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Seton Hall Pulls Away Late to Defeat Xavier 77–68
By
Musketeer Madness,
3/5/2026
The Xavier Musketeers battled through a tightly contested game but could not keep pace down the stretch as the Seton Hall Pirates pulled away for a 77–68 win Monday night at Cintas Center.
The loss drops Xavier to 14–16 overall and 6–13 in the Big East Conference, while Seton Hall improved to 20–10 overall and 10–9 in league play.
The game was competitive throughout the first half, with neither team able to build much separation. Xavier briefly grabbed momentum midway through the period as Filip Borovicanin knocked down a three-pointer and Malik Messina-Moore followed with another from deep. Still, Seton Hall answered repeatedly, and Stephon Payne III scored inside with 45 seconds left to give the Pirates a narrow 33–32 lead at halftime.
The second half remained tight early. Xavier’s Elijah Fisher and Jovan Milicevic traded baskets with Seton Hall as the lead changed hands multiple times in a game that featured eight ties and 10 lead changes.
Seton Hall eventually created breathing room behind efficient second-half shooting, hitting 17 of 31 shots (54.8%) after the break. Adam Clark led the Pirates with 16 points, while A.J. Staton-McCray added 12 and Mike Williams III contributed 10 points and five assists. Tajuan Simpkins also scored 10 off the bench.
Xavier was paced by Borovicanin, who finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, and a team-high seven assists. Messina-Moore added 12 points, while All Wright scored 10 points with five assists. Pape N’Diaye provided a spark off the bench with 10 points and three blocks.
Despite shooting a solid 40.9% from three-point range (9-for-22), Xavier struggled to keep up on the glass and with turnovers. Seton Hall held a 37–30 rebounding advantage and converted Xavier miscues into 16 points.
The Pirates also dominated inside, outscoring the Musketeers 38–30 in the paint and shooting 92.9% from the free-throw line (13-of-14).
Xavier stayed within striking distance late but could not string together the stops needed to close the gap as Seton Hall sealed the nine-point victory.
The Musketeers will close out the regular season they travel to Philly to take on Villanova on Saturday before beginning the BIG EAST conference tournament next week.
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