Pirates Drop BIG EAST Tournament Opener to Villanova

Wednesday, March 12

New York, N.Y.

9 p.m.

Seton Hall University

7-25,2-18Big East

Villanova

19-13,11-9Big East

Seton Hall

Villanova

Pirates Drop BIG EAST Tournament Opener to Villanova

3/13/2025 12:05:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

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 131^st 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 23^rd game this season and 30^th of his career with double-digit points this season.
- This was also his 11^th game of 20+ points this season
With 10 points, Aligbe recorded his 11^th 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.