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Early top 25 for 2017-18 college basketball: Post-early entry deadline

By Chris Stone

March 16, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Allonzo Trier (35) dunks to score a basket against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks during the first half of the first round of the NCAA tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
March 16, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Allonzo Trier (35) dunks to score a basket against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks during the first half of the first round of the NCAA tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Seton Hall Pirates forward Angel Delgado (31) celebrates after a basket against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the second half of the second game of the Under Armour Reunion at Madison Square Garden. Seton Hall won, 77-74. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Seton Hall Pirates forward Angel Delgado (31) celebrates after a basket against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the second half of the second game of the Under Armour Reunion at Madison Square Garden. Seton Hall won, 77-74. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /

15. Seton Hall Pirates

Notable departures: Madison Jones
Notable returnees: Khadeen Carrington, Angel Delgado, Michael Nzei, Myles Powell, Desi Rodriguez, Ismael Sanogo
Notable newcomers: Darnell Brodie, Myles Cale, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jordan Walker

Just about any time an NCAA Tournament team returns six of its seven rotation players, it figures to be a formidable foe. Such is the case with the Seton Hall Pirates. Seton Hall loses senior guard Madison Jones, but returns its other four starters and the two players that averaged more than 15.0 minutes per game off the bench.

Rising senior Angel Delgado will be a popular preseason All-American selection after averaging 15.2 points and 13.0 rebounds per game last season. The 6-foot-9 forward was arguably the second best big man in the nation during the second half of last season behind Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan. Delgado declared for the NBA Draft without an agent before deciding to come back to school.

Delgado will be surrounded by a litany of talented guards. Specifically, both Khadeen Carrington and Desi Rodriguez will be back and both averaged more than 15.0 points per game last season. With Jones no longer in the rotation, the Pirates may come to rely on Carrington to fulfill more of a lead guard role. His development there will be critical as Seton Hall needs to make some strides on the offensive end. The Pirates ranked 307th out of 351 Division I teams last season in percentage of field goals assisted. Finding more ball movement while abandoning isolations will be key to improving their offensive efficiency.