MILWAUKEE (Interstat) — In a game that defied pregame projections and swung on a decisive final minute, the Seton Hall Pirates weathered a second-half surge from the Marquette Golden Eagles to secure a hard-fought 79-73 victory in a Big East Conference men’s basketball clash Tuesday night at the Bradley Center.

A crowd of 15,028 saw the visiting Pirates improve to 12-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play, while the Golden Eagles fell to 5-9 and 0-2 in the Big East. The result was a stark contrast to the statistical expectations, as national metrics had given Marquette a 78 percent probability to win, and Seton Hall entered as only a slight 1.5-point favorite.

The contest was a tale of two halves defined by defense and key individual performances. Seton Hall established a narrow 39-38 lead by halftime in a period marked by physical play and several blocked shots from Pirates forward Stephon Payne. The second half saw Marquette, led by the interior presence of Ben Gold and the perimeter play of Nigel James and Chase Ross, mount a sustained challenge.

Marquette seized momentum early after halftime, using a 12-4 run to build its largest lead of the game at 50-44 with 14:48 remaining. Gold, the 6-foot-11 forward from New Zealand, was instrumental during this stretch, scoring 19 points and grabbing key rebounds, while James orchestrated the offense with 16 points and five assists. Ross added 15 points and four assists for the Golden Eagles.

However, Seton Hall demonstrated the resilience that has characterized its strong start to the season. The Pirates chipped away at the deficit with a balanced attack. Point guard Adam Clark of Philadelphia provided steady leadership, finishing with 13 points and six assists. Payne, from Jacksonville, Florida, anchored the defense with three blocks to go with his 14 points, while AJ Staton-McCray and TJ Simpkins each contributed 14 and 11 points, respectively, off the bench.

The Pirates regained the lead midway through the second half and the game settled into a tense back-and-forth affair, featuring seven ties and 10 lead changes. With just over three minutes remaining and Seton Hall clinging to a 71-69 advantage, the most critical sequence of the game unfolded.

Following a media timeout, Marquette’ Ben Gold was fouled and calmly sank two free throws to tie the game at 71 with 3:25 left. On the ensuing possession, Seton Hall’s Stephon Payne was fouled and split a pair of free throws to put the Pirates back up by one. After a Marquette miss, Payne was fouled again and made both free throws, extending the lead to 74-71 with 2:54 on the clock.

Marquette’s next two possessions ended in a turnover by Sean Jones and a missed three-pointer by Nigel James. Seton Hall capitalized as Trey Parker was fouled on a three-point attempt and made all three free throws, pushing the lead to 77-71 with just 1:48 remaining. The Golden Eagles never recovered, managing only a single field goal in the final three and a half minutes as Seton Hall closed the game on an 8-2 run, largely from the foul line.

The final minute was a testament to Seton Hall’s composure under pressure. The Pirates made 10 of 12 free throws in the last 3:25 to seal the victory, overcoming a Marquette team that had fought back from a halftime deficit to take control of the game in the second half. The total points scored, 152, went well over the pregame over/under line of 138.5.

Seton Hall, which had suffered a conference loss to Villanova in its previous outing, will look to build on this road win when it hosts Creighton on Sunday. Marquette, mired in a difficult season, faces another tough test as it travels to face Connecticut on Sunday, seeking its first Big East victory. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Newark, New Jersey, on Jan. 31.