Seton Hall vs. Villanova: Score, Twitter Reaction for Big East Championship 2016

Everyone knew the ball was going to Isaiah Whitehead.

With the Seton Hall Pirates down, 67-65, against the Villanova Wildcats in the championship game of the Big East men's basketball tournament, the Pirates star drove the lane with 18 seconds left, drew a foul, hit a layup that tickled every inch of the tin before dropping and sunk the ensuing free throw to help lift his team to a 69-67 victory Saturday night.

It was Seton Hall's first Big East tournament title since 1993.

Fox Sports showed Whitehead's clutch bucket:

Whitehead recorded a game-high 26 points, outdueling Villanova's Kris Jenkins and Josh Hart, who scored 23 and 17 points, respectively. But Seton Hall's playmaker came through when it mattered the most.

CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein confirmed what a lot of basketball fans already believed:

The aggressive Seton Hall squad punched first with a 7-0 run that helped build an early 15-9 lead. The six-point deficit was the largest of the Big East tournament for Villanova.

SB Nation's Rodger Sherman reacted to the Pirates' display:

To say Seton Hall and Whitehead were inspired might have been an understatement, according to Fox Sports' Reid Forgrave:

Seton Hall's lead grew to eight with just over nine minutes left in the first half, and Whitehead and forward Desi Rodriguez combined for 17 of the Pirates' first 25 points.

Seton Hall continued to keep its foot on the pedal thanks to its efficient offense and the sterling play of Whitehead, who scored 12 first-half points. His final points of the opening 20 minutes put the Pirates up by 14 before Villanova managed to trim its deficit to 11. 

Fox Sports showed Whitehead's three:

Whitehead is just one of five Seton Hall sophomores who have electrified the college basketball world this season. CBS Sports' Damon Amendolara saw a lot from them Saturday night, especially in the first half:

There's a reason why Villanova was the No. 1 team in the Big East this season, though, as it showed its resolve by battling back on the big stage. Behind Hart and Jenkins, Villanova stormed back with a 14-2 run to make it a one-possession game with 12:24 to go. 

Momentum was on Villanova's side as Big East MBB watched the Wildcats seize control:

It didn't surprise SB Nation's Russell Steinberg:

With Jenkins feeling it from three-point range—he hit five on the night—Deitcher Retort of CSN thought it was imperative for Seton Hall to key in on the Villanova shooter:

"

Villanova needs to make sure Kris Jenkins doesn't start thinking he's better than he really is.

— Deitcher Retort (@DeitchCSN) March 13, 2016"

The Pirates didn't heed Retort's advice, as Jenkins' three with 9:22 remaining tied the game for the first time.

But Whitehead calmed his team down with a ridiculous jumper that increased Seton Hall's lead to four, via Fox Sports:

 Big East digital correspondent Cayleigh Griffin was in disbelief:

Whitehead also earned Forgrave's respect:

Whitehead continued to duel with Hart and Jenkins as the game went down to the wire.

SB Nation's Jerome Scherwin Jr. loved the matchup between the talented scorers:

With 52 seconds remaining, Jenkins gave Villanova its first lead since it was 9-8 with a straight-away three-pointer to put the Wildcats on top, 67-64.

One Whitehead free throw brought Seton Hall to within two points with 42 seconds to go, but Villanova couldn't get any insurance on its next possession, as Hart committed a five-second violation with 28 seconds remaining.

That set the stage for Whitehead's heroics.

Throughout the week, Seton Hall proved it's going to be a scary team to draw in the NCAA tournament. The Big Lead's Jason Lisk reviewed the Pirates' resume:

It'll be the first time Seton Hall has participated in the Big Dance since 2006, and with a playmaker like Whitehead, the Pirates could make some noise as they continue their magical season.

Postgame Reaction

Villanova head coach Jay Wright spoke with Fox Sports after his team's heartbreaking loss in the Big East title game:

The Wildcats had won 21 of their last 23 games before they ran into red-hot Seton Hall. When a team and its star player are doing some of the things Seton Hall has done, there isn't much Villanova could do. 

However, this loss could affect its standings in the brackets, as Villanova could lose out on a No. 1 seed.

It was euphoria for Seton Hall, which hadn't won more than 17 games in each of its past three seasons. Head coach Kevin Willard had a big part in turning the program around, and he spoke with Fox Sports on the winner's podium:

When watching Seton Hall, it's clear this is a tight-knit group who is keen on proving all of its doubters wrong. That's a tough demeanor for other teams to play against as the Pirates aim to continue their surprising run through March. 

If Whitehead and the Pirates continue to play at this kind of pace, then they'll continue proving those people wrong deep into the Big Dance.

Stats courtesy of ESPN.com.