MILWAUKEE (Interstat) — In a critical Big East Conference clash defined by a suffocating second-half defensive stand, the Seton Hall Pirates overcame a shaky start to defeat the Marquette Golden Eagles 70-58 in women’s basketball on Wednesday night at the Bradley Center.

The victory, witnessed by 1,394 fans, avenged a narrow three-point loss Seton Hall suffered to Marquette just four weeks prior and snapped a two-game skid for the Pirates. It improved Seton Hall’s record to 16-8 overall, while Marquette fell to 16-9.

The game’s pivotal shift occurred after a blistering first quarter from the home team. Marquette, fueled by efficient interior play, shot out to a 23-17 lead behind eight early points from Halle Vice and seven from Charia Smith. The Golden Eagles’ offense flowed smoothly, finding seams in the Seton Hall defense for high-percentage looks.

That offensive rhythm vanished completely after halftime. Marquette managed just nine points in both the third and fourth quarters, shooting a frigid combined 8-for-31 from the field in the second half. The Golden Eagles’ three-point shooting, a weakness all night, collapsed entirely, as they finished 5 of 24 from beyond the arc.

Seton Hall’s defense deserves the lion’s share of the credit for the turnaround. The Pirates, despite registering only three steals, tightened their rotations, contested shots more fiercely, and dominated the defensive glass, limiting Marquette to a single offensive rebound in the decisive third quarter. Marquette’s offensive rating plummeted to 88.9 for the game, a testament to Seton Hall’s persistent pressure.

Offensively, Seton Hall relied on the potent one-two punch of Mariana Valenzuela and Zahara Bishop. Valenzuela, a 6-foot-2 junior from Mazatlan, Mexico, led all scorers with 19 points, including three three-pointers, and added three assists and a block in 32 minutes. Bishop was the sparkplug off the bench, providing a crucial 20 points in just 20 minutes of action, shooting efficiently from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line.

The Pirates slowly chipped away at Marquette’s early advantage, trailing 40-36 at the intermission. A 9-0 run midway through the third quarter, capped by a Savannah Catalon three-pointer, gave Seton Hall its first lead since the opening minutes, and they never relinquished it. Catalon finished with 11 points.

Marquette was led by Skylar Forbes, the 6-foot-3 standout from Markham, Canada, who posted 17 points, three assists, and two blocks. Lee Volker logged a game-high 37 minutes, contributing nine points and three assists, but the Golden Eagles’ offense stagnated around her, managing only seven total assists against 10 turnovers.

While Marquette won the battle in the paint 30-20, Seton Hall’s advantages from the three-point line and the free-throw line proved decisive. The Pirates connected on 9 of 23 three-point attempts compared to Marquette’s 5 of 24, and outscored the Golden Eagles 11-7 from the charity stripe.

The win marks a significant resilience test passed for Seton Hall, which had lost two straight, including a defeat to Saint John’s last Saturday. Marquette, which entered the game as a solid favorite according to advanced metrics, has now dropped two consecutive contests after an overtime loss to Creighton.

Seton Hall looks to build on this momentum when it hosts DePaul on Saturday. Marquette faces a steep challenge, welcoming national powerhouse Connecticut to the Bradley Center on the same day.