VILLANOVA, Pa. – There are lots of reasons why Seton Hall basketball has not won a game on Villanova’s campus in 32 years and counting, but problem No. 1 was on display in the Pirates’ latest addition of Pain at the Pavilion.
The Wildcats can shoot it from deep, and the Hall can’t.
The Pirates bombed up brick after brick, losing 72-60 and squandering one of the few remaining chances for a needle-moving win as their perch on the NCAA Tournament bubble grew more precarious.
Seton Hall (16-7 overall, 6-6 Big East) shot 2-of-17 from 3-point range, most of them uncontested. The Pirates also went minus-10 on the glass and got just six total rebounds from their five power players (four total from centers Stephon Payne and Najai Hines and just two more from the three interchangeable power forwards). The Pirates are now 1-4 against Quadrant 1 opponents and have two more chances at signature verdicts – a seemingly impossible task at UConn Feb. 28 and at home vs. St. John’s in the regular-season finale March 6.
Villanova (17-5, 8-3) completed the season sweep with ease, hitting nine 3-pointers and never trailing. After years of getting his head kicked in in this building as Seton Hall’s skipper, Kevin Willard is now 2-0 against the program where he made his name.
And now, the historical context: Since winning at the Pavilion in 1994, PJ Carlesimo's last season at the helm, the Hall is 1-23 at Villanova, including 0-17 on the Wildcats' campus.
FIVE TAKEAWAYS
1. Same starting lineup, same starting hole
For the 23rd straight game, the Pirates started the same five players. In Groundhog Day fashion, that unit fell into an early hole and never held the lead. Nova was up 9-4 with 14:07 left when Shaheen Holloway checked in Tajuan Simpkins, Najai Hines and Josh Rivera.
After the Hall went into halftime trailing 40-25, Simpkins and Hines started the second half.
2. Budd Clark homecoming
This was a home game for Hall point guard Budd Clark, who played high school ball 10 miles to the east at West Catholic in Philadelphia. He had a sizable cheering section in attendance and those fans made themselves heard loud and clear during introductions and every time Clark scored.
The reigning Big East Player of the Week finished with 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting, three rebounds and three assists. He was the one Pirate who brought it offensively.
3. Kudos to Kevin Willard
Villanova is on its way to the NCAA Tournament after having been ranked seventh in the Big East preseason coaches’ poll (which we all know is worthless, but still). It pays to be the guy after the guy – Willard is the toast of the Main Line after three dud seasons under the inept Kyle Neptune.
Willard’s decision to leave Maryland after three seasons due to the Terrapins’ lack of financial commitment to basketball (shoveling money into its football sinkhole instead) proved prescient. Despite hiring a proven winner in Buzz Williams, the Terps are 8-13 overall and 1-9 in the Big Ten.
As a side note, Jay Wright was in the house for this game. He’s still employed by the university as special assistant to the president but only slips in for games occasionally.
4. Retire the black uniforms
The black uniforms just seem out of place. Seton Hall is a blue-and-white program, and already has the grays as a change-of-pace road uniform. The team memorably wore all black for one of its most infamous losses in recent memory – the 2019 rout at Rutgers when Myles Powell suffered a concussion .
5. Must-win at Creighton
If the Pirates aren’t going to collect a signature win, they have to stack up as many good-if-not-great victories as possible. Saturday’s trip to Creighton (6 p.m. tip) falls into that category. The Jays (12-10, 6-5) are hanging onto Quad 1 designation by a thread. They’re 9-3 at home this season, and the Hall hasn’t won in Omaha since 2022 but did take the first meeting between these clubs in Newark.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Seton Hall basketball: Big win elusive as skid at Villanova continues