In an intense battle at the Prudential Center, the Xavier Musketeers secured a thrilling 73-66 victory over the Seton Hall Pirates on Saturday, Feb. 23.
The Pirates struggled in the first half, shooting just 29.6% (8-27) from the field while managing only two free throw attempts and committing eight turnovers. Despite a commendable defensive effort, Xavier shot 54.2% (13-24) in comparison and led 40–21 going into halftime.
Seton Hall roared back in the second half, applying a full-court press that rattled Xavier’s ball handlers. The aggressive press forced 11 turnovers and allowed the Pirates to outscore the Musketeers by 12 points in the second half.
After the game, Seton Hall Coach Shaheen Holloway said that he believed the full-court press was necessary for the Pirates to mount a comeback.
“We were losing, we needed to apply the pressure for the entire half to have a chance to get back into this thing,” Holloway said.
However, despite a late surge in the final minutes, the Pirates’ efforts fell short as turnovers and foul trouble ultimately took their toll. Xavier secured the win, 73-66, extending their winning streak to four games in a row and winning seven of their last 10. With the loss, Seton Hall recorded their 20th loss of the season and currently sits at the bottom of the Big East standings with just four games remaining in the regular season.
Xavier’s standout performer was junior guard Ryan Conwell, who scored 22 points on efficient shooting—including a crucial 3-pointer late in the second half that extended the Musketeers’ lead. His sharpshooting helped fuel a significant 21-point run in the first half, enabling Xavier to maintain control for over 30 minutes of the game.
Conwell’s standout performance was complemented by senior guard Dante Maddox Jr., who added 12 points (nine in the second half), and senior forward Zach Freemantle, who contributed 11 points along with seven rebounds. The Musketeers shot an impressive 48.8% (20-41) from the field and 36.4% (8-22) from beyond the arc.
For Seton Hall, sophomore guard Isaiah Coleman led with 24 points, six rebounds, and two steals, while junior forward Prince Aligbe chipped in 11 points and six rebounds. With his 24-point performance, Coleman posted his 18th double-figure scoring game this season, doing so in 16 of his last 19 games.
Seton Hall currently stands 7–23 overall and 2–17 at conference play. They will face UConn in Storrs, Connecticut on Saturday, March 8 at 2:30 p.m.
Jaden Highsmith is a writer for The Setonian’s Sports section. He can be reached at jaden.highsmith@student.shu.edu.
