On the eve of Christmas Eve, the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, housed a showdown between two early Big East heavyweights. It was a throwback.
Shades of Big East of Old
This time, it wasn’t Myles Powell and Jalen Brunson going head-to-head in trading buckets. It was quite the opposite.
Kevin Willard welcomed a visit back to his old stomping grounds as the Wildcats faced his formerly coached Pirates. Since those days of Jay Wright and Willard battling for supremacy in the conference, neither of the two squads has been notable.
It was only a handful of years ago that the event occurred. However, in a new era of Big East hoops, both Villanova and Seton Hall have risen back to the top. Relevance has returned, in an unexpected fashion.
When Villanova pulled the plug on Kyle Neptune last season, the program concluded what it saw as a collection of subpar seasons. The ‘Cats finished with an overall record of 54-47 in three seasons with Neptune at the helm.
Meanwhile, the sky did not look much bluer in Seton Hall. After a twelve-year tenure with the Pirates, Willard left to take the job at Maryland. Then, a leader of men stepped through the door.
Shaheen Holloway took over with limited resources at his disposal. With that came a new season. The 2025-26 season, which, to this point, has shown a wide-open door in the Big East conference.
As the two squads stepped to half-court to take the tip, one observation became very clear from the start.
Each game matters
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Seton Hall opened the contest as the surprise of all surprises, holding true to a double-digit win total and having just one loss by two points to No. 24 USC. The Pirates had knocked off a bundle of notable groups and sought to maintain their dominance.
It was a thrilling start to the season and one that carried momentum as they were set to face Villanova, who likewise had a similar record and momentum. It was a duel.
Outside of UConn, both Seton Hall and Villanova had carried the torch over the rest of the conference. Marquette, Creighton and St. John’s have all, to this point, been disappointing. And just as this official start to Big East play was set to begin, answers had awaited the eyes of many.
Were Villanova or Seton Hall serious contenders? UConn, which is currently ranked No. 4 in the AP Poll, was the only ranked team in the Big East. Both the Pirates and Wildcats were ranked in the 30s range, according to KenPom and the Net Rankings.
Stakes Were High
It was a big game, to say the least.
Villanova defeated Seton Hall 64-56, marking the team’s first quad one win of the season. The Wildcats led by as many as 20 points in the second half following a massive 16-0 run.
Villanova did a few things that worked to its perfection, including dialing up the defensive intensity, which has shown to be an issue in the waking moments of the season. The ‘Cats successfully forced the Pirates’ best threat out of the game.
Within the first minutes, Budd Clark, a Merrimack transfer, picked up two fouls, which largely defined the rest of the game. Then, Villanova turned its attention to AJ Staton-McCray, a Miami transfer, who led the team in scoring.
Villanova effectively limited the scoring output of the Pirates’ two best players. The killer guard duo was held to just 13 combined points. On the other end, Villanova continued to shine light on its massive improvement beyond the arc since last season.
True freshman Acaden Lewis aided the backcourt alongside JMU transfer Bryce Lindsey. In a hard-fought victory, Villanova proved that it is ready for this rendition of Big East play.
Firepower, three-point shooting, defensive tenacity. The following terms embody the tone of this year’s Big East. Villanova defeated Seton Hall and became the No. 24 team according to KenPom and 20th in the NCAA Net Rankings. For the first time since Wright stepped away, Nova had a legitimate argument as a Tournament team.
On the other hand, Seton Hall is still largely in the mix, having two quad-one victories over a former top-25 team in NC State. The Pirates also defeated K-State on the road, counting as their second quad one win.
What's Next for Both Teams
Regardless, both programs are back in the mix. In the midst of madness, the door remains wide open in the Big East. Prominence is returning to a conference that has lost its grip over the past year with former powerhouses.
For a team like Seton Hall, made of mostly mid-to-low major transfers, the start isn’t just stunning, it’s validating. And for Villanova, it isn’t just a résumé boost, it’s a reminder of where the program stands within the conference.
This is how Big East basketball was meant to be played. Every game matters. Each possession carries significant weight–two teams who are destined to make surprising Tournament runs. In this version of the Big East, competition is not scarce.