Seton Hall lost more than a basketball game on Sunday night.
The Pirates lost second-leading scorer Sandro Mamukelashvili for six to eight weeks with a broken right wrist after he crashed to the floor in the first half of the No. 16 Pirates’ 76-66 loss to Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum. The 6-foot-11 Mamukelahsvili shoots left-handed, so it’s his non-shooting hand.
“They took an X-ray and it looked like he broke one of the bones,” Pirates coach Kevin Willard told AM970 after the game. “We won’t know the extent of the timeline until we get back and get an MRI [Monday]. But ... it’s a broken wrist, so six to eight weeks we’re looking at, probably.”
That would mean Mamukelashvili, who is considered an NBA prospect, would return between mid-January and early February during Big East Conference play. During the second half, the native of the Republic of Georgia cheered from the bench while wearing a Seton Hall sweatshirt and wrap on his wrist.
“It hurts, it hurts for him because he was having a heck of a season,” Willard said.
The Pirates had beaten the Cyclones, 84-76, on Nov. 29 at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas, but were unable to win the second matchup between the teams.
“Once we lost Sandro, we kind of went by the wayside,” Willard said.
The Pirates (6-3) run some of their offense through Mamukelashvili in the post, and will have to adjust without him. Against Iowa State (6-3), his absence impacted the offense, and they finished with 20 turnovers after averaging 12.8.
Willard said he will use sophomore Jared Rhoden, freshman Tyrese Samuel and barely used junior Taurean Thompson at the power-forward spot.
“Now I’ve got to figure out that spot with Tyrese and Taurean, get him some good work in practice because he can give us a low-post threat,” Willard said.
“I’ve got confidence in Tyrese, and I’ve got confidence in Jared that they can pick up those minutes and play the way they’re supposed to play.”
Here are five other takeaways from the loss
Rutgers up next
Seton Hall, No. 1 in the NJ.com power rankings, now has a week off before visiting No. 2 Rutgers (6-3) on Saturday afternoon at the RAC. The Scarlet Knights hung tough with No. 11-ranked Michigan State on Sunday evening before falling 77-65 in East Lansing. Cassius Winston and the Spartans are now 2-0 against Garden State opponents, having edged the Pirates 76-73 on Nov. 14 at Prudential Center.
Willard was looking for another game this week
Willard said he wanted to schedule a game this week leading up to Rutgers but was unable to do so.
“I was trying to get a game in between but we were going to have to play in Walsh [Gym] again and I didn’t want to play in Walsh this week,” he said. “So the long break was good because I thought I got some guys some rest but at the same time. ... But now, yeah, I think the four days will help build some confidence for Tyrese and Jared at that spot and build me some confidence in Taurean because he can score the basketball down low. He really can.”
Big East statement
Seton Hall’s loss was the first for the Big East in the Big East/Big 12 Battle. The Big East entered the day 4-0 in the event, with Georgetown, DePaul, St. John’s and Marquette earning wins last week over Big 12 foes. There are six more games in the series, beginning Tuesday, highlighted by No. 2 Kansas at No. 23 Villanova on Dec. 21. Seton Hall opens Big East play at DePaul (9-1) on Dec. 30.
NBA in the house
Several NBA scouts were at the game, including reps from the Magic and Pistons, according to ESPN announcer Tim Welsh. Myles Powell, Mamukelashvili and Haliburton are among those on the NBA’s radar.
Maryland looms large
Seton Hall is 0-2 against ranked teams this season, losing to then-No. 3 Michigan State in Newark and then-No. 11 Oregon in the Bahamas. They have another opportunity on Dec. 19 against No. 3 and unbeaten Maryland at the Prudential Center.
Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media.