LISTEN: Seton Hall Coach Tells WFAN That Team Matured Over Course Of Season

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Seton Hall is arguably the hottest team in the country.

Just how did a squad that starts five sophomores get to this point?

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"I think they've really matured," Pirates coach Kevin Willard told WFAN's Mike Francesa on Tuesday. "We played a lot of freshmen last year that thought that they understood what the Big East was all about. And as the Big East season went on, it really ate them up.

"As they've gotten older and gotten more mature, I think they've understood what not only college basketball's all about, but most importantly what the Big East Conference was about, and it's helped them be successful."

What Seton Hall has accomplished has been impressive to say the least. The Pirates beat two top-five teams -- Xavier and Villanova -- en route to winning the Big East tournament last week and earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. They are 12-2 since Jan. 27.

"It's been a great two months for them," Willard said. "The guys have been really playing hard, playing some really good defense, rebounding the basketball. And being able to finish the season ranked 20th after a tough start has been exciting."

Seton Hall (25-8), a sixth seed in the tournament, will face 11th-seeded Gonzaga (26-7) at 9:57 p.m. Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver.

The Pirates are led by point guard Isaiah Whitehead, who averages 18.4 points and 5 assists per game.

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The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are led by forwards Kyle Wiltjer (20.7 ppg, 6.5 rebounds) and Domantas Sabonis (17.4 ppg, 11.6 rpg), the son of Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis.

Willard called Wiltjer "one of the most talented young men I've watched on film in a long, long time."

"We need to try to commit turnovers against them because they're such an efficient offensive team," Willard said. "They shoot 50 percent from the field. Their assists to turnovers -- they don't turn it over much. We have to try to get them out of their rhythm."