NEW YORK -- Tournament MVP Isaiah Whitehead scored on a driving layup and foul shot with 18 seconds remaining to turn a two-point deficit into a one-point lead, and Seton Hall beat No. 3 Villanova, 69-67, in the Big East Tournament championship game Saturday.
With Villanova down one in the final seconds, Kris Jenkins missed a three and Josh Hart controlled the rebound and went up strong to the basket but had his shot blocked in traffic by Seton Hall’s Angel Delgado.
Delgado made one foul shot with 3.4 seconds left, and Ryan Arcidiacono’s three-point attempt at the buzzer fell far short after Arcidiacono lost his balance before shooting.
Playing at sold-out Madison Square Garden, Seton Hall and Villanova locked up in a classic Big East battle that featured six lead changes, one tie and frenzied comebacks by both teams.
Seton Hall led by two at 19-17 with 10½ minutes left in the first half when it went on a 18-6 run to take a 14-point lead at 37-23 seven minutes later.
With Jenkins leading the way, Villanova went on a 17-4 run to tie the game at 50.
Jenkins gave Villanova a 67-64 lead with his fifth trey of the game with 52 seconds left, but Whitehead’s foul shot and three-point play prevented the Wildcats from a second straight conference tournament title.
Whether the loss costs Villanova a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament won’t be known until Sunday evening.
Jenkins scored 23 points and Hart added 17 for the Wildcats. Jenkins scored 16 in the second half, including three treys during the 17-4 run that got Villanova back in the game.
Mikal Bridges came off the bench to contribute eight points and six rebounds for Villanova.
Whitehead, Seton Hall’s all-conference guard, scored a game-high 26 points, including 14 in the second half.
What it Means
Villanova, which had beaten Seton Hall by nine points and one point during two regular-season meetings, fell to 29-5 with only its second loss since late January.
This is the second time in the last three years Seton Hall has knocked Villanova out in the Big East Tournament. The Pirates beat Villanova by one in the quarterfinals in 2014.
Seton Hall, which opened the season 13-6, has now won 12 of its last 14 games, losing only to Butler twice since late January. The Pirates will take a 25-8 record into the NCAA Tournament.
The loss prevented Villanova from becoming only the fifth team in the Big East Tournament’s 37-year history to win consecutive titles.
The championship is the first for Seton Hall since 1993 and the Pirates’ third overall. Seton Hall also won the Big East Tournament in 1991.
Stat of the day
Jenkins and Hart, the two juniors from Maryland, were the only Wildcats to make more than three baskets.
Turning point
Whitehead’s strong move to the basket and foul shot with 18 seconds left gave Seton Hall the lead for good.
By the numbers
• Hobbled Daniel Ochefu, who injured his ankle in practice on Tuesday before the tournament began, came off the bench to contribute five points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes.
• Seton Hall shot 58 percent in the first half and 40 percent in the second half.
• Hart and Jenkins were named to the all-tournament team.
What’s next
Villanova and Seton Hall will both learn their NCAA Tournament fate Sunday night.