Pirates Drop BIG EAST Tournament Opener to Villanova - Seton Hall University Athletics
In a late-night clash at Madison Square Garden the Seton Hall men's basketball team fell to Villanova on the opening night of the 2025 BIG EAST Tournament.
shupirates.com
NEW YORK, N.Y. — In a late-night clash at Madison Square Garden, despite the holding the nation's leading scorer to 19 points on 4-of-14 shooting, the Seton Hall men's basketball team fell to Villanova, 67-55, on the opening night of the 2025 BIG EAST Tournament.
Isaiah Coleman scored a game-high 25 points with four rebounds and three assists and Prince Aligbe had 10 points and five rebounds for the Pirates. Seton Hall outscored Villanova, 38-32, iin the second half but couldn't overcome a poor first half showing.
How It Happened
Villanova jumped out to a 6-0 lead before a dunk by Emmanuel Okorafor gave the Pirates their first basket of the game. Okorafor scored The Hall's second basket that made it 8-4 Villanova in the early stages of the game but the Wildcats were able to create separation with a 9-0 run to take a 17-4 lead at the 12:42 mark in the first half.
After a made jumper by Coleman that made it an 11-point game, 17-6, Villanova scored the game's next eight points to take a commanding 19-point lead, 25-6, at the 9:53 mark. It was an 18-point Villanova lead at the break when the Pirates came out hot to start the second half.
Garwey Dual started the half with a corner three-pointer and a layup from Coleman later made it a 13-point game, 35-22. The Wildcats answered with a field goal that pushed their lead to 15 but a 7-0 run that featured a three-pointer from Aligbe, a dunk and a jumper from Okorafor trimmed the Pirates' deficit to eight, 37-29, and forced Villanova to call a timeout with 15:52 left. However, it would be as close as the Pirates would get as Villanova went on a 13-0 run that gave them its largest lead of the game, 50-29, prompting Seton Hall to call a timeout.
With Villanova leading by 18, 61-43, with five minutes left, Dual converted a midrange jumper before the Seton Hall defense forced a turnover on the other end. A 5-1 spurt for the Pirates cut the Wildcats' lead to 12, 62-50, with 3:04 left in the contest. Despite the run, it would be the last one the Pirates would have in the game as Villanova pulled away late with the 12-point win.
News & Notes
- This was the 131st meeting between the two BIG EAST institutions and their eighth in BIG EAST Tournament play.
- With the loss, the Pirates move to 44-87 all-time against the Wildcats and 3-5 in BIG EAST Tournament play.
- Seton Hall had 28 points in the paint to Villanova's 20.
- With 25 points, Coleman recorded his 23rd game this season and 30th of his career with double-digit points this season.
- This was also his 11th game of 20+ points this season
- With 10 points, Aligbe recorded his 11th game with double-digit points in BIG EAST play.
- With eight points tonight, Okorafor tied his career high.
- With his performance tonight, Addae-Wusu ends his college career with playing over 4,100 minutes, scoring over 1,300 points, collecting over 480 rebounds and assisting on over 425 field goals.
- Dual finished with his eighth five-plus assist game of the season and the 11th of his career.
