Why Seton Hall can’t afford to let up one second vs. Georgetown

Seton Hall survived what would have been an NCAA Tournament-crippling loss at DePaul on Saturday, keeping its March hopes alive. Up next is another Big East bottom-feeder, as Georgetown visits Prudential Center on Tuesday (6:30 p.m., FS1).

But the Pirates, tied for fourth place in the Big East with Providence, Xavier and Marquette, may not have integral junior forward Ismael Sanogo, who reinjured a sprained ankle in the win over DePaul.

Sanogo, Seton Hall’s defensive ace and the team’s rock, hasn’t been ruled out of Tuesday’s game yet. Coach Kevin Willard told The Post he will be a game-time decision. But Sanogo needed crutches after the win Saturday, and the Pirates (18-10, 8-8 Big East) have struggled mightily without him, losing to St. John’s and Stanford, and defeating Providence and Quinnipiac. In the four games Sanogo hasn’t played, the opposition is averaging 73.2 points per game against the Pirates, 2.1 over their season average. Most telling, the losses to St. John’s and Stanford were Seton Hall’s worst performances of the season.

Fortunately for Seton Hall, Georgetown (14-15, 5-11) is reeling, having lost three straight games and five of six, and is just 2-5 on the road in conference games. It was against the Hoyas the Pirates began to turn their season around, pulling out an overtime victory in Washington on Feb. 4 that started this run of five wins in seven contests. With a trip to No. 13 Butler on Saturday in the regular-season finale, Seton Hall can’t afford a misstep.

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