Pittsburgh Faces Women's Basketball at Walsh, Wednesday
1/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
PITTSBURGH (8-7, 0-2) at SETON HALL (7-9, 0-3)
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Walsh Gymnasium - South Orange, N.J.
7:00 p.m. ET
A LOOK AT THE PANTHERS
Head Coach Agnus Berenato
Record at PITT (Years) 138-96 (8)
Career Record (Years) 421-360 (27)
Conference BIG EAST
Current Streak L2
Last Five 3-2
Leading Scorer Jania Sims, 14.4 ppg
Leading Rebounder Chelsea Cole, 10.3 rpg
Last Season 16-15, 5-11
With leading scorer Brittaney Thomas dismissed after six games for a violation of team rules, Pittsburgh has managed an 8-7 record thus far. Jania Sims and Taneisha Harrison have picked up the slack offensively, with both averaging in double figures. The Panthers have dropped two straight games, falling to Duquesne and Louisville, and will be playing their fourth straight road game.
THE PITTSBURGH SERIES
Seton Hall owns a 21-25 record against Pittsburgh as the teams meet for the 47th time. The Panthers have won three straight in the series and seven of the last eight, with the only Pirates' win coming at home, 51-50, on Jan. 27, 2007. Pittsburgh has taken three of the last four contests in South Orange.
JOHNSON LEADS THE WAY
Freshman Jazzmine Johnson scored a team-high 10 points at Syracuse, marking the first time in her career that she was the Pirates' high-scorer. Johnson is fifth on the team in scoring at 5.9 points per game and has hit double figures in two of the last three contests.
COLD IN SYRACUSE
The Pirates shot a season-low 21.3 percent in their loss at Syracuse, the fourth time this year that they have failed to crack 30.0 percent from the floor. Seton Hall's starters hit only 13.8 percent (5-of-36) combined.
SECOND-HALF SPURT SHOWS PROMISE
Seton Hall put together a 19-3 run to start the second half against #6/7 West Virginia, playing perhaps its best seven-minute stretch of basketball this season. The Pirates' fortunes took a hit when Jasmine Crew fouled out with nearly 10 minutes still remaining, and the Mountaineers would escape with the victory.
GREEN ON THE GLASS
Kandice Green ranks third in the BIG EAST with 8.8 rebounds per game, a year after finishing fifth in the conference. She has recorded five double-doubles on the season, good for third in the BIG EAST. A year ago, she was fifth in the league with 11 double-doubles. Green's 22 career double-doubles rank second among active BIG EAST players, behind only the 43 posted by Maya Moore of Connecticut.
CLIMBING THE CAREER CHARTS
After grabbing seven rebounds against Syracuse, junior Kandice Green is now nine shy of Kim Jones in 18th place on the Seton Hall career list. Green is also up to fifth all-time in made free throws with 288, leaving her 45 short of Leslie Fairbanks in fourth place. Her 396 free throw attempts rank eighth at Seton Hall.
SEARCHING FOR THE COMBINATION
Through 16 games, Anne Donovan has rolled out 11 different starting lineups for Seton Hall as she looks to establish her rotation. The last three games have seen the same first five, however, as Tajay Ashmeade, Jasmine Crew, Kandice Green, Brittany Morris and Ka-Deidre Simmons have all put in claims on starting spots.
BIG EAST HOME OPENERS
Seton Hall is now 13-16 all-time in BIG EAST home openers after losing to West Virginia on Jan. 5. The Pirates have dropped the last three since a Jan. 5, 2008 win against Cincinnati, 54-43.
DOUBLE OT THRILLER
Seton Hall improved to 1-1 all-time in double overtime games with its 73-69 win over Rhode Island. The only other time the Pirates played two extra sessions resulted in a 76-72 loss to Boston College on Feb. 25, 1991. Overall, the Hall is 17-9 in overtime contests.
CREW COMES THROUGH
Junior Jasmine Crew set career-highs with 20 points and four assists while tying the school record of 43 minutes played in the Hall's double-overtime win over Rhode Island. She is the seventh Pirate to hit the 43-minute mark and the first since Kandice Green earlier this year at William and Mary on Dec. 5, 2010.
JAZZED UP
Freshman Jazzmine Johnson posted a career-high 11 points in the win over Rhode Island to go along with four rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in 25 minutes off the bench.
JOSEPH RETURNS
Senior Kashmere Joseph returned to the Hall's line up against Rhode Island after missing 12 games due to a thumb injury. She had five points and four rebounds over 17 minutes in reserve.
SETON HALL VS. THE ATLANTIC 10
Seton Hall finished the non-conference season with a 4-0 mark against the Atlantic 10, with wins over Temple, Massachusetts, LaSalle and Rhode Island. The Pirates are 37-21 all-time against teams currently in the Atlantic 10. The most wins over any one team have come against LaSalle, whom the Pirates are 8-2 against.
ASHMEADE TO HONOR ROLL
Coming off the bench against LaSalle, junior Tajay Ashmeade turned in career-highs with 15 points and 21 rebounds to lead the Pirates past the Explorers. It was the second double-double of the year for Ashmeade and her third game with double-digit rebounds. The 21 rebounds tie the sixth-highest single-game total in school history. She was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for her efforts.
NEW HIGHS VS. HOFSTRA
Several players reached new career-highs against Hofstra. Junior Jasmine Crew had 10 points and a career-high eight rebounds, while freshman Ka-Deidre Simmons added 10 points, career-bests of seven rebounds and five assists, and four steals. Freshman Elaine Swaby posted career-highs of nine points and eight rebounds.
CREW RETURNS
After missing the St. John's game with an injury, guard Jasmine Crew was back in action at Drexel. Crew scored a team-high 13 points while sinking a season-best two three-pointers in 19 minutes off the bench.
CONFERENCE PLAY KICKS OFF
Seton Hall and St. John's met in their conference opener on Dec. 8, the earliest BIG EAST game for the Pirates since Dec. 5, 2006 at Providence. The contest marked the second-earliest game in a season between the schools, behind only a Dec. 2, 1997 match-up. With the loss, Seton Hall is now 11-18 all-time in both BIG EAST openers and BIG EAST road openers.
HISTORIC DAY FOR K. GREEN
Junior Kandice Green turned in one of the greatest individual performances in Pirates' history against William and Mary, setting new career-highs with 31 points and 23 rebounds. The 23 rebounds set a Kaplan Arena record and represent the second-highest single-game total in Seton Hall history, bested only by Ozelina Gorham's 25 against Scranton on Jan. 9, 1979. She is also tied for the best single-game performance in NCAA Division I this season with Victoria Dunlap of Kentucky and Kylie Kuhns of Sacramento State. The 31 points scored by Green tie her for the sixth-best single-game performance in school history, and her 13 made free throws and 18 free throw attempts are both the second-highest single-game totals in Pirates' history. She also tied the school record by playing 43 minutes.
HONOR ROLL FOR K. GREEN
After her standout performance at William and Mary, Kandice Green was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for the second time of her career.
T. GREEN CATCHES FIRE
Sophomore Terry Green scored a career-high 21 points in just 18 minutes against Delaware State. Green shot 8-of-11 from the floor, including 4-of-6 from three-point territory. The eight made field goals and four threes were also career-highs.
BOARD WORK
A pair of Pirates set career-highs on the glass at Delaware State. Junior Tajay Ashmeade grabbed 11 rebounds, while sophomore Alexandra Maseko snared nine caroms. Seton Hall enjoyed a 45-34 edge in rebounds for the game.
SECOND HALF RUN DOES IN ARMY
An 18-4 run in the second half keyed the Hall's victory over Army. The Pirates forced 27 turnovers in the game, which proved to be the difference. Jasmine Crew netted 16 points to lead Seton Hall, followed by Ka-Deidre Simmons with 12.
HOME OPENING WIN FOR DONOVAN
Seton Hall turned in one of its most exciting performances in recent memory, blitzing Temple in the second half on its way to a 72-59 win. The victory was the first for new head coach Anne Donovan and came in her Walsh Gymnasium debut.
MASEKO EARNS A START
Sophomore Alexandra Maseko earned the first start of her career against Temple and responded with career-highs of five rebounds and 19 minutes.
SIMMONS DEBUTS WITH STYLE
In her first collegiate game, freshman guard Ka-Deidre Simmons led all players with 19 points, while tying for game-high honors with seven rebounds at Florida Gulf Coast. Simmons hit 7-of-12 field goals and 5-of-8 free throws, while also dishing out two assists in 29 minutes off the bench.
THE DONOVAN ERA BEGINS
Named just the third head coach in program history on March 29, 2010, Anne Donovan made her debut on Seton Hall's sidelines on Nov. 12 at Florida Gulf Coast.
SEASON OPENERS
Seton Hall is 28-10 all-time in season openers after falling to Florida Gulf Coast. It was the first season debut played under the guidance of new head coach Anne Donovan; Sue Dilley was 9-3 in 12 seasons, while Phyllis Mangina was 19-6 in 25 seasons.
STARTING ON THE ROAD
For the second straight season, Seton Hall played its home opener on the road. Last year, the Pirates defeated Rider, 63-49 in Lawrenceville, N.J. This season marked the first time that the Hall made its season debut in the state of Florida.
KANDICE GREEN LEADS THE REUTRNEES
Junior Kandice Green leads the returning Pirates in 2010-11 after a strong sophomore campaign. Last season, she was second on the team with 12.8 points per game and tops with 8.7 rebounds. Green ranked fifth in the BIG EAST in rebounding and in double-doubles, of which she totaled 11, and also set a new Seton Hall season record with 130 made free throws.
LONE SENIOR
Center Kashmere Joseph will have Senior Night all to herself this season, as she is the only fourth-year player on the Seton Hall roster.
CREW GAINS ELIGIBILITY
After sitting out the 2009-10 season upon transferring from Northeastern, Jasmine Crew will suit up for the first time in the blue and white of Seton Hall this season. Crew was a Second Team All-Colonial selection as a sophomore after leading the Huskies with 13.9 points and 3.2 assists.
SIX NEW FACES
Five freshman and one junior college transfer are new to the Seton Hall roster for the 2010-11 season. Tiffani Blackman, Nicosia Henry, Jazzmine Johnson, Ka-Deidre Simmons and Elaine Swaby make up the rookie class, while junior Tajay Ashmeade joins the program from Trinity Valley Junior College.
ASHMEADE REPRESENTS JAMAICA
In the summer of 2010, Tajay Ashmeade helped the Jamaica senior national women's team to a silver medal in the 2010 Centrobasket Tournament in Puerto Rico and a berth in the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship, the final qualifier for the 2012 Olympics in London. Ashmeade was a major contributor on the team, turning in several strong performances including a 12-point, six-rebound effort in 35 minutes against Trinidad & Tobago.
DONOVAN SIGNS TWO FOR 2011-12
Seton Hall head women's basketball coach Anne Donovan has announced the signing of a pair of student-athletes to national letters of intent. Alexis Brown, a 5-foot 8-inch guard, and Chizoba Ekedigwe, a 6-foot 5-inch center, will join the Pirates in the fall of 2011. Brown has been a standout performer for one of the nation's top high school teams, Potter's House Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Fla. Fundamentally sound and noted for her aggressive play, she was co-MVP of her high school team as a junior while helping the squad to a 38-4 record and the National Christian School Athletic Association national championship. Brown, who plays for the eight-time defending Florida AAU champion Jacksonville Lady Rams, is a Sporting News honorable mention All-American. Ekedigwe averaged 10 points, 10 rebounds and over three blocks per game at St. Vincent Pallotti in Laurel, Md. She led the IAAM Conference with 82 blocks on the season. A versatile prospect, Ekedigwe played both forward and center for the Blue Star Maryland club team. She is a member of both the Spanish and National Honor Society, as well as the Varsity Club and the volleyball team.
THE HALL ON TV
The Seton Hall women's basketball game at Cincinnati on Feb. 12 will serve as the BIG EAST Network (BETV) Syndicated Game of the Week. Coming off a season which saw a league-record 13 teams advance to postseason play for a second straight year, the BIG EAST's 2010-11 women's basketball television schedule features all 16 teams for the fifth consecutive year and continues to be one of the top television slates in the nation. The league's overall exposure includes one game on CBS Sports, 14 appearances on ESPN/ESPN2, 27 on ESPNU and 25 on CBS College Sports Network.
WATCH THE PIRATES
Every Seton Hall home women's basketball game will be streamed live on shupirates.com. Join play-by-play announcer Jon Schaeffer as he calls all the exciting action of Pirates' basketball.
2011 BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP
The 2010 BIG EAST Women's Basketball Championship will once again be held at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn., on March 4-8. For the third straight year, all 16 teams will be invited.
DONOVAN'S STAFF
Anne Donovan has assembled a talented staff in her first season as Seton Hall's head coach. Jenny Palmateer, Ty Grace and Catherine Proto will serve as assistant coaches, while David Kim will act as director of operations. Nanna Rivers came aboard as the coordinator of operations, while Meg Tarrant is the graduate assistant.
