Pirates Fall as Princeton Rallies in Fourth, 82-78

Tuesday, December 2

Jadwin Gym / Princeton, N.J.

7:00 PM

Seton Hall University

4-1,0-0Big East

Princeton

8-1,0-0Ivy League

Seton Hall

Princeton

Photo by: Justin DiPietro

12/2/2025 10:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score BOX SCORE (.pdf)

Savannah Catalon scored a team-high 24 points in the setback.

PRINCETON, N.J. – Junior Savannah Catalon (Mansfield, Texas) had a season-high 24 points, but the Seton Hall women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season, 82-78, at Princeton on Tuesday.

The Pirates led for over 31 minutes and were up by as many as 14 points in the second quarter, but were outscored 22-to-13 in the fourth quarter as the Tigers rallied. Whereas Seton Hall was lights out down the stretch from the free-throw line against Fordham on Nov. 20, it was Princeton that took advantage from the line tonight. The Hall was only 13-for-21 from the line, while the Tigers were 15-for-16.

Catalon had 24 points to go with five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Sophomore Jada Eads (Orlando, Fla.) collected her third career double-double with 13 points, a game-best 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals. Mariana Valenzuela (Mazatlan, Mexico) had 13 points, seven rebounds and a pair of blocks.

THE STORY:
The Pirates started hot, and an offensive rebound and putback by Shailyn Pinkney (East Hartford, Conn.) gave them a 12-5 lead with 5:43 left in the first quarter. Zahara Bishop (Minneapolis, Minn.) went baseline for a score to give The Hall an 18-9 advantage, but Princeton came back with back-to-back made three-pointers to cut their deficit to 18-15 with 2:55 left in the opening quarter.

The Hall answered with an 8-0 run, capped by a three-pointer by Codio, to extend its lead to 26-15, with 9:00 left in the opening half. A made three-pointer by Eads put Seton Hall in front, 37-23, but Princeton responded with an 18-5 run to cut its deficit to one point, 42-41. The Pirates took a 45-43 lead into the halftime break. Princeton were 9-for-17 from three-point range in the first half, which kept Seton Hall from running away.

Trailing 51-49, The Hall went on a 9-0 burst and a putback layup by Eads gave The Hall a 58-51 lead with 4:23 left in the third quarter.

Princeton opened the fourth quarter with a 10-4 burst to grab a 70-69 lead with 6:15 left to play. Trailing 74-73, Catalon found Valenzuela down low for a bucket to give the Pirates the lead with 4:21 remaining, but a three-pointer by Princeton's Skye Belker with 3:55 to go gave the Tigers the lead for good. Down four, a driving layup by Catalon with 1:00 left cut The Hall's deficit to 80-78, and the Pirates got the ball back with a chance to tie or take the lead, but Eads turned the ball over.

This one from Savannah Catalon was from South Orange!!#HALLin 🏀🏴‍☠️🔵⚪ pic.twitter.com/awGkkOCtps
— Seton Hall Women's Basketball (@SHUWBB) December 3, 2025

THE NUMBERS:

Seton Hall was 29-for-67 (43.3%) from the floor for the game, while Princeton was 28-for-61 (45.9%). The Hall was 7-for-23 (30.4%) from three-point range, while the Tigers were 11-for-26 (42.3%).
Catalon had a team-high 24 points on 8-for-15 shooting to go with five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Princeton out-rebounded The Hall, 41-to-33, which included a 14-to-13 edge on the offensive glass and a 16-to-15 advantage in second-chance points.
Eads had a double-double with 13 points, a game-high 10 rebounds, a team-high five assists and two steals.
Seton Hall was 13-for-21 (61.9%) from the free-throw line, while Princeton was 15-for-16 (93.8%).
Valenzuela had 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
Seton Hall forced 15 turnovers, while the Tigers forced only six. The Hall had a 19-to-7 advantage in points-off-turnovers.

Jada Eads... just... too... pretty...#HALLin 🏀🏴‍☠️🔵⚪ @MarchMadnessWBB pic.twitter.com/9cO7tkHZhj
— Seton Hall Women's Basketball (@SHUWBB) December 3, 2025

THE NOTES:

Seton Hall suffers its first loss of the season and drops to 4-1, while Princeton improves to 8-1.
The Pirates fall to 13-11 all-time against the Tigers and have now lost four straight in the series.
Catalon reached 20 points in a single game for the ninth time in her career.
Eads' double-double is her first of the season and the third of her career.
The Hall's six turnovers tonight are a season-low.
Princeton's .459 shooting percentage and 11 made three-pointers are both season-highs for a Seton Hall opponent.
Seton Hall's .619 free-throw percentage is a season-low.
The Pirates have scored at least 78 points in all five game so far this season.

UP NEXT:
Seton Hall will return to action on Thursday, Dec. 4 when it opens the BIG EAST portion of its schedule against Butler in historic Walsh Gymnasium. Tip-time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.