Credit: GR Productions
Pirates Get Back into Win Column, Earn Statement Win Against Auburn
Published: Sunday, December 14, 2025
by Caitlin Barrar
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – The Seton Hall Pirates (6-3) defeated the Auburn Tigers (8-3) in a hard-fought thriller Sunday afternoon by a score of 69-63.
Coming into this matchup, it was obvious winning the game depended on the team that executed and capitalized on opportunities. Coach Bozzella emphasized this by making it clear that it was imperative Seton Hall got off to a hot start, and that they did. They put together a quick 9-0 run that forced Auburn to take a timeout.
After that first media timeout, however, Auburn stormed back and drove the Pirates into their own scoring drought. Seton Hall finished the last minutes of the first quarter shooting 1-9 from the floor and found themselves in a low-scoring tie game.
But the Pirates quickly turned things around in the following quarter. Four minutes in they went on a 7-0 run that was sparked by a Jada Eads three. Eads, who finished the game with eight points and five rebounds, helped alleviate pressure on Catalon against Auburn’s top defense and opened the floor for the Pirates’ offense. Seton Hall finished the half shooting 47% and winning a physical rebounding battle.
However, Eads’ resurgence wouldn’t help the Pirates much longer as she had to be taken out of the game two minutes into the third quarter after picking up her fourth foul.
That’s when Mariana Valenzuela stepped up. Valenzuela had ten points in the third frame, shooting 3-4 from the field and 2-3 from beyond the arc. She finished the game as the Pirates’ leading scorer and rebounder with 20 points, eight rebounds, and four threes in 38 minutes.
Despite the surge, familiar issues resurfaced for the Pirates as the Tigers continued to threaten.
Much like their previous games, Seton Hall led for 36 minutes. Except this time, they were able to convert their defense into offense and close out a big game thanks to the heroics of Savannah Catalon and Jordana Codio.
Catalon and Codio each had a pair of clutch, momentum shifting threes that would seal the deal for Seton Hall. The Pirates' fourth quarter shooting woes were nowhere in sight as they shot 71% from long range in that final quarter. Catalon had nine of her 15 points in that fourth quarter, to go along with eight boards, four assists, three steals, and four three-pointers in 38 minutes.
After Messiah Hunter started the game in her place, Codio finished the afternoon with 14 points and three triples off the bench. Coach Bozzella wanted high scoring and energy from the second unit, which is exactly what he got from Codio down the stretch.
After the game, Coach Bozzella said that this “felt like a must-win” contest for Seton Hall after their first three ‘resume builder’ games didn’t end the way they wanted them to. Nonetheless, the Pirates were looking for their big win that made a difference in a tournament bid and they were finally able to get it.
The Pirates will look to carry the winning energy into their final non-conference matchup when they take on Washington State Tuesday night in Walsh Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for 7:00 P.M. where Sean Casey and Christian Oliveri will have the call 89.5 FM WSOU.
Caitlin Barrar can be reached at caitlin.barrar@student.shu.eduPosted in: sports,