WBB Announces Complete 2014-15 Schedule
9/11/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Pirates' conference slate is highlighted by a program-record four matchups that will be nationally televised, starting with the team's BIG EAST opener at Creighton on Wednesday, Dec. 3, which will be aired on Fox Sports 1 at 8 p.m. (ET).
Just after ringing in the New Year, Seton Hall will travel to St. John's University on Friday, Jan. 2, to face the Red Storm on the CBS Sports Network at 6 p.m. The Hall's additional nationally televised games include a trip to Villanova on Friday, Jan. 23, which will air on Fox Sports 1 at 7 p.m., and the Pirates will play host to the Providence Friars on Friday, Feb. 6, at 8 p.m., in their third game of the season to air on Fox Sports 1.
It is the first time in league history that every conference team is guaranteed at least two nationally televised games. Additional game coverage will be made available through the recently announced BIG EAST Digital Network, which will be available on the Fox Sports GO mobile app.
"I think the fact that we have four nationally televised games this year is a true indication of where our program is right now," Seton Hall head women's basketball coach Anthony Bozzella said. "It says a lot about our improvement, the perception of the program and our culture, all of the positive changes that have taken place here. We all feel honored to be featured on national television four times."
This year's conference schedule will feature a new format, with a majority of BIG EAST matchups taking place on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoon. While the format resulted in three trips that will feature back-to-back road games, the travel distribution ensures no BIG EAST team will be tasked with playing four-straight games away from home.
The Pirates' home opener will come against the Butler University Bulldogs on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at 7 p.m., and following a bye after the St. John's game on Jan. 2, SHU returns home to face Xavier on Friday, Jan. 9, at 7 p.m.
A week later Seton Hall hosts Marquette University on Friday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m., and reigning BIG EAST Champion DePaul rolls into South Orange on Sunday, Jan. 18, at 2 p.m.
Seton Hall returns home on Sunday, Feb. 1, when it will open its longest conference home stand of the season against St. John's University at 2 p.m. The Pirates then host Providence in a nationally televised game on Friday, Feb. 6, before closing out the home stretch against Creighton on Sunday, Feb. 8, at 2 p.m.
The final two home matchups of the year take place on Friday, Feb. 20, and Sunday, Feb. 22, as Seton Hall faces Georgetown and Villanova at 7 p.m., and 2 p.m., respectively.
"I think the new conference format is going to present a huge challenge athletically because you are playing a Friday night game, then Sunday afternoon, with travel in between," said Bozzella. "Seton Hall is at a disadvantage because when teams travel to play us, they only have to travel from St. John's, whereas whenever we are on the road it involves greater distances between games.
"From an academic standpoint I think it is a home run because the students will not miss as many classes," added Bozzella. "It also helps with recruiting, because when prospective student-athletes visit campus they can see two games over one weekend."
The Pirates' road schedule includes a trip to Providence on Sunday, Jan. 11, and tests at Villanova on Friday Jan. 23, and at Georgetown on Sunday, Jan. 25. The Hall will then see four of its final six conference games played away from the friendly confines of Walsh Gym with four of its five midwest road matchups coming late in the season.
Seton Hall travels to Marquette on DePaul on Friday, Feb. 13, and Marquette on Sunday, Feb. 15. The Pirates then close out the regular season at Xavier on Friday, Feb. 27, and Butler on Sunday, March 1.
"I think we have a big challenge right away at Creighton, a nationally televised game in a very difficult place to play," said Bozzella. "It is important for us to hold our own in the first half of the schedule because the second half gets a lot tougher with four of the last six on the road."
For the second year in a row the BIG EAST Women's Basketball Tournament will be held in the windy city at DePaul University and Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. Once again all 10 teams will qualify for postseason play with the top six seeds earning a bye to the quarterfinals.
First round action will begin on Saturday, March 7, before shifting to Allstate Arena for the final three days of action on Sunday-Tuesday, March 8-10. The BIG EAST Semifinals will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2 on Monday, March 9, at 6:30 p.m., and 9 p.m. The conference championship game will once again be broadcast on Fox Sports 1, with a scheduled tip time of 8 p.m. (ET).
Seton Hall will open the 2014-15 season at home on Friday, Nov. 14, when it hosts Rider in the first round of the Preseason WNIT at 12 p.m.
