NEWARK, N.J. (Interstat) — The Seton Hall Pirates, off to a strong 7-1 start, host the surging Central Connecticut Blue Devils on Wednesday night at Prudential Center. The Pirates, whose only loss came in a narrow 83-81 defeat at Southern California, are coming off a 75-61 road win over Washington State on Nov. 26. AJ Staton-McCray led the way with 20 points in that victory. Central Connecticut (5-2) arrives with momentum, having won four of its last five games. That stretch includes a notable 67-54 road win at Rutgers. The Blue Devils are fresh off a dominant 122-57 home victory over JWU on Sunday, where Darin Smith scored 24 points and Max Frazier recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. This nonconference matchup presents a contrast in competition level. Seton Hall, a member of the powerful Big East, will face a Blue Devils squad from the Northeast Conference that has already proven capable on the road against high-major opponents. The game tips off at 7 p.m. EST Wednesday. Seton Hall travels to face Kansas State on Saturday, while Central Connecticut visits Northeastern on Sunday.