WSOU

Seton Hall rallies late, falls at Villanova 73-68

Date: February 24, 2019

By Michael Daly

Despite a valiant comeback effort late in the fourth quarter by the Pirates, Villanova was able to hold off The Hall. Villanova defeated Seton Hall 73-68 on Sunday afternoon at Finneran Pavilion.

1:08 into the game, Inja Butina put the Pirates on the board 2-0, with a midrange jumper on the right side. 24 seconds later, Jannah Tucker sank a three-point shot on the left wing, and Villanova took a 3-2 lead. Butina sank a hook shot with 7:52 to go, which gave Seton Hall a 4-3 advantage.

Nicole Jimenez’s straightaway three-point shot with 7:14 on the clock, put the Pirates up 7-5. With 6:50 remaining, Shadeen Samuels would add on to the lead with a layup and the Pirates led 9-5. On a fast break with 3:09 left, Kelly Jekot made a layup, and the Wildcats were ahead by six points, 15-9. Emily Esposito’s step-back jumper with 25 seconds to go distanced the Wildcats from the Pirates, when they led 19-11 at the end of the first quarter.  

In the second quarter, Brianna Herlihy canned a jumper 33 seconds into the quarter, which extended Villanova’s lead to 21-11. After Samuels turned the ball over in the paint, Tucker took advantage with a three-pointer and Villanova was ahead 27-11 at the 8:13 mark. Mary Gedaka scored a layup and the Wildcats were on top 37-18 with 3:23 remaining in the second. Desiree Elmore ended the half with a pair of made free-throws and Seton Hall went into the third quarter trailing 39-35.

To begin the third, Samuels knocked down a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 12 points, 39-27 with 22 seconds into the quarter. Herlihy turned the ball over for Villanova and Butina sank a jumper with 8:08 left. With 6:13 remaining, Gedaka’s layup on the right side of the basket gave the Wildcats a 43-33 edge.

Samuels put the Pirates within 13 points of Villanova, as they were behind 50-37 at the 4:02 mark. After Butina had the ball taken from her under Seton Hall’s basket, Gedaka stretched the floor and drilled a turnaround jumper to give Villanova a 52-37 with 2:45 in the third. With seven seconds left, Butina was fouled and she only made her last attempt of the two free-throws, which made it a 57-40 game.

In the fourth, Tucker sank a three-point shot on the left wing with 8:36 on the clock and the Wildcats were out in front 60-42. Adrianna Hahn drilled another three-pointer for Villanova, making the game 63-44 with 7:46 left. Jimenez sprinted down the floor for a fast break basket and the Pirates were in the rearview by the score of 68-54 with 3:29 left.

Butina scored on a second-chance jump shot with 1:02 left, and the Pirates trailed 69-59. Two three-pointers by Butina and Jimenez put the Pirates within four points, 69-65, with 31 seconds to go. Jimenez’s three-pointer on the right wing made the score 73-68 with six seconds left in the game. Villanova defeated Seton Hall 73-68.  

With the loss, Seton Hall falls to 14-14 on the season and 6-11 in the Big East. The Pirates will travel to Queens next Sunday to square off against the St. John’s Red Storm in their final game of the regular season.

Michael Daly can be reached at michael.daly@student.shu.edu.

Posted in: Sports, Women's Basketball, WSOU

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