The marquee matchup of Thursday’s college basketball action was the top 25 battle between No. 7 Texas and No. 23 Seton Hall.
The Longhorns (6-2) had a chance to notch a solid resume-building win, but the Pirates (8-1) held on for a 64-60 win in front of their home fans in Newark, NJ.
The win over Texas is Seton Hall’s fifth consecutive win and their second win over a top-ten opponent this season. On November 16, the Pirates went on the road and defeated then-No. 4 Michigan 67-65.
Seton Hall’s defense was impressive. They held the Longhorns scoreless for over seven minutes in the second half. Texas’ Timmy Allen scored a layup with 8:12 left in the game. The team would not add another point to the scoreboard until 52 seconds were left on the clock when Allen again added a layup.
Despite the Longhorns being held scoreless for the extensive stretch, their defense also turned in a solid performance to keep the game close. Neither team led by more than five points in the second half, when Texas led 42-37 with 18:30 left to play.
During the Longhorns scoreless stretch, the Pirates could only open up a lead of three points. Allen’s layup that broke the dry spell brought Texas within one point, making the score 58-59.
That’s when Seton Hall’s Bryce Aiken’s offense arrived. Aiken was having a rough shooting night, but he scored five of his ten total points in the game’s final minute. First, he hit a clutch three-point shot with 33 seconds left on the clock to make the score 62-58. After Allen made another layup to keep hope alive, Aiken added two free throws to seal the victory.
The Pirates Jared Rhoden led the team in scoring with 18 points. Alexis Yetna added 12 points and 11 rebounds. Yetna scored a three-point shot at the halftime buzzer that tied the game at 37-all at the half.
Seton Hall’s only loss of the season came against No. 21 Ohio State on a last-second three-point shot.
For Texas, Allen was one of three Longhorns who scored double digits. He had 17 points and also pulled down a season-high 12 rebounds. Tre Mitchell was the most productive offensive player, scoring a season-high 19 points and adding 11 rebounds.
Early in the game, Mitchell was the only Longhorns offense. He scored the team’s opening six points, and it was more than seven minutes into the game before another Texas player, Marcus Carr, made a basket. Carr would finish the game with ten points.
This game was Texas’ second against a ranked opponent this season. They lost 86-74 on the road to then-No. 1 Gonzaga on November 14. Their next five games will all be at home against unranked opponents, starting with Arkansas-Pine Bluff on December 14.
