Newark, N.J. — Seton Hall flipped the script after halftime Saturday afternoon, using a blistering early second-half run and a clutch late three-pointer to edge Marquette 69-64 in front of 8,131 fans at the Prudential Center.
Trailing 41-33 at the break, the Pirates wasted no time changing momentum. They opened the second half on a 12-3 surge to erase the deficit, a familiar issue for Marquette in road games this season. Seton Hall’s energy shift turned what had been a controlled first half for the Golden Eagles into a tightly contested finish.
Adam Clark powered the comeback, scoring 15 of his game-high 19 points after intermission. Clark also dished out six assists, steering the offense as the Pirates improved to 16-6 overall and 6-5 in Big East play.
A.J. Staton-McCray delivered the decisive blow. After Royce Parham tied the game at 64 with 1:46 remaining, Staton-McCray drilled a three-pointer from the wing at the 1:18 mark to give Seton Hall a 67-64 lead it would not relinquish.
Following a Marquette timeout, the Golden Eagles turned the ball over and were forced to foul down the stretch, allowing the Pirates to close out the five-point win.
Staton-McCray finished with 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting, knocking down three of four attempts from beyond the arc. Stephon Payne III added nine points and nine rebounds, while Tajuan Simpkins chipped in nine points of his own.
The final minutes were tense throughout. The score was tied four times — at 58, 60, 62 and 64 — before Seton Hall executed when it mattered most.
For Marquette, Parham led the way with 17 points, along with six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Nigel James Jr. contributed 16 points, six boards and two steals, while Ben Gold added 10 points. The Golden Eagles fell to 8-15 overall and 3-9 in conference play.
Despite an 18-point first half from Bud Clark and eight early points from Staton-McCray, Seton Hall entered halftime down eight. A relentless second-half effort — sparked by Adam Clark’s scoring burst — proved to be the difference as the Pirates pulled away late and defended home court once again.
