Jeremiah Robinson-Earl scored 23 points and Jermaine Samuels added 17 as No. 3 Villanova won its ninth consecutive game Saturday, defeating host Seton Hall 80-72 in Newark, N.J.

Justin Moore scored 16 and Collin Gillespie contributed 11 points and 11 assists for the Wildcats, who improved to 11-1 overall and 6-0 in the Big East. They're the lone remaining unbeaten team in the conference.

Shavar Reynolds scored 13 points while Sandro Mamukelashvili added 12 points and nine rebounds for Seton Hall. Jared Rhoden and Myles Cale scored 12 points apiece.

The Pirates fell to 9-8 overall and 6-5 in the Big East.

Moore and Cole Swider hit consecutive 3-pointers to help Villanova move out to a 17-9 lead with 12:15 remaining in the first half.

The Wildcats extended their advantage to 25-12 when Robinson-Earl converted a difficult three-point play with 8:38 left.

The Pirates closed to within 29-21 with 4:42 remaining when Ike Obiagu grabbed an offensive rebound and scored.

But on Villanova's next possession, Swider dropped in a trey to push the lead back to 11, and at halftime the Wildcats' lead was 37-27 at halftime.

Seton Hall made only 2 of 8 shots from beyond the arc in the first half, while Villanova sank 6 of 12.

Early in the second half, Robinson-Earl knocked down a deep 3-pointer and Villanova led 44-29 with 17:25 remaining.

Still, the Pirates stayed in touch, and when Rhoden hit a trey with 14:35 remaining, it was 46-37. Samuels responded with a three-point play on Villanova's next possession to move back ahead by 12.

But the Wildcats stayed hot from beyond the arc as Samuels and Caleb Daniels each added one and the lead ballooned to 60-44 with 8:27 to go, leaving Seton Hall scrambling the rest of the way.

Rhoden's 3-pointer with 5:52 remaining got the Pirates back to within 10, and when Cale hit a trey from the wing with 2:34 remaining, Seton Hall was within 67-60.

Villanova held on, however, as Robinson-Earl made a tough jumper from the corner for a 71-62 margin, and when Mamukelashvili missed a layup with 1:01 remaining, it was a matter of Villanova knocking down its free throws ... which it did.

--Field Level Media