![\"NCAA](\"https:\/\/images.deadspin.com\/tr:w-900\/27497170.jpg\")
Nov 3, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Seton Hall Pirates head coach Shaheen Holloway reacts during the first half against the Saint Peter’s Peacocks at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images <\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\nSeton Hall and Southern California picked up significant results to begin the Maui Invitational.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Building on those successes will be paramount when the Pirates and Trojans meet in Tuesday’s semifinals of the tournament at Lahaina, Hawaii.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Seton Hall (6-0) recorded an 85-74 victory over No. 23 North Carolina State on Monday, handing the Wolfpack their first loss. <\/p>\n<\/section>\n “A good win for us, a good win for our progress,” Pirates coach Shaheen Holloway said. “But you can’t get happy.”<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Southern California (5-0) won its second close game in a row, edging Boise State 70-67 in the first round behind Rodney Rice’s 27 points. The Trojans enjoyed a 33-15 edge in 3-point scoring, with Rice connecting four times from beyond the arc.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Coach Eric Musselman said the Trojans expect a physically grueling matchup with Seton Hall.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n “We’ve got to defensive rebound, for sure,” Musselman said, “especially with Seton Hall. They take on the personality of the head coach. They’re tough-minded.”<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The Pirates can hit the boards. They’ve had four different players as their top rebounder so far. Najai Hines, who is Seton Hall’s seventh-leading scorer, leads the team in rebounds at an average of 6.3 per game.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n <\/p>\n Holloway said there were many good signs for the Pirates to embrace from their first-round victory, particularly how they began the second half.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n “We just got to play our basketball,” he said. “We start playing the way I think we can play, I think we got a chance.”<\/p>\n<\/section>\n It wasn’t just the offense, but what Seton Hall’s defense did to North Carolina State to help ignite the offense.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n “We got some stops,” Holloway said. “We got some run-outs.”<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Holloway said he knows that success can be fleeting, but defeating the Wolfpack should help the Pirates believe in themselves.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n “I call this the marathon,” Holloway said. “This is part of the marathon for us.”<\/p>\n<\/section>\n By defeating Boise State, Southern California improved to 3-4 all-time in games in the Maui Invitational. The Trojans have never won the tournament.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Southern Cal survived a three-overtime game against Troy before heading to Hawaii. Despite the nip-and-tuck nature of November games, there’s lots for Musselman to learn about his team.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n “I’m still not sure what our go-to plays are,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n