WBB Opens Thanksgiving Classic Saturday
11/28/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
NR/RV SETON HALL (3-1) vs. SAINT PETER'S (0-2)
South Orange, N.J. (Walsh Gymnasium) • Saturday, Nov. 29 • 12:00 PM
Broadcast: Pirate Sports Network (Play-by-play: Jon Schaeffer)
Radio: 89.5 FM WSOU (Play-by-play: Anthony DiPaolo; Color: Natalie Tasci)
Seton Hall Game Notes 
| Saint Peter's Game Notes | Live Video |
The Thanksgiving Holiday was an important day of rest for the Seton Hall University women's basketball team, because starting with this weekend's Thanksgiving Classic Tournament, the Pirates are embarking one of the toughest stretches they will face all season.
SHU hosts Saint Peter's in the Thanksgiving Classic opener on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 12 p.m., for what will be the first of six games over a stretch of just 10 days for The Hall.
The tournament field is filled out by St. Francis (N.Y.) and Saint Joseph's, who will face off in the other tournament semifinal on Saturday afternoon, with the Hall playing one of those teams on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
The back-to-back games are just the start of a difficult schedule that is sure to test Seton Hall. BIG EAST play officially kicks off on Wednesday night, as the Pirates head out to Omaha, Neb., to face Creighton University in a nationally televised contest on Fox Sports 1.
Two days later SHU plays at Fordham, who competed in the NCAA Tournament a year ago, then The Hall hosts Lafayette on Sunday in Walsh, followed by another home game against a resurgent Illinois squad on Tuesday, Dec. 9; Illinois knocked off No. 9 Kentucky earlier this week.
But first Seton Hall faces Saint Peter's, the 16th all-time meeting between the programs and the first since 2009.
The Peacocks have played just twice this season, falling to Stony Brook and Lehigh, but have what appears to be a star of the future in freshman forward Sajanna Bethea, who has come off the bench to average a double-double with 14.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game to start her career.
Bethea is the only player averaging double figures for Saint Peter's, which is scoring just 49.0 ppg and shooting 7-for-27 from 3-point range.
Seton Hall will look to take advantage of their shooting proficiency from 3-point range in addition to finally winning the battle of the boards. The Pirates are averaging seven threes a game, led by Tabatha Richardson-Smith, who has already knocked down 14 in just three games played.
Conversely, SHU has been outrebounding in three of its first four games, with 44-44 tie against Kennesaw State. Not surprisingly, that has led to a disadvantage in second-chance scoring. Over the past two games the Pirates' opponents have outscored them 49-19 in second -chance buckets. Saint Peter's is averaging just 31.5 rebounds per game, an area SHU will look to control on Saturday afternoon.
Expected to lead that charge is Bra'Shay Ali. One of the nation's top rebounders, she is coming off her first double-double of the season with 16 points and 15 rebounds against Kennesaw State. Ali is averaging a double-double with 11.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.
SETON HALL STATUS
- Graduate point guard Ka-Deidre Simmons continues to steal the show for the Pirates, scoring 26 points on 10-for-20 shooting in the exciting win over Kennesaw State earlier this week.
- Bra'Shey Ali, who proved to be one of the most tenacious rebounders in the country last season, turned in her first double-double of the year with 16 boards and 15 rebounds against the Owls.
- This weekend's action starts a difficult stretch for The Hall, which beginning with Saint Peter's on Saturday, will play six games in 10 days, with the conference opener at Creighton sandwiched in on Dec. 3.
SAINT PETER'S STATUS
- Saint Peter's has played just twice this season, losing at Stony Brook in its season opener, 56-40, and falling to Lehigh at home, 70-58, on Tuesday night.
- So far this season the Peacocks have been led by one of their bench players. Freshman forward Sajanna Bethea has come off the bench to average a double-double with 14.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. She is the only player on the team averaging double figures.
- The Peacocks are shooting just 25.9 percent (7-for-27) from 3-point range and have a -9.0 rebound margin early in the season.
TOUGH ROAD AHEAD
- Starting with this weekend's SHU Thanksgiving Classic, the Pirates will play six games over a 10-day stretch.
- After back-to-back games this weekend, SHU heads out to Omaha, Neb., for its BIG EAST opener at Creighton on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m., a game that will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.
- Two days later the Pirates face another difficult test, with a road game at Fordham.
- After that Seton Hall returns home to host Lafayette next Sunday, and Big 10 foe Illinois on Tuesday night; the Fighting Illini knocked off No. 9 Kentucky earlier this week.
SETON HALL VS. THE MAAC
- Seton Hall has had a good amount of success playing teams from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference over the years, posting an 91-12 overall record against MAAC foes, good for a .884 winning percentage.
- Seton Hall head coach Anthony Bozzella is very familiar with Saint Peter's, having coached in the MAAC at Iona College for 11 seasons prior to taking over the Pirates' program.
- Seton Hall's last game against a school from the MAAC came in this year's season opener against Rider, a 66-47 SHU win.
ALI SEEING DOUBLE
- Bra'Shey Ali recorded her first double-double of the season and the10th of her career with 16 points and 15 rebounds in the win over Kennesaw State on Nov. 26.
- Ali, who established herself as one of the nation's top rebounders a year ago, is now averaging a double-double with 11.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.
- She ranks second in the BIG EAST conference in total rebounds and fifth in offensive rebounds at 3.5 per contest.
PIRATES NEED TO CUT DOWN ON SECONDS
- SHU has been outrebounded in three of its first four games this season, and all of those extra possessions are leading to second-chance points for opponents.
- Over the last two games, Seton Hall last lost the second-chance point battle 49-19, which includes a 27-9 disadvantage against Kennesaw State and 22-10 at Penn State.
SIMMONS TOPS 20 YET AGAIN
- Scoring 26 points on 10-for-20 shooting in the 77-74 win over Kennesaw State on Nov. 26, Ka-Deidre Simmons eclipsed 20 points for a third-straight game for the first time in her career.
- Over the last three games, Simmons is averaging 24.6 ppg while shooting 23-of-50 (.460) from the field.
- Simmons currently ranks second in the BIG EAST, averaging 22.0 ppg. She has scored in double figures in 33-straight games dating back to last season.
