Old friends meet when No. 23 Seton Hall hosts Manhattan

NEWARK, N.J. -- They met as assistant coaches at Louisville and on Saturday Kevin Willard and Steve Masiello will oppose each other for the first time when No. 23 Seton Hall hosts Manhattan on Saturday at the Prudential Center.

Willard has guided the Pirates to a 10-2 mark, while Masiello's Jaspers are 5-6. The two were on Rick Pitino's staff from 2005 to 2007.

Manhattan leads the series, 27-20, but the two schools haven't faced each other since 2005.

"He (Masiello) needed a game, we really didn't need a game," said Willard. "I was stuck -- this was going to be our last non-conference game, I was going to stay at 12. But I also thought we were going to see some zone, and he presses and goes to…