WBB Enters AP Top-25 Poll at No. 23
12/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The rest of the country is starting to take notice of the red hot Seton Hall University women's basketball team as the Pirates entered the Associated Press Top-25 Poll at No. 23, it was announced Monday afternoon. Seton Hall, which is coming off a decisive 70-51 win over No. 14/16 Georgia on Sunday afternoon, is ranked in the AP Poll for the first time in nearly 20 years, since January, 1995.
The victory over Georgia on Sunday may be one of the biggest regular season wins in program history, and it was the first time The Hall toppled a ranked opponent in nearly eight years, since a 63-58 win over No. 19 Marquette on Feb. 20, 2007. The No. 14 Bulldogs were the highest ranked team Seton Hall has defeated since a win at No. 12 Notre Dame in January 2006.
The 19-point win represented the largest margin of victory for The Hall over a ranked team since a 74-53 win over No. 8 Connecticut on Jan. 5, 1994.
With the win, Seton Hall improved to 12-1 overall heading into the bulk of conference play, which is tied for the best start to a season in program history, matching the early season record of the 1977-78 squad.
Seton Hall has won 11-straight games since losing a close game at No. 17 West Virginia, 89-87, back on Nov. 17, which is the third-longest winning streak in program history, leaving the Pirates just one shy of matching the all-time mark.
DePaul University also re-entered the Top-25 Poll, checking in at No. 25, making it the first time the BIG EAST has had two teams ranked in the top-25 since conference re-alignment. St. John's University, which hosts Seton Hall on Friday night, is receiving votes in the latest poll.
The Pirates are also currently the highest rated BIG EAST squad in the latest NCAA RPI rankings, moving up to No. 21 after yesterday's action.
Seton Hall has won each of its last six games by double digits and has won 14-straight contests inside of Walsh Gym, the second longest home winning streak in school history.
The Pirates currently have four players scoring in double figures, led by junior Tabatha Richardson-Smith (Bay City, Texas) at 17.9 ppg, who was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week earlier on Monday after scoring a game-high 25 points in the win over Georgia.
Ka-Deidre Simmons (Newark, N.J.) is averaging 16.6 ppg, and is second in the league averaging 5.5 assists per game, and Daisha Simmons (Jersey City, N.J.) is right behind her at 16.3 ppg. Bra'Shey Ali (Plainfield, N.J.) is close to averaging a double-double with 10.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per contest.
Seton Hall returns to action on Tuesday night, when it hosts Butler University in Walsh Gym. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
