Seton Hall University
Penn State
WBB Picks Up 75-70 Win at Penn State
11/22/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
STATE COLLEGE, PA. - Graduate point guard Ka-Deidre Simmons (Newark, N.J.) scored a career-high 28 points, 23 of which came in the second half, as the Seton Hall University women's basketball team held on to pick up a 75-70 victory at Penn State University in the Preseason WNIT consolation round on Saturday night at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Seton Hall (2-1), which is receiving votes in the USA Today/Coaches Top-25 Poll for the first time in nearly 20 years, picked up its first win in 10 tries against Penn State (1-2); the programs were meeting for the first time in exactly 16 years. The Pirates also became the first team to defeat the Lady Lions when they were coming off a loss since February, 2011. SHU picked up its first win over a Big 10 program in nearly eight years, since a win at Northwestern on Dec. 6, 2007.
Seton Hall led by as many as 14 points in the first half, but after the Lady Lions opened the second on a 7-0 run the contest was neck-and-neck the rest of the way. Penn State took its first lead of the game on a Jenny DeGraaf putback with 15:00 remaining, but led by Ka-Deidre Simmons the Pirates rebounded to pull back in front by three.
It was not until very late in the second half Seton Hall created any kind of significant separation with two big buckets on consecutive possessions. Bra'Shey Ali (Plainfield, N.J.) drove to the rim with a little under five minutes to play and after a defensive stop, Daisha Simmons (Jersey City, N.J.) found Tara Inman (Holmdel, N.J.) in the corner for a triple, her second of the game, and the Pirates' lead grew to 64-56 with 4:20 remaining.
Penn State used an 8-1 run in the final minute to cut the Pirates' lead all the way down to 71-70 with 11 seconds to play. Candice Agee, who turned in a monster game with 21 points on 9-for-15 shooting, had a chance to convert a three-point play and tie the game, but missed at the line and Daisha Simmons iced it with two makes on the other end.
Ka-Deidre Simmons was prolific in the second half. She scored the first 10 point of the period for The Hall, and 13 of the team's first 15 points in the half, shooting 8-for-14 from the field and 6-for-8 from the line in the second period. She also eclipsed 1,200 points for her career and now sits in 11th place in program history with 1,201.
Daisha Simmons nearly recorded a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds to go along with five assists. Ali also finished in double figures with 14 points, grabbing nine boards, and was 6-for-8 from the line.
Seton Hall forced 19 turnovers and came away with 12 steals, leading the points off of turnover battle 22-18. Penn State held a 50-40 lead in rebounds and was dominant in the paint with 40 points on the inside and 22 on second-chances.
Led by Daisha Simmons and a tenacious team defensive effort, Seton Hall opened the game on a 9-0 run and led by as many as 14 points in the first half. Daisha Simmons knocked down two shots from long-distance over the first three minutes of the game, the second of which put The Hall in front 9-0.
Seton Hall limited the Lady Lions to 2-for-14 shooting from the field to start the game and forced seven turnovers in the first eight minutes, leading 16-7 at 12:34. The lead stretched all the way to 21-7 when Kathleen Egan (Aberdeen, N.J.) found Inman in the corner for a triple at 10:54.
Penn State mounted a comeback, scoring six straight to ignite what turned into a 12-2 run over the next four minutes led by eight points by Agee, and the Lady Lions were only down 29-27 after DeGraaf drove to the rim at 2:51.
Seton Hall responded with an Egan 3-pointer from the left wing and Ali scored five points over the final two minutes of the half to help The Hall build a 37-29 cushion at the break, a late surge that proved to be crucial in what turned into a close game down the stretch.
Seton Hall resumes action this Wednesday afternoon when it begins a busy Thanksgiving week with a Noon game in Walsh Gymnasium against Kennesaw State.
