Pirates Host Butler Sunday On NGWS Day

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. -- Looking to close a season-long four-game homestand strong, the Seton Hall women's basketball team (10-11, 3-7 BIG EAST) hosts Butler (5-16, 2-8 BIG EAST) on Sunday afternoon at Walsh Gymnasium. The contest is set for a 2 p.m. tip on the BIG EAST Digital Network via the FOX Sports GO app with John Fanta and David Gass on the call.

Sunday's contest is part of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, with more information available HERE. Over 1,000 tickets are out for the contest, with a limited number still available HERE.

SETON HALL TIP-INS

The Hall has won two of three on a season-long four-game homestand which closes on Sunday
The Pirates are looking to split the regular season series with the Bulldogs after falling on Jan. 2 in Indianapolis
JaQuan Jackson ranks fourth in the BIG EAST in scoring in her first season as a Pirate
The Pirates are 9-4 at Walsh Gym this season and 52-13 in four seasons under Anthony Bozzella at home
Kaela Hilaire is second on The Hall in scoring and ranks third in the BIG EAST in assists during her freshman campaign
The Pirates lead the BIG EAST in 3-point field goal percentage during league play with a 36.6 percent mark

BULLDOG BULLETS

Butler visits South Orange with a 5-16 record on the year and a 2-8 mark in BIG EAST play
The Bulldogs are in the midst of a five-game slide, but have lost each of their last three contests by less than seven points
Most recently, BU dropped a 62-55 decision at St. John's
Tori Schickel leads the Bulldogs with 14.6 points per game and averages a double-double, topping the BIG EAST with 11.1 rebounds per contest
Michelle Weaver (10.0 ppg) also scores in double-figures for BU, while Syndey Buck is just shy at 9.8 ppg
Schickel is also second in the BIG EAST in steals per game with 2.0 per contest

XAVIER RECAP
The Pirates grabbed their third conference win on Friday night, knocking off Xavier at Walsh Gym

The Pirates led for all but 4:33 of the eventual 71-62 victory
The Hall took a five-point lead to the half, but a 7-0 run for the Musketeers allowed XU to pull ahead briefly early in the third
The Pirates answered with back-to-back buckets from Jayla Jones-Pack to pull back even, before a five-point spurt from Kaela Hilaire later in the third gave them the lead for good
Hilaire led all players with 16 points and five assists to pace The Hall
Jones-Pack added eight points and set a career-high with nine rebounds, also swatting three blocks
The Hall shot 45.6 percent from the floor and 60.0 percent from 3-point range, holding Xavier to 38.2 and 30.8 marks
LaTecia Smith was also in double-figures with 11 points, adding two steals and holding XU leading scorer Raeshaun Gaffney to a 3-12 shooting day

BUTLER SERIES NOTES
The Hall is 4-3 all-time against Butler in a series dating back to BU joining the BIG EAST for the 2013-14 season

The Bulldogs grabbed the first contest between the two squads earlier this season, a 79-58 triumph at Hinkle Fieldhouse
JaQuan Jackson scored a career-high 25 points in the match-up on Jan. 2, while Hilaire added nine points and seven assists
For BU it was Tori Schickel posting a monster 23-point, 16-rebound double-double and Kristen Spolyar pouring in 28 points
In Butler's last visit to Walsh Gym, Tabatha Richardson-Smith went for 26 points and 11 rebounds and Aleesha Powell scored 23 in a 98-77 victory for The Hall on Jan. 24, 2016

WHAT'S AHEAD
Following Sunday's contest, The Hall begins a series of five of seven on the road to end the year with a trip to take on Marquette on Feb. 3 at 12:30 p.m.