Pirates Face Villanova in Early BIG EAST Matchup

Published: Thursday, December 18, 2025

by Caitlin Barrar

VILLANOVA, P.A. – The Seton Hall Pirates (7-3, 1-0) are moving fully into BIG EAST play as they take on the Villanova Wildcats (8-2, 1-0) on Friday night at the Finneran Pavilion.

The Pirates find themselves coming off a two-game win streak after a massive victory against Auburn on Sunday afternoon and defeating Washington State Tuesday night. Their 74-65 victory over the Cougars was spearheaded by a breakout performance by freshman Zahara Bishop.

Bishop finished the game with 19 points and ten boards, notching her first career double-double.

It was all Seton Hall as they led wire-to-wire, jumping out to a commanding lead early and barely looking back. The Pirates built as much as a 20-plus point lead behind strong shooting and balanced contributions across the lineup. Their stellar defensive pressure led to 20 points off turnovers and kept them in control most of the night.

But once again familiar issues plagued the Pirates as they saw a 15-point lead dwindle down to three late in the fourth quarter. However, after some clutch defense by Messiah Hunter and converting at the line when it mattered most, Seton Hall avoided any last-second drama and closed out non-conference play on a high note.

Now, the Pirates are facing a surging Villanova team, the winners of six straight — including a 22-point win over #25 ranked West Virginia. The Wildcats that finished fifth in the standings last season have taken a step forward this year as they currently sit third and boast the second-best offense in the conference.

Sophomore guard Jasmine Bascoe currently leads the BIG EAST in points per game with 18.

In their previous game, which was two weeks ago, the Wildcats took down Saint Joseph’s 76-70 in the Big 5 Classic in South Philadelphia. They were led by junior forward Brynn McCurry who ended with 21 points and five boards on 6-11 shooting from the floor.

The last time the Pirates visited Finneran Pavilion, Faith Masonious hit a circus shot to beat the buzzer as Seton Hall stunned the Wildcats, 56-55. That was the Hall’s first win at Villanova since 2021.

Much like in that game, Seton Hall will need to stay composed late and execute on both ends of the floor to have a chance at another road win against a tough Wildcats team.

While it’s still early in the season, this game carries added weight for Seton Hall, as a victory could influence future tiebreakers and overall tournament positioning—particularly with a likely conference seeding battle brewing with Villanova, who currently sits just above them in the standings.

The Pirates will look to build on their momentum against their conference foe to start off consistent BIG EAST play on the right foot. Tip-off is set for 7:00 P.M. where Joe Morales and Chris Heite will have the call on 89.5 FM WSOU.

Caitlin Barrar can be reached at caitlin.barrar@student.shu.edu 

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