Seton Hall University
Creighton
RV/#24 Pirates Upset by Creighton 81-73
2/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - After leading by five with as many minutes left in regulation, the RV/#24 Seton Hall University women's basketball team dropped an 81-73 decision to the Creighton Bluejays on Sunday afternoon inside Walsh Gymnasium.
The loss snapped a 20-game home winning streak and an eight-game surge by the Pirates (21-3, 10-2). Tiffany Jones (New York, N.Y.) finished with career highs in points and rebounds with 20 and 13, but it was not enough, despite four players scoring in double-figures for The Hall.
Trailing 60-52 with 12:15 remaining, defensive pressure turned into results on the fast break for SHU. After Ka-Deidre Simmons (Newark, N.J.) converted with a three-point play, the Pirates forced two straight turnovers, resulting in fast break lay-ins by Jones and Tabatha Richardson-Smith (Bay City, Texas) to pull within one.
Coming out of a timeout, Creighton (14-10, 7-6) gave the ball away twice more, leading to two more Richardson-Smith lay-ins. It was all part of an 11-0 run that spanned 1:40, as SHU held a 63-60 advantage with 8:59 to play.
The two teams were tied at 65, before Jones drilled a lay-in on the right block to put Seton Hall back ahead with 6:34 remaining.
The Pirates extended their lead to 71-66 with a jumper by
After both teams traded baskets, the Bluejays' MC McGory made her second 3-pointer of the afternoon to put Creighton up 75-73. A scoreless drought ensued between both teams for the next 80 seconds, before Rollerson hit another clutch lay-in to extend the advantage to four. The Bluejays' defense closed strongly down the stretch as well, holding The Hall scoreless over the final 3:17.
Creighton came out firing from three-point land in the first half, with three treys in the first five minutes of action. Senior forward Alexis Akin-Otiko scored seven points in that span and Creighton led the Pirates, 15-8, with 14:49 to play in the first half.
Trailing 17-11, The Hall used fullcourt pressure to ignite its offense. After Richardson-Smith completed a three-point play, the Pirates forced two straight turnovers by the Bluejays and converted with back-to-back baskets by Jones, giving SHU a 7-0 run in a matter of just 22 seconds and the 18-17 lead.
The two teams went back and forth throughout the next three minutes, before Creighton regained the lead. A three by Sydney Lamberty gave the Bluejays a 25-24 advantage before Marissa Janning scored to push the lead to three with eight minutes left in the first half.
After a scoring drought that lasted just over three minutes, the Pirates offense awoke with a basket from Jones, which cut Creighton's lead to 33-27. Ka-Deidre Simmons converted from just inside the 3-pont arc to get the Pirates within four. But, the play of Akin-Otiko continued to give the Bluejays offense a big boost, as the senior forward hit followed a lay-in with her third three of the half to put CU on top, 38-31, with 3:12 left in the first period.
The Hall was able to get within five of the Bluejays with a lay-in by Daisha Simmons (Jersey City, N.J.) with 28 seconds to play, but Akin-Otiko's 15 points and eight treys by Creighton led them to a 42-37 halftime lead.
The Bluejays finished 18-for-20 from the free throw line, while the Pirates went 12-for-23. Creighton's hot shooting resulted in 11 three-pointers as four scored in double-figures. Richardson-Smith ended up with 17 points to go along with 10 rebounds, which is the third straight game that the junior wing has finished in double-digits on the glass.
The historic season continued for Ka-Deidre Simmons, as the graduate guard reached 500 career assists with five dishes on Sunday. She is just 34 shy of breaking the Seton Hall all-time record.
Seton Hall will return to action on Friday night inside McGrath-Phillips Arena when the Pirates take on DePaul in a battle for first place in the BIG EAST. The game will tip off at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on the BIG EAST Digital Network, which can be accessed using the Fox Sports Go app.
