MBB Minute: Seton Hall used a 13-0 run over the last 2:54 to complete a comeback at Marquette, while Creighton moved to 3-0 in league play, holding off a late push from Butler on Tuesday night.  Wednesday features a trio of BIG EAST contests to close out the 2025 calendar year.

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Seton Hall 79, Marquette 73 - Box Score 
Seton Hall erased a 10-point second half deficit and rallied to win its second BIG EAST road game in Milwaukee.  Down 60-50 with less than 10 minutes to go, the Pirates closed out on a 29-13 push - including 13 unanswered over the last 2:54.  The game was back-and-forth up to that point, with 11 lead changes and three ties.  Marquette used a 16-0 second half run to build a double-digit lead before the Pirates' comeback. Stephon Payne was outstanding for Seton Hall, finishing with 14 points, a career-best 22 rebounds, and three blocks.  AJ Staton-McCray scored 14 points, while Budd Clark added 13 points, four boards, six assists, and three steals.  Four Golden Eagles finished in double figures, led by 19 points and eight rebounds from Ben Gold.  Nigel James Jr. posted 16 points, four boards, and five assists.  Chase Ross and Royce Parham each had 15 points.

Of Note

• Payne's 22 rebounds are the most by a BIG EAST player in a single game this season and marks the highest rebounding total in a BIG EAST game since Dec. 20, 2022 (22 - Bryce Hopkins, Providence vs. Marquette).  The last SHU player with at least 20 rebounds in a game - 23 by Angel Delgado against Kansas on March 17, 2018 in the NCAA Tournament
• Seton Hall's 12-2 mark matches its best 14-game start to a season since 2017-18

Creighton 89, Butler 85 - Box Score 
The Bluejays moved to 3-0 to start for the first time since 2013-14, holding off a late push from Butler in Omaha.  After a Bulldogs bucket to start the game, Creighton scored the next 12 points, taking a 12-2 lead less than four minutes into the game.  Down 29-18 midway through the opening frame, a 10-0 Butler run cut it to one (29-28) but would trail 44-35 at the break.  Creighton built an 11-point advantage (82-71) with 3:14 to play, but four Butler 3-pointers over the final two minutes got the Bulldogs within two with three seconds left.  Jasen Green led the Jays with a career-high 23 points, sealing with win with six free throws down the stretch.  Austin Swartz added 22 points and Isaac Traudt 16 as Creighton connected on 13 3-pointers.  Yohan Traore led Butler with 20 points, while Michael Ajayi tallied his 11th double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 boards. 

Of Note

• The Bluejays have made 89 3-pointers over their last seven games
• Butler's Stink Robinson became the third BIG EAST freshman to tally at least eight assists in a game, joining Villanova's Acaden Lewis and Providence's Stefan Vaaks

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Three games are scheduled for New Year's Eve, beginning with UConn at Xavier at 5 p.m. on Peacock and NBC Sports Network.  FS1 will air a doubleheader, beginning at 6 p.m. as DePaul heads to Villanova, followed by St. John's at Georgetown at 8 p.m.

Peacock / NBC Sports Network
UConn at Xavier - 5 p.m. ET 
John Fanta (pxp); Nick Bahe (analyst)

FS1
DePaul at Villanova - 6 p.m. ET
Emmanuel Berbari (pxp); Donny Marshall (analyst)

St. John's at Georgetown - 8 p.m. ET
Alec Cohen (pxp); Phil Martelli (analyst)

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BIG EAST Men's Basketball Public Availability Reports 

Beginning in 2025-26, the BIG EAST Conference will provide public reports on the availability of student-athletes in conference games in the sports of men's and women's basketball. 

Men's Basketball Availability Report

BIG EAST schools will be required to submit availability reports three hours before the scheduled tipoff time.  Under the reporting structure, players will be designated as "questionable" or "out."  Availability reports will be posted on the BIG EAST website throughout the 2025-26 season: