South Orange, NJ—-Seton Hall turned Wednesday night at Walsh Gym into a lesson in momentum, surviving Marquette 64-61 in a game defined less by the final score than by the stretches where one team completely disappeared.
For nearly eight minutes to open the contest, Marquette looked fully in command. Jada Bediako finished off a blistering first-quarter surge that saw the Golden Eagles score 16 straight points, building a 20-5 advantage with just over two minutes remaining. At that moment, the game appeared comfortably in Marquette’s hands.
It didn’t stay that way.
Seton Hall closed the first quarter with four unanswered points, then completely flipped the game in the second. The Pirates ripped off a 17-0 run that spanned more than 10 minutes of game time, during which Marquette failed to score. By the time the drought finally ended, Seton Hall had erased the entire deficit and moved ahead 22-20, wiping out Marquette’s early dominance in stunning fashion.
Marquette regrouped itself late in the half, scoring the final five points before the break and adding the first four points of the third quarter to reclaim control. Halle Vice’s layup pushed the lead to seven, and a Skylar Forbes transition basket made it eight. For a brief stretch, the Golden Eagles appeared to have regained their footing, trading baskets while keeping Seton Hall at arm’s length.
That cushion didn’t last.
The Pirates answered with another extended burst, this time a 10-0 run that swung the lead back in their favor at 41-39. Once again, Marquette found itself struggling to generate offense as Seton Hall dictated the tempo. The Pirates carried a slim one-point edge into the fourth quarter, but the game remained tightly contested.
Marquette repeatedly fought back. Lee Volker knocked down a 3-pointer with 3:41 remaining to put the Golden Eagles back on top, and her pair of free throws tied the game at 54 with 2:51 left. From there, however, Marquette’s offense went cold again, managing just one field goal in the final minutes.
Seton Hall didn’t overwhelm down the stretch, but it did enough. Mariana Valenzuela continued her standout performance, finishing with a career-high 26 points, including a key basket that allowed the Pirates to maintain their narrow edge. From the free-throw line late, Seton Hall sealed the one-point victory.
The night turned somber for Marquette when Jaidynn Mason appeared to suffer a serious non-contact injury with 1:54 remaining, coming up limping after a turnover on a transition opportunity. The moment cast a shadow over an already frustrating loss, particularly on a night when Vice delivered 19 points and 13 rebounds after being listed as questionable just hours before tipoff.
Volker led Marquette with 20 points on efficient 4-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc before fouling out in the final minute, adding six rebounds. Mason finished with nine assists but also committed seven turnovers before leaving the game. Forbes struggled to score, posting five points on eight shots, though she contributed across the stat sheet with rebounds, assists, blocks, and a steal.
While the loss won’t singlehandedly derail Marquette’s postseason hopes, it was an opportunity missed. The Golden Eagles had control early, regained it briefly after halftime, and still couldn’t withstand the damage done during two decisive scoring droughts. Against a team willing to punish every lapse, Marquette paid the price.
