Pirates Look To Bounce Back Against Georgetown

Published: Wednesday, January 28, 2026

by Thomas Mazurowski

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Seton Hall Pirates (14-6, 8-3 CONF) head to the nation’s capital to face off against the Georgetown Hoyas (12-8, 5-6 CONF) on Thursday.

The matchup comes following a difficult 92-52 home loss against the #1 UConn Huskies. Despite securing a small lead early on, the Pirates were outmatched by the reigning champions, falling behind by the end of the first.

UConn dominated the second frame, outscoring the Hall 25-11 in the quarter. Strong performances from Azzi Fudd and Blanca Quinonez separated the two teams by over 20 points entering the second half.

However, Mariana Valenzuela’s presence in the paint gave the Pirates a pulse. The senior forward nabbed eight rebounds and 18 points, leading the offensive effort. However, turnovers and long scoring droughts stalled Seton Hall’s momentum.

Sarah Strong ended the game on top of the Huskies’ offensive effort, notching 17 points. Three other players got into double digits, with even further production coming off the bench late into the contest.

The Pirates can not let their guard down heading into Thursday. Seton Hall blew out Georgetown in their last meeting, ending 2025 with a 81-36 victory over the Hoyas on New Year’s Eve.

Points off turnovers proved to be decisive in a game where neither team could keep hold of the ball. The Hoyas lost possession 22 times, translating to 26 points for the Pirates, while Georgetown could only muster four points from 17 Seton Hall giveaways. 

Despite the mismatch last time out, Georgetown remains a threat to the Hall. The Hoyas decisively won recent contests against the St. John’s Red Storm and the Marquette Golden Eagles, some of the next closest competitors to the Pirates.

Brianna Scott and Khia Miller led the Hoyas in Georgetown’s weekend matchup against the Xavier Musketeers. Scott dominated both ends of the court, putting up 21 points, eight rebounds, and three steals. Miller contributed 17 points of her own, including back-to-back three-pointers in the second quarter.

Expecting a simple recovery game could prove detrimental to the Pirates. Keeping the pressure on the Hoyas to shut down their offensive effort will be key to taking home another win. Additionally, smart ball movement and minimizing turnovers will give the Pirates a vital edge over the competition.

Tipoff is set for 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, January 29. Jacob Glick and Nick DiBlasi will be on the call from McDonough Arena on 89.5 FM WSOU.

Thomas Mazurowski can be reached at thomas.mazurowski@student.shu.edu 

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