For much of the game, Villanova got the test we expected from Seton Hall. But eventually the Wildcats simply wore down the Pirates, pulling away with a massive run starting midway through the second half, allowing ‘Nova to cruise to an impressive win.

The Pirates jumped out to an early 11-4 lead on the strength of some hot shooting combined with ‘Nova missing some good looks. Omari Spellman singlehandedly kept the ‘Cats in the game early, scoring Villanova’s first seven points.

‘Nova responded with a 9-0 run to claim its first lead of the game, 13-11. Some of Spellman’s teammates finally got involved, as the run was aided by a Donte DiVincenzo three and some Mikal Bridges free throws.

From there the teams traded blows for the remainder of the half. Omari Spellman was fantastic for the ‘Cats, dropping 15 first half points on 6-9 shooting and 3-4 from deep to go with six rebounds. He got help from DiVincenzo and Jalen Brunson, who each chipped in eight points. Angel Delgado did Angel Delgado things, with 10 points and six boards. Desi Rodriguez and Khadeen Carrington had nine and eight points respectively.

The Pirates shot 49% from the floor, but just 14% from three. ‘Nova managed 47% from the floor and 33% from deep. The ‘Cats had a four-point advantage from the free throw line. ‘Nova held its own on the glass, ending the half minus-three, 21-18. Villanova assisted on nine of 15 baskets and turned it over just three times, while Seton Hall had just five assists to go with five turnovers. All of that added up to a four-point halftime lead for Villanova, 41-37.

The start of the second half mimicked that of the first. The Pirates took advantage of an identical 11-4 spurt to take a three-point lead through the first four minutes. ‘Nova promptly responded with six-straight of its own to reestablish the lead. The teams again traded blows until the ‘Cats finally took over. With 9:43 left, ‘Nova led 62-60. Seven minutes later, it was 90-69. The final two-plus minutes were simply academic, and the ‘Cats walked away with a solid 92-76 win.

Seton Hall’s solid offense kept them in the game, and spurts to start each half had them thinking upset. But the Villanova machine eventually proved too much to overcome, as the ‘Cats kept grinding on the Pirates, turning a hard-fought game into a comfortable victory.

The Hall shot 50% for the game, but hit just 39% from deep, hitting seven threes to Villanova’s 12. We mentioned the importance of the free throw line, and the ‘Cats won the battle there, hitting 16-25 while Seton Hall managed just 7-14. The Pirates had ten turnovers.

‘Nova hit 51% of its field goals and 41% of its threes. The ‘Cats assisted on 18 of their 32 baskets and turned the ball over just seven times.

The ‘Cats also did an excellent job on the glass. They managed to outrebound the Pirates 36-33. There were times where it appeared the glass was going to be a huge problem, with Seton Hall converting some offensive rebounds, but second-chance points ended tied 14-14, and ‘Nova was ultimately able to neutralize the rebounding advantage Seton Hall had entering the game.

Omari Spellman was incredible. He finished with a double-double on 26 points and 11 rebounds. He shot 9-12 from the floor and 6-7 from deep. Spellman added three blocks and impacted the game throughout his 35 minutes.

After a slow start in which he looked a bit reluctant on the offensive end, Jalen Brunson got it going and finished with a typical Jalen Brunson game. He finished with 21 points, six assists, and two rebounds. He continues to be an unflappable leader as he runs the most efficient offense in the country to perfection.

Mikal Bridges added 17 points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. He had a thundering dunk that helped ignite the early Sunday afternoon crowd and continued to make his presence felt all over the court.

Donte DiVincenzo was again excellent filling in for Phil Booth in the starting lineup. He finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals.

Eric Paschall had a scary moment early in the second half when he took a hard, awkward fall to the floor. Fortunately, he was okay and was quickly able to return to the game. He added 10 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal. His energy was again fantastic, and he continues to quietly do important work for the ‘Cats.

Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree chipped in five points and five rebounds.

Villanova did an excellent job handling an experienced, physical Seton Hall team. The ‘Cats calmly handled the early punches from a game Seton Hall squad, showing they can play and execute in tight games, before a massive late-game run demonstrated just how dangerous they are. All-in-all a very good performance from Villanova as it continues to hold its place at the top of the Big East and the national rankings.

Next up the ‘Cats host St. John’s on Wednesday.