let them take the first hit.”

In the second half, Dawes hit a corner 3 to put The Hall up 57-36.

When Davis scored on a driving layup to put the Pirates up 68-51, his personal cheering section roared from 15 feet behind the baseline. They cheered again when he blocked Blue Cain in the final minutes.

Davis had about 50 family and friends rooting him on, although his parents, Dre Sr. and Carlonda, watched the game on a computer while on a trip to Dubai. Tae Davis, the former Seton Hall wing now at Notre Dame, sat courtside cheering for his brother.

“At the end of the day, this is a a business trip and we’re coming to compete for a championship,” Davis said.

Asked if he felt Seton Hall and Indiana State deserved to be in the NCAA Tournament, Georgia coach Mike White said, “I think all four teams that are here could potentially have done damage in the NCAA Tournament.”

He added: “If Seton Hall and Indiana State had made the Tournament, they would not have looked out of place in the NCAA Tournament.”

For The Hall, the snubs are behind them.

A possible championship is in front.

“We’re still showing the world that Seton Hall is a really, really good team,” Holloway said.

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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.