Seton Hall men’s basketball’s NCAA Tournament hopes took a big hit on Wednesday night, as the Pirates fell to Villanova (17-5, 8-3 BIG EAST), 72-60, at Finneran Pavilion in Villanova, Pennsylvania. The loss drops SHU to 16-7 overall and 6-6 in BIG EAST play, with them losing five of their last seven games.
The Pirates came into this one knowing how important the matchup was. A Quad 1 win at Villanova could have pushed SHU onto the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble—but instead, the Wildcats protected their home court and held the lead for the entire night.
Villanova led 40-25 at halftime and never trailed in the game. The Wildcats shot 46.7% from the field and knocked down seven three-pointers in the first half, while SHU shot 44%, but 0-for-8 from deep. Villanova’s early lights-out shooting gave them a cushion that SHU just couldn’t come back from.
The Pirates showed fight in the second half, though, scoring 35 points after the break. They cut into the lead at times, but every time they made a small run, Villanova eventually answered. The Wildcats finished the night shooting an impressive 45.1% from the field and 31% (9-for-29) from three, while SHU shot 42.9% and a near season-low 11.8% (2-for-17), respectively.
“They make their threes, we don’t,” SHU head coach Shaheen Holloway said after the game. “And that’s what happened tonight."
Fresh off earning BIG EAST Player of the Week, junior guard Adam “Budd” Clark led The Hall l with 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting, as well as three assists and three rebounds. Graduate guard AJ Staton-McCray finished with eight points and a team-high eight rebounds, but he struggled from deep, going 0-for-7 from three-point range. Junior guard Tajuan Simpkins added seven points off the bench, while sophomore guard Trey Parker also chipped in six.
Meanwhile, Villanova was led by junior guard Tyler Perkins, who also scored 18 points on the night. Senior forward Duke Brennan had a double-double, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore guard Malachi Palmer also finished with 15 points off the bench.
This loss is another tough result for SHU, especially in a venue where wins have been hard to come by. For decades, the Pirates have struggled on Villanova’s campus, with very few wins in the series being on the road.
SHU won’t have much time to think about this loss, as they travel to face Creighton (12-11, 6-6 BIG EAST) on Feb. 7. With The Hall’s BIG EAST record now at 6-6, every game matters, as they try to boost their resume and stay in the NCAA Tournament conversation. The contest in Omaha will be another big test for the Pirates, as the matchup between the two programs went down to the wire when they last met at the Prudential Center on Jan. 4.
Jaden Highsmith is the assistant editor of The Setonian’s Sports section. He can be reached at jaden.highsmith@student.shu.edu.
