Seton Hall basketball fights shorthanded but falls at Alabama

Visiting 18th-ranked Alabama was going to be a tall order no matter what for Seton Hall basketball.

Doing so with a flu-ridden squad made a tough task gargantuan.

Yet the Pirates, playing without starting center Terry Copeland and with four other key players who were varying degrees of under the weather, defended the perimeter superbly and hung around before falling 82-76 Friday in their first major test of the 2026-27 campaign.

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Despite being outshot 36-18 from the free-throw line, Seton Hall rallied from 17 points down in the second half to pull within three late in the game.

The Hall (3-1) will have six days to heal up before facing Wisconsin in a two-game tournament in the Bahamas.

Nov 13, 2026; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Seton Hall Pirates guard Trey Parker (1) rebounds against Alabama Crimson Tide forward Keitenn Bristow (10) during the first half at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images

3 THOUGHTS

1. Ilay Dolinski breaks out

The absence of Coleman created an opportunity for the freshman reserve from Israel, and he showed out. The 6-foot-9 forward came off the bench to score 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting, grab five rebounds and add one assist, one steal and one block in just 17 minutes. There is no way he was on Bama coach Nate Oats’ scouring report. Credit Shaheen Holloway for giving Dolinski some runway here and he was rewarded with a performance that revealed shooting range, finishing touch and a willingness to mix it up on the glass.

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It will be fascinating to see what kind of role Dolinski earns in rotation going forward.

2. Defense traveled

Alabama (4-0) came in averaging 102 points per game as a 3-point shooting machine. The Pirates slowed the pace and defended the perimeter well, forcing the Tide’s shooters off the arc. The Crimson Tide shot just 7-of-21 from deep. Inside, junior forward Devin Williams responded to getting the start inside by registering 10 points, seven boards and four blocks.

This is an encouraging sign moving…

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Publish date : 2026-11-14 04:13:00

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