by Josh Adams

SOUTH ORANGE- 

As Seton Hall reloads for the 2020-21 season they have landed one of the top transfers in the nation as Bryce Aiken decided to return home to New Jersey as he announced his transfer from Harvard to Seton Hall on Thursday. He will be immeadiately available to play this year after missing the bulk of last season with a foot injury. The Patrick School (NJ) grad was ranked as the 86th best recruit in his senior season and was heavily recruited by Seton Hall and other power five schools but decided to take the opportunity to attend Harvard and play for Tommy Amaker. While playing for the Crimson, Aiken excelled on the court from the start of his career by winning the Ivy League Rookie of the Year award. He was named on the first team All-Ivy twice.  Aiken averaged 16.8 ppg. for Harvard over three seasons with a career high of 22.2 ppg. in 2018-19.

Aiken’s quote to 247sports.com Evan Daniels about his decision to attend Seton Hall seems like it was a fairly easy decision for him.

“To me, it was a no brainer; I knew where I belonged. I was offered the opportunity to wear the Pirate blue after my high school career and I wasn’t going to let that opportunity pass for a second time.”

Aiken remained close with Seton Hall’s Myles Powell who was recruited in the same year. Powell lobbied Aiken hard to chose Seton Hall and the two NJ natives talked throughout the process. Seton Hall has a special relationship with the Patrick School in that it’s five miles away from campus and current assistant coach Grant Billmeier and former All Big East Center Angel Delgado both are graduates.

There’s no doubt that Seton Hall will miss the production in the backcourt that they had from Powell and Quincy McKnight as they both graduated after this season. However, with Aiken now slotted in the starting lineup and Takal Molson, a former All-MAAC transfer from Canisius in their backcourt, there’s potential for the Pirates to contend once again in the Big East in 2020-21. With the emergence of Sandro Mamukelashvili as one of the top players in the Big East and glimpses this past season on Jared Rhoden’s potential, there’s no reason to think that Kevin Willard’s streak of 5 straight NCAA Tournament apperances for the Pirates will be in jeopardy.