South Florida Knocks Off Women's Basketball, 60-51

Box Score (.html)

TAMPA, Fla. Despite 18 points and 19 rebounds from senior Monique Blake (Union, N.J.), the Seton Hall women’s basketball team dropped a 60-51 decision to South Florida on Monday night.  The Pirates (18-10, 9-7) will be the No. 9 seed in the upcoming BIG EAST Tournament, where they will face a first round rematch with the Bulls (19-10, 9-7) on Saturday.

It was the 11^th double-double of the season and 25^th of the career for Blake, who set a season-high in rebounds.  She also added three assists and three blocks.  Ela Mukosiej (Bilystok, Poland) netted 17 points for SHU, while Amber Harris (Washington, Pa.)  came off the bench to grab a season-best 10 rebounds. 

Jessica Dickson, the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, led USF with 17 points.  She was held to just 3-of-16 from the field but managed to hit 11-of-14 free throws.  The Bulls made the most of a large disparity from the foul line, making 21-of-36 compared to 11-of-17 for the Pirates.

SHU started quickly, grabbing a 9-4 lead after a Blake lay-in less than three minutes in.  The Bulls evened the score by holding the Pirates scoreless for the next 5:20, and the teams traded the lead throughout the first half.  Blake, who had 11 points and 10 boards by halftime, gave SHU what would be its final lead of the game with a three-point play at the 5:02 mark to make it 21-19.  USF closed with a 9-2 run before the break to go up 28-23 at intermission.

Two jumpers from Mukosiej and one from Blake tied things up at 29 with 17:55 left.  But another long Pirate drought from the field, this one lasting 5:45, allowed the Bulls to grab a six-point lead after ChiChi Okpaleke’s lay-up.  USF would extend the lead to 51-40 by the 3:32 mark.

Noteisha Womack (Ft. Washington, Md.), Mukosiej, and Heta Korpivaara (Espoo, Finland) each connected in the span of 50 seconds as the Pirates made a final push, cutting the deficit to 52-46 with 2:07 left.  The Bulls would manage to hang on, however, going 6-for-6 from the line down the stretch.

SHU came away with a 52-45 rebounding edge while blocking a season-high 10 shots.  The Pirates managed to shoot just 31.1 percent from the floor, while USF hit 32.8 percent.

Seton Hall and South Florida will meet at 2:00 p.m. in Hartford, Conn., with the winner facing the No. 1 seeded Connecticut Huskies.