Game Book | Villanova Quotes | Seton Hall Quotes

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – In a game of runs, No. 2 seed Villanova garnered the most momentum to push past No. 3 seed Seton Hall, 62-48, and advance to the title game of the 2026 BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Tournament Presented by Jeep.
 
Villanova will return to Mohegan Sun Arena Monday at 7 p.m. ET to take on the nation’s top-ranked team, the UConn Huskies. The game will air on Peacock and NBCSN. It marks the sixth BIG EAST title game appearance for the Wildcats in program history, and the first since 2023.
 
Junior forward Brynn McCurry (16 points) and sophomore guard Jasmine Bascoe (15 points) led the Villanova offensive attack. With 13 points apiece, Zahara Bishop and Jordana Codio paced the Pirates.
 
Villanova wasted no time taking control in the opening quarter against Seton Hall, racing out to a dominant start with a 12–0 run over the first 3:10 of the game. Guard Jasmine Bascoe sparked the surge, scoring seven of her 13 first-half points during that early stretch as Villanova pushed the tempo and capitalized on Seton Hall’s mistakes.
 
The Wildcats’ defensive pressure played a major role in the early separation. Villanova forced seven Seton Hall turnovers in the opening quarter and converted them into nine points, while committing just two giveaways of its own. The Pirates struggled to find any rhythm offensively, shooting just 2-of-10 from the field in the opening 10 minutes. By the end of the quarter, Villanova held a firm 18–7 advantage, setting the tone with efficient offense and disruptive defense.
 
In the second quarter, the teams traded baskets through the opening minutes before Villanova created another burst of separation midway through the half. The Wildcats used a decisive 10–0 run from the 4:59 mark to the 2:33 mark to extend their lead to 36–16. Seton Hall answered just before halftime, stringing together a 9–0 run of its own to claw back into the game. The late push trimmed the margin to 11, sending the teams into the locker room with Villanova holding a 36–25 advantage.
 
The defensive pressure made the difference in the first half, as Villanova turned 10 SHU turnovers into 17 points, while four Wildcat turnovers only led to seven points for the Pirates.
 
Villanova reclaimed control right out of the gate in the third quarter, opening the first six minutes by shooting an impressive 7-of-10 from the field. The hot streak allowed the Wildcats to push the lead to 51–30 by the under-five media timeout. However, Seton Hall once again refused to back down, closing the third quarter and carrying momentum into the fourth with a 9–0 run that cut the deficit and gave the Pirates a fighting chance as the final quarter began.
 
A made field goal drought In the final frame extending more than seven minutes for the Pirates was the final nail in the coffin, as Villanova pulled away in the waning minutes to secure the win.
 
For the game, Villanova shot 24-of-61 (.393) from the field and 5-of-28 from deep, while Seton Hall was 17-of-52 (.327) overall and 3-of-16 from long range. The Wildcats scored 23 points off 16 SHU turnovers, while the Pirates scored 11 from nine Villanova turnovers.