Seton Hall Pirates vs Villanova Wildcats Picks and Predictions February 26th 2025

Villanova Looks to Continue Climb Against Seton Hall

It seems every time Kyle Neptune’s seat gets piping-hot, Villanova pulls it off the burner with an unexpected win.

Neptune’s Wildcats remain on the periphery of the NCAA Tournament bubble thanks in large part to an 81-66 upset of then-No. 16 Marquette on Friday. Villanova has three games to go before the conference tournament, starting with a must-have contest Wednesday night at Seton Hall in Newark, N.J.

Looking for top college basketball picks? Get expert predictions now.

Villanova (16-12, 9-8 Big East) has won four of the past six games and is listed as one of the “Next Four Out” in ESPN’s latest bracketology update. A 3-4 start to the season had many calling for Neptune to be fired, but the team since has beaten four ranked opponents — Cincinnati, UConn, St. John’s, and Marquette.

Tired Of Missing The Mark?

Get Reliable NCAAB Picks Today!

Join Now!

The Wildcats ran out to a 19-point lead in the first half against Marquette. They outscored the Golden Eagles 18-8 at the foul line and 45-30 from the 3-point arc, where Villanova went 15-for-26.

“We can do that — that’s something that this team has,” Neptune said. “We have high-level 3-point shooters, guys that can really make shots. But … I thought we put ourselves in a great spot, we really held them, especially early, defensively. I thought that was key.”

Freshman Jordann Dumont, who had scored just 14 points all season before Friday, exploded for 15 points on 4-for-4 shooting from deep and a 3-for-3 showing at the line. Eric Dixon continues to lead the nation in scoring with 22.9 points per game after posting 23 against Marquette.

Seton Hall Looking to Avoid the Basement

Villanova hopes to replicate that all-around effort when facing Seton Hall (7-20, 2-14 Big East). The first meeting between these teams was back on Dec. 17, when host Villanova shot 55.3 percent overall and needed just nine 3-pointers to beat the Pirates 79-67.

Seton Hall is trying to avoid finishing last in the Big East (DePaul is 2-15). The Pirates have struggled to score all season, but they showed resilience in a stunning 69-68 overtime win over UConn on Feb. 15.

In their most recent game, the Pirates fell behind 40-21 at halftime against Xavier before mounting a furious rally to make it a four-point game in the final minute. Xavier ultimately secured a 73-66 victory.

“I’ve been asking myself that the whole year,” Seton Hall coach Shaheen Holloway said when questioned about his team’s inconsistent performances. “That’s kind of what we’ve been doing the whole year.”

Isaiah Coleman scored 24 points against Xavier and leads the Pirates with 15.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Can Villanova Keep Its Momentum?

With its NCAA Tournament hopes still alive, Villanova needs a win to stay in contention. Meanwhile, Seton Hall is desperate to avoid finishing at the bottom of the Big East.

Want to maximize your bets? Find insights from the best handicappers today.