Hall Travels to #21/17 South Carolina
11/16/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 16, 2013
SETON HALL (3-0) at #21/17 SOUTH CAROLINA (3-0)
Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena) • Sunday, Nov. 17 • 3:00 PM
Webcast: www.gamecocksonline.com • Radio: 89.5 WSOU FM (Play-by-play: Vincent Paolella; Color: Hill Boyce)
Seton Hall Game Notes
| South Carolina Game Notes | | Live Video
The Seton Hall women's basketball team hits the road for the first time this season and will face the No. 21/17 South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday afternoon in Columbia, S.C., at 3 p.m. The Pirates improved to 3-0 on the year after picking up a 78-61 victory over Weber State on Friday night in Walsh Gym. Seton Hall and South Carolina are matching up for just the fourth time. The Gamecocks won last year's meeting in South Orange, 55-42.
SETON HALL STATUS
Seton Hall never trailed on Friday night as it cruised to a 78-61 win over Weber State at Walsh Gym. Sophomore forward Tabatha Richardson-Smith led the Pirates in scoring for a second-straight game, pouring in 27 points on 10-for-17 shooting. Redshirt sophomore forward Bra'Shey Ali notched the first double-double of his career, posting career highs in points (14) and rebounds (17) in the victory over the Wildcats.
SOUTH CAROLINA STATUS
Ranked in both the AP and USA Today Coaches Poll, South Carolina has jumped out to a 3-0 start behind three-straight victories on its home court. The Gamecocks dispatched the College of Charleston, 81-54, on Thursday night. USC had five players in double figures, including four starters, in the win. Junior Aleighsa Welch is the team's leading scorer and is averaging a double-double with 13.7 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. She has scored in double figures in all three games so far for the Gamecocks.
SETON HALL VS. THE SEC
Seton Hall is 6-5 all-time against current members of the Southeastern Conference. The Pirates have faced nine different SEC teams, making South Carolina the only repeat opponent from the conference. SHU leads the all-time series with South Carolina, 2-1, but lost last year's meeting, 55-42, in South Orange.
RICHARDSON-SMITH CONTINUES HOT STREAK
Sophomore Tabatha Richardson-Smith has topped the 20-point plateau in back-to-back games for the first time in her career. Entering the season Richardson-Smith's career-high was 17 points, but she scored 30 points in the win over Marist and 27 against Weber State. She is averaging a team-high 22.0 ppg which is currently tied for third in the BIG EAST. With the 13-for-20 performance against Marist, Richardson-Smith was the first Seton Hall player to score 30 points in a game since Jasmine Crew finished with 33 points at Memphis on Dec. 30, 2011. She finished just six points shy of the Seton Hall single-game scoring record of 36 and one field goal shy of the single-game record of 14.
SIMMONS CLIMBING CAREER RANKS
With her three assists against Weber State redshirt junior Ka-Deidre Simmons moved in the top-20 on Seton Hall's career assist list. She now has 208-career assists, just moving past Tahnee Heins for the 20th spot. Simmons is averaging 3.3 assists per game in her career and led Seton Hall last season with 3.9 assists per game.
WEBER STATE SCORELESS FROM DOWNTOWN
Seton Hall held Weber State to 0-for-12 shooting from 3-point range in its 78-61 win over the Wildcats on Nov. 15. Weber State was the first team to to scoreless from beyond the arc against Seton Hall since Stony Brook failed to hit a 3-pointer on Dec. 17, 2011.
PAINT IT BLUE & WHITE
Seton Hall scored a bulk of its points in the season opening win over Longwood in the paint, outscoring the Lancers 36-10 on the interior. The Pirates have outscored their opponents by a 124-64 margin in the paint through the first three games of the year. The Hall is averaging 41.3 points per game on the interior this season.
GLASS SPECIALIST
Redshirt sophomore Bra'Shey Ali has enjoyed a great start to her career at Seton Hall, recording at least 14 rebounds in each of her first three games. She registered her first-career double-double with a career-high 14 points and 17 rebounds against Weber State on Nov. 15. Averaging 15.3 rebounds per game, Ali currently ranks first in the BIG EAST. Ali's 15 boards in the season opener against Longwood were the most for a Seton Hall player since Tajay Ashmeade grabbed 21 rebounds against William & Mary on Dec. 21, 2011.
SIMMONS ECLIPSES 600-CAREER POINTS
With 18 points against Rider on Nov. 10, redshirt junior guard Ka-Deidre Simmons eclipsed 600 points for her career. Simmons currently leads all active Seton Hall players with 620-career points. She has started 61 of her 64-career games played and is averaging 9.7 ppg.
RARE DOUBLE FOR THE HALL
Redshirt sophomore Bra'Shey Ali (14 rebounds) and redshirt junior Ka-Deidre Simmons (10 rebounds) both recorded double-digit boards against Rider on Nov. 10. The feat marked the first time Seton Hall has seen two player pull down at least 10 rebounds in the same game since Nov. 21, 2009. Ali currently leads the team in rebounding at 15.3 per game while Simmons registered her first-career game with 10 boards.
SIMMONS NEARLY SETS FREE THROW RECORD
Ka-Deidre Simmons scored 18 points against Rider on Nov. 10 and 16 of her points came from the free-throw line. Simmons tied the Seton Hall single-game free throw record of 16, set by Jasmine Crew against Louisiana Tech on Nov. 24, 2011. Only Nicole Emery's 10-for-10 performance from the line against Villanova on Feb. 7, 2009 was a higher single-game free throw shooting percentage than Simmons' (.941) game against the Broncs. Her 17 free throw attempts tie for third on the Seton Hall all-time single-game list.
