Marquette Visits Women's Basketball at Walsh, Saturday

GAMENOTES (.pdf) 

THE MATCHUP

Seton Hall remains in search of its first BIG EAST win of the season as it hosts Marquette at Walsh Gymnasium.  The Pirates, who have lost two straight, are coming off a 76-47 defeat at #10/12 Louisville on Tuesday night, while the Golden Eagles knocked off USF, 68-60, last Saturday for their third win in five games.  A year ago, Marquette rolled to an 88-71 win over the Hall in Milwaukee in its WNIT Championship season.  The last time the two teams met in South Orange was on Feb. 20, 2007, when the Pirates sprung a 63-58 win over the 19th-ranked Golden Eagles.  Senior guard Krystal Ellis leads this year’s Marquette squad with 13.9 points per night, while freshman center Georgie Jones boasts a team-high 5.6 rebounds per game.

SERIES HISTORY

First Meeting     01/28/09

Result               MU 72-51

Last Meeting     02/16/08

Result               MU 88-71

Series Record    MU 2-1

Current Streak   MU W1

THIRD TIME A CHARM?

The Pirates will take their third crack of the season at a BIG EAST victory when they host Marquette.  Seton Hall has started 0-3 in conference play five times in its history, with the last time coming in the 2001-02 season.

COLD SHOOTING AT LOUISVILLE

Seton Hall suffered through its worst shooting performance of the season at Louisville, hitting just 29.7 percent of its attempts.  Leading scorer Ebonie Williams was held to 1-of-10 from the floor and managed only four points.

WILLIAMS WORKS THE GLASS

Ebonie WIlliams made her presence felt on the glass at Louisville, collecting a career-high 10 rebounds.

SECOND TO NONE

Senior Noteisha Womack is currently leading the nation in rebounding with 13.7 per game.    Judie Lomax of Columbia is second with 13.6 per game, followed by Phyllisha Mitchell of Tennessee-Martin with 13.2.  Womack’s 6.1 offensive rebounds per game are tied for tops in the country.

WOMACK DOUBLE-DOUBLES

Senior Noteisha Womack recorded her conference-leading 10th double-double of the year and the 20th of her career with 14 points and 12 rebounds against Louisville.  Only two active BIG EAST players have more in their careers: Angel McCoughtry (48) of Louisville and Tina Charles (29) of Connecticut.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS

Noteisha Womack is in 13th place all-time at Seton Hall with a total of 666 rebounds.  Shantel Brown is tied for 16th on the assist list with 229, while Jadis Rhodin is 15th in steals with 157 and eighth all-time in 3-pointers with 81.

VS. THE AP TOP 25

Seton Hall is 8-106 all-time against teams ranked in the AP Top 25, with six of the wins coming at home.  The Pirates have lost eight straight to ranked teams, with the last win coming on Feb. 20, 2007 over #19 Marquette.

STREAK SNAPPED AT SEVEN

Seton Hall had its seven-game winning streak, which tied for the ninth longest in program history, snapped in a loss to Notre Dame.

A CLASSIC BIG EAST BATTLE

The Pirates’ loss to Notre Dame saw the Hall nearly overcome a 12-point second half deficit before coming up short in the final 30 seconds.  SHU was limited to a season-low 60 points and had its second-worst shooting performance of the season at 34.5 percent.  The Pirates did outrebound the Irish, 38-26, to keep their 13-game streak alive in this category.

BIG EAST OPENERS

Seton Hall had won three consecutive BIG EAST openers before falling to Notre Dame this season.  The Pirates are now 10-14 all-time under Phyllis Mangina in such games.

BEST START SINCE 1994-95

At 11-1, the Pirates matched their best start since the 1994-95 team also won 11 of its first 12.  That year, Seton Hall finished 24-9 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.  The top record through 13 games remains with the 1977-78 squad that got out of the gate at 12-1.

BLOWOUT VICTORIES

For the first time since the 1993-94 season, Seton Hall has four wins by 30-plus points on its resume.  The consecutive wins over Caldwell (by 49) and Wagner (by 31) mark just the sixth time in school history the Hall has posted back-to-back wins of 30 or more points.

LIGHTING UP THE SCOREBOARD

Seton Hall’s 95 points against Norfolk State were the most it has scored since a 95-59 win over Monmouth on Nov. 27, 1993.  The 52-point margin of victory was the largest since the Pirates defeated Northeastern by 59 points, 92-33, on Dec. 2, 1995.

THE OFFENSE IS CLICKING

Seton Hall’s offense has shown a marked improvement over last season.  The Pirates have scored 80-plus points four times this year after doing it just once in 2007-08.  The Hall has also topped 90 points three times after failing to do it at all last season.

FIVE IN DOUBLE DIGITS

Five Pirates scored in double digits against Norfolk State, the second time the Hall accomplished the feat this season, with the first coming against Caldwell.

CAREER DAYS AGAINST NORFOLK

Junior Shantel Brown set new career-highs with 10 assists and six steals against Norfolk State, while sophomore Kashmere Joseph netted a new best with 11 points.

EMERY HEATS UP

A game after junior Nicole Emery scored a season-high 22 points in the win at Saint Joseph’s, hitting a career-best nine field goals in the process, she netted 22 again in a victory at Massachusetts.

WOMACK GOES BACK-TO-BACK ON HONOR ROLL

Senior forward Noteisha Womack was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on both Dec. 22 and Dec. 29.  Her lone previous career honor came when she was named Player of the Week on Dec. 31, 2007.

OT THRILLER

The Pirates were victorious in their first overtime game of the season, a 74-67 win at Saint Joseph’s.  The Hall was 1-1 a year ago in extra time, losing at Utah Valley before defeating Quinnipiac in San Diego.

IRONWOMEN

Three Pirates cracked the 40-minute barrier at Saint Joseph’s: sophomore Ebonie Williams played 42 minutes, while senior Noteisha Womack and junior Nicole Emery logged 41 minutes.

THE  BEAT GOES ON FOR WOMACK

Senior Noteisha Womack tied her career-high with 21 rebounds at Saint Joseph’s.

WOMACK ON NAISMITH WATCH LIST

Senior forward Noteisha Womack is one of 10 BIG EAST women’s basketball players to be named to the initial Naismith Trophy early season watch list.  The Naismith Trophy is the most prestigious national award presented annually to college basketball’s player of the year.  The watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2008-09 college basketball season. The watch list does not include incoming freshmen, although those student-athletes will be considered in the first vote in February, 2009.   The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T will be awarded at the 2009 NCAA Women’s Final Four in St. Louis, MO.

FEELS LIKE HOME

In its first season playing select home games at Prudential Center, the Pirates went a perfect 2-0 with wins over Rider and North Carolina State.

GREEN PICKS UP SECOND FRESHMAN AWARD

Kandice Green picked up her second BIG EAST Freshman of the Week Award on Dec. 15, making her the first Pirate to win twice since Heta Korpivaara in 2003-04.  Debbie Hartnett holds the SHU record with four  in 1985-86.

FIRST HALF FIREWORKS

Seton Hall scored the first 11 points of the game on its way to a 43-13 halftime lead against Colorado.  It was the Pirates’ largest advantage at the break since Dec. 2, 1995, when the Hall led Northeastern 45-7 after 20 minutes.

EASY BEING GREEN

Freshman Kandice Green continued her early production against Marshall, pouring in 18 points and grabbing six boards.  She has scored in double figures in four of six contests thus far.

TOURNEY TITANS

Seton Hall has now won four consecutive in-season tournaments: the 2006 Christmas City Classic at Lehigh, the 2007 SHU Classic, and the 2007 San Diego State Surf N Slam and the 2008 SHU Classic.

GREEN NAMED BIG EAST FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK

Forward Kandice Green earned the first BIG EAST Freshman of the Week Award of the 2008-09 season.  Her averages of 14.8 points and 11.0 rebounds along with two double-doubles through the Hall’s first four games were more than enough to claim the honor for Green.  The Pirates have now had a winner for four straight seasons: Shantel Brown in 05-’06, Ashley Booker in 06-’07, and Ebonie Williams in 07-’08.

MVP EBONIE

Sophomore Ebonie Williams earned Most Valuable Player honors at the 2008 SHU Classic while leading the Pirates to two wins.  Against Wagner, she posted a career-high 25 points which she followed with 19 points, three assists and five steals against UMBC.

WOMACK IS BACK

After missing the first two games of the season due to injury, senior Noteisha Womack returned in fine fashion for the SHU Classic.  Womack notched 11 points and seven rebounds against Wagner before posting her 11th career double-double with 20 points and 17 boards against UMBC.  Her play earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

GREEN DOUBLES UP AGAIN

Freshman Kandice Green recorded her second double-double in a row to start her career with 19 points and 12 rebounds against Caldwell.

REJECTED BY SETON HALL

The Pirates blocked 11 shots against Caldwell, the sixth best performance in school history.  Junior Nicole Emery tied a career-high with five, while classmate Ashley Booker set a new personal-best with three.

TOUGH D

The Pirates held Rider to 23.7 percent shooting in the season-opener, the best team defensive effort since Notre Dame hit only 22.0 percent from the floor on Mar. 1, 2005.  A game later, SHU was even tougher, allowing Caldwell to hit only 22.8 percent.

A MEMORABLE DEBUT

Freshman forward Kandice Green came on the scene with a standout performance in her collegiate debut against Rider, scoring 11 points and grabbing an impressive 15 rebounds.  Green needed only 23 minutes of playing time to achieve the double-double.

SEASON OPENERS

Seton Hall is 27-9 all-time in season-opening games, including an 18-6 mark  under head coach Phyllis Mangina, after knocking off Rider to start the 2008-09 campaign.  The Pirates have won three straight home openers and are 18-6 in such games in the Mangina era.

PRUDENTIAL CENTER DEBUT

The Seton Hall women made their Prudential Center debut with a 64-48 win against Rider, a year after the men’s program moved to the new arena in Newark, N.J.  The women, who will maintain Walsh Gymnasium as their primary home venue, will play at “The Rock” again on Dec. 20 against North Carolina State. 

CURRY OUT FOR YEAR

Senior Letitia Curry will miss the 2008-09 season after suffering a knee injury.

ENCORE

Sophomore guard Ebonie Williams returns after a stellar rookie campaign that saw her become the first freshman to lead the team in scoring since the 1985-86 season.  Williams was named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.

RETURN OF THE REBOUNDER

Senior Noteisha Womack is back in the Hall’s lineup after leading the BIG EAST in rebounding a year ago with 10.5 per game.  In addition, Womack posted 10.0 points per game, making her the first Pirate to average a double-double since Dana Wynne in 1996-97.

THE CAPTAINS

Senior Noteisha Womack and juniors Nicole Emery and Shantel Brown will serve as the 2008-09 team captains.

PIRATES TABBED 14TH

Seton Hall was picked to finish 14th in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches Poll.  Connecticut picked up 14 first-place votes to land in the top spot, while second-place Rutgers and third-place Louisville also earned a first-place vote.  Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.  Sophomore Maya Moore of Connecticut was named Preseason Player of the Year, while April Sykes of Rutgers earned Preseason Freshman of the Year honors.

PIRATES REUNITE IN SPAIN

Heta Korpivaara and Monique Blake, 2007 graduates, and Ela Mukosiej of the class of 2008 are teammates once again on the professional level.  All three are signed with Cref Hola in Spain.

GREEN SIGNS NLI

Terry Green of Holy Trinity High School in Hicksville, N.Y. has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the women’s basketball program in the 2009-10 season.  Green, a 6’0” forward, is ranked 18th at her position and 92nd overall in the ESPNU HoopGurlz 100.  She was a Ninth Team All-State selection in Class AA as a junior.  Green comes from the same high school as current Pirate Nicole Emery.

GATHER ROUND THE TV

The Pirates will have a pair of home games on the air as part of the BIG EAST’s television package.  On Feb. 1, SHU will face St. John’s on ESPNU in the BIG EAST Game of the Week, while the Feb. 7 contest with Villanova will be on SNY as the regional Game of the Week.

PIRATES ON THE RADIO

Seton Hall’s student radio station, 89.5 FM WSOU, will broadcast the majority of this season’s contests.  For a full schedule, visit SHUPirates.com.

2009 BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP

In 2009, the BIG EAST will invite all 16 teams to its men’s and women’s championship tournaments.  The women’s tournament will be held Mar. 6-10 at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn.

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