Seton Hall University
South Dakota
Pirates Fall to South Dakota
11/25/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Redshirt sophomore point guard Ka-Deidre Simmons (Newark, N.J.) paced Seton Hall with a season-high 14 points, the ninth double-figure scoring game of her career and her second of the season.
Sophomore guard Alexis Brown (Jacksonville, Fla.) recorded a career-high 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting, senior Brittany Morris (Raleigh, N.C.) scored 12 points and was a perfect 8-for-8 at the free throw line, also dishing out a team-high five assists, and senior forward Alexandra Maseko (Harare, Zimbabwe) notched her first-career double-double, finishing with 11 points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
Despite the balance offensively Seton Hall was never able to recover from a 15-point halftime deficit, when South Dakota closed the opening period on an 11-0 run over the final 2:43.
The Pirates were off to a fast start behind a pair of quick baskets for Brown as they jumped out to a 6-0 lead just 2:30 into the game. South Dakota answered with a 9-2 run and Seton Hall regained the advantage when Brown found senior Terry Green (Brentwood, N.Y.) in transition for a fast-break layup.
South Dakota used a 10-3 run over the next seven minutes to take a 19-13 lead, getting four points each from Heidi Hoff and Polly Harrington during the run.
The Coyotes (2-4) built their large halftime lead by converting at the free throw line and forcing Seton Hall to commit 12 turnovers. South Dakota finished the opening period with a 15-2 lead in points off turnovers and shot 13-for-15 (86.7 percent) at the free throw line, while the Pirates made just three free throws.
Seton Hall attacked the rim relentlessly in the second half, getting to the line 23 times over the final 20 minutes where the team shot 78.3 percent (18-of-23). But it seemed like every time the Pirates made a push South Dakota would answer with a three-point basket on the other end.
After sinking just three triples in the opening half the Coyotes came out and shot 6-for-14 from three in the second period; their nine total three-pointers are the most the Pirates have given up in a single game so far this season.
The Pirates closed to within 16 points late in the second half when Simmons came down with a rebound and sprinted all the way down the court to finish on the fast break. South Dakota answered with a Hoff three pointer on the next possession and pushed the lead back to 19.
The 30 free throw attempts for Seton Hall tied the season-high set against NJIT in the season opener on Nov. 9. The Coyotes shot 80.0 percent from the free throw line, well above their season average of 64.0 percent heading into the game.
Seton Hall was facing South Dakota for the first time in program history and the game was the first-ever for the Pirates against an opponent from the Summit League.
Seton Hall (2-4) begins a two-game home stand on Wednesday, Nov. 28, when it hosts Siena College at Walsh Gymnasium in South Orange, N.J. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
