Jacob Dar’s Shines Under Bright Lights of Madison Square Garden to Lead Pirates Past Creighton
As the clock wound down during Thursday afternoon’s Big East quarterfinal at Madison Square Garden, chants of Jacob Dar rang throughout the World’s Most Famous Arena as the senior forward led Seton Hall past Creighton, 71-62.
Dar came into the game averaging two points in roughly 10 minutes per outing. However, the transfer from Rice struggled mightily in the first half of his first season at Seton Hall. Most notably, he went through a stretch from Dec. 6 to Jan. 24 where he only reached double digit minutes once. In the 10 games played during that stretch, Dar only scored six points in total and only scored in two of those games.
He did have a breakout game on Jan. 28 against Xavier, when he had 10 points in 22 minutes. However, even after that game Dar would still struggle for minutes only scoring in four of the Pirate’s final nine regular season games. But that all changed against Creighton.
“It’s great being in that atmosphere seeing all those people,” said Dar about Thursday afternoon’s game at MSG. “It’s a legendary court but my mindset was just to compete at the end of the day and that’s the fun part that’s why I love basketball.”
While Seton Hall struggled early in the second half against Creighton, Dar checked in and made his presence felt immediately. On his first possession Dar made an incredible back cut leading to a trip to the foul line, where he made 1-of-2. Little did Dar know but he would not come out the rest of the game.
On the Pirates next offensive possession, Dar hustled to grab a missed three from Tajuan Simpkins, later scoring on a three-point play. Then following a Trey Parker layup, the Pirates were building momentum again, now up 44-42, Dar drilled a corner three giving the Pirates a five-point lead with 11:32 remaining.
Dar spoke of his hustle translating from practice to games saying, “The same way we play in games is the same way we practice playing hard and competing so it’s like an everyday thing for us.”
Every time it seemed like the Pirates needed a big play, Dar seemed to come up with one. With the shot clock winding down and the Pirates holding a 52-47 lead with 7:45 remaining, Tajuan Simpkins missed an awkward step-back jumper leading to a loose ball rebound. From out of nowhere, Dar came sprinting in from the right corner to the free throw line and grabbed a key rebound.
Dar finished the game with a season high 16 points, adding in five rebounds and one steal on 83% shooting in 15 minutes. “My coaches trust me, my teammates trust me, so it was just about going out there, playing hard, putting in the work,” Dar said in the locker room afterward. “It’s always going to pay off. So, it felt great seeing that.”
The tandem of Dar, Simpkins and Parker, who added six of their own off the bench played a giant role in the victory with the bench accounting for 30 of the Pirates 71 points.
However, it was more than just the scoring that caught the eye of newly crowned Big East Coach of the Year Shaheen Holloway. “I always told him, just stay ready,” said Holloway. “[Dar] practiced hard, just like he plays, and that kind of stuff is contagious.”
The win was that much sweater for Dar who grew up in Omaha, Nebraska right near the Creighton campus. “Growing up I always knew about Creighton and that they were a really good program,” said Dar. “To play against them today and to get a win was special. It made me think back to all those times in Omaha in the gym working trying to get better.”