One of the most memorable classes in Seton Hall history is gone, having achieved its goal of reviving the program from a lengthy slumber. With Isaiah Whitehead, the Pirates won their first Big East Tournament in 23 years. With Angel Delgado, Khadeen Carrington and Desi Rodriguez, Seton Hall made back-to-back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament and nearly knocked off top-seeded Kansas to reach the Sweet 16 in March.

Now, a new era begins. Can that success be sustained?

Why Seton Hall will make the NCAA Tournament
Myles Powell was excellent in a supporting role and the junior guard has the skills and confidence to lead. Though the Pirates are young, the talented and athletic group will benefit from a down-season around the Big East as well as the opportunity to pick up several marquee non-conference wins the next two months.

Why Seton Hall will miss the NCAA Tournament
The brutal early schedule hurts the young Pirates’ confidence, leading to a poor start. There aren’t consistent enough scoring options after Myles Powell and Seton Hall has serious rebounding problems after being so consistently good under the glass with Angel Delgado.

Nov. 14 at Nebraska
The new-look Pirates have just one game — the opener against Wagner — before their first test, a trip to NCAA Tournament contender Nebraska and All-Big Ten honoree James Palmer.

Dec. 8 vs. Kentucky at Madison Square Garden
Seton Hall may be facing the No. 1 team in the country here, the showcase game of coach Kevin Willard’s daunting non-conference schedule.

Dec. 15 vs. Rutgers
Rutgers stunned Seton Hall last year at the RAC in the annual New Jersey showdown. The Pirates will remember that result — Willard will make sure of it.

Dec. 29 vs. St. John’s
Roles will be reversed this year. St. John’s is the program with all the expectations, while Seton Hall hopes to prove the experts wrong.

March 9 vs. Villanova
Tickets at the Prudential Center for the lower bowl are already sold out for the regular-season finale, pitting two rivals that have played some of the most riveting Big East games in recent years.

Who’s running the show?
Sacred Heart transfer Quincy McKnight will start, but he may not finish. Freshman Anthony Nelson, the lone true point guard on the roster, was the talk of media day. Coaches and teammates raved about the Harlem native’s poise and high basketball IQ, and he played 21 solid minutes off the bench in a recent exhibition win over Boston College.

Is Myles Powell ready to take over?
Seton Hall coaches believe he is a Big East Player of the Year contender. His type-A, take-charge personality is needed with such an inexperienced team. The junior sharpshooter is determined to be more of a playmaker, though, as the team’s leading returning scorer (15.5 points per game) he’ll often need to carry the scoring load, too.

Have the sophomores improved?
Myles Cale and Sandro Mamukelashvili keyed a late-season surge last year, when given more opportunities. The two will be counted on even more this winter, with Cale as a starting wing, and Mamukelashvili likely the first big man off the bench. Each is a strong defender, but need to produce more offensively, if the Pirates want to go back to the NCAA Tournament.

Angel Delgado can’t be replaced down low, but 6-foot-10 Taurean Thompson could become a matchup problem for many opponents. The Syracuse transfer, who averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 block in 17.9 minutes two seasons ago, can stretch defenses with his shooting ability, but will also be needed inside to grab the rebounds that Delgado monopolized the past four years.

Prediction: NIT
The Pirates are playing with house money this season — and not enough firepower. Inexperience will ultimately hold back a talented roster, which needs more time to grow. Just a few years ago, Seton Hall had gone a decade without reaching the NCAA Tournament. Willard won’t have to defend a temporary step back.