Valenzuela, Pinkney Erupt as Pirates Exorcise Demons at Creighton, 88-79

Monday, December 22

DJ Sokol Arena / Omaha, Neb.

4:00 PM

Seton Hall University

8-4,2-1Big East

Creighton

6-6,2-1Big East

Seton Hall

Creighton

Valenzuela, Pinkney Erupt as Pirates Exorcise Demons at Creighton, 88-79

12/22/2025 7:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score BOX SCORE (.pdf)

OMAHA, NEB. – Mariana Valenzuela (Mazatlan, Mexico) and Shailyn Pinkney (East Hartford, Conn.) both topped 20 points as the Seton Hall women's basketball team held off Creighton, 88-79, on Monday for its first victory in Omaha in in 10 years.

Seton Hall used a 20-0 first-quarter run to take a large lead and never relinquished it. The Pirates, however, did have to hold on late as a 13-0 Creighton run cut The Hall's lead to just five points with under a minute left. The Pirates shot a season-high 56.1 percent from the floor for the game.

Valenzuela was dominant early, scoring a team-high 23 points on 8-for-12 shooting, including 4-for-5 from three-point range. She also grabbed six rebounds. Pinkney shattered her career-high with 21 points on 8-for-10 shooting to go with four rebounds.

Jada Eads (Orlando, Fla.) had 18 points to go with six rebounds, five assists and four steals. Jordana Codio (Winter Garden, Fla.) added 14 points, including six in the fourth quarter.

THE STORY:
Creighton scored the first seven points of the game, but Seton Hall came racing back with a 20-0 run, including 12 points from Valenzuela to grab a 20-7 lead with 3:20 left in the first quarter. The Pirates were 8-for-10 in the burst, including 4-for-5 from three-point range. Creighton cut into The Hall's lead, but Eads hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to send the Pirates into the second up, 30-20. Valenzuela was 6-for-6, including 3-for-3 from three-point range for 15 points in the first 10 minutes alone.

Leading 37-25, Pinkney sank corner three-pointers on back-to-back possessions to send Creighton to a timeout and give The Hall a 43-25 lead with 5:34 left to play before halftime. Trailing 50-30, the Bluejays hit three-pointers on back-to-back possessions to cut their deficit to 50-36 with 2:34 before the break. The Hall had the last run of the half and took a 56-36 advantage into the locker room. The Hall shot 68.8 percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes.

Trailing 69-50, Creighton scored seven straight to cut its deficit to 69-57, but a couple of late buckets by The Hall sent the Pirates into the fourth quarter up, 73-57.

A layup by Pinkney have The Hall an 84-66 lead with 3:35 left, but Creighton came roaring back in the final minutes, and a 13-0 run cut their deficit to 84-79 with 42 seconds left. The Hall, however, was able to ice the game on the free-throw line.

SHAY PINKNEY... 😤😤😤 pic.twitter.com/1qEiEzvKPJ
— Seton Hall Women's Basketball (@SHUWBB) December 22, 2025

THE NUMBERS:

Seton Hall was 32-for-57 (56.1%) from the floor for the game, while Creighton was 26-for-59 (44.1%). The Hall was 11-for-23 (47.8%) from three-point range, while the Bluejays were 13-for-33 (39.4%).
Valenzuela had a team-high 23 points on 8-for-12 shooting, including 4-for-5 from three-point range. She also had six rebounds.
The Hall out-rebounded Creighton, 36-to-26, which included a 10-to-9 edge on the offensive glass.
Pinkney had a career-high 21 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the floor and 3-for-5 from three-point range. She also had four rebounds and two assists in 28 minutes.
Seton Hall was 13-for-16 (81.3%) from the free-throw line, while Creighton was 14-for-17 (82.4%).
Eads had 18 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals.
Seton Hall forced 14 turnovers, while the Bluejays forced 16.
Codio finished with 14 points, including six in the fourth quarter.
The Pirates had 34 points in the paint, compared to just 22 for Creighton.
Savannah Catalon (Mansfield, Texas) had eight points, seven rebounds, six assists and drew a team-high eight fouls.

Shailyn Pinkney connects on three pointers on back-to-back possessions to send Creighton to another timeout!!#HALLin 🏀🏴‍☠️🔵⚪ @ESPN @BIGEASTWBB pic.twitter.com/caKQNIOpVW
— Seton Hall Women's Basketball (@SHUWBB) December 22, 2025

THE NOTES:

Seton Hall improves to 8-4 overall and 2-1 in the BIG EAST, while Creighton drops to 6-6 overall and 2-1 in conference play.
The Pirates improve to 7-23 all-time against Creighton and snap a nine-game losing streak to them.
Seton Hall shot a season-high 56.1 percent from the floor for the game.
Today's win is Seton Hall's first at D.J. Sokol Arena since Dec. 31, 2015. The Hall snapped an eight-game losing streak in Omaha.
Today is Eads' 20^th birthday.
Seton Hall's 56 first-half points are the most for a single-half so far this season. Furthermore, its 30 points in the first quarter match its highest total in a single-quarter so far this season.
Valenzuela's 15 first-quarter points are the most any Pirate has scored in a single-quarter this season and is tied for the ninth-most in a single-quarter in program history.
Valenzuela reached 20 points for the fourth time in her career, all this season.
This was Pinkney's first career 20-point game.
The Hall improves to a perfect 6-0 when out-shooting its opponent.
With four points today, Ja'Kahla Craft (Elks River, Minn.) has surpassed the 100-points milestone for her career.
With 21 points today, Pinkney has surpassed the 200-points milestone for her career.

UP NEXT:
Seton Hall will be back in action on Sunday, Dec. 28 when it returns to historic Walsh Gymnasium to host BIG EAST foe Xavier. Tip-time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET.