Pirates pull off comeback against Butler in 67-62 road victory

Date: December 29, 2019

By: Ronny Castaneda

The Pirates come away with a scrappy win from Hinkle Fieldhouse with Barbara Johnson leading the way as they take down the Bulldogs, 67-62, to open up Big East play in stunning fashion.

Butler came into the game at 8-3 and were a top team in what is a stacked Big East. Seton Hall earns their third straight win and eighth of the season to get things rolling in the Big East. Butler got off to a strong start with a 9-0 run after the tip before Johnson put the Pirates on the board with an and-one bucket. That would translate to a 9-0 for the Pirates as Mya Jackson would tie it late in the first. Butler would go on another run, 9-1, as the quarter ended 18-10, Butler.

The second quarter saw similar trends with both squads going back and forth. Butler continued the hot hand from the first quarter, shooting 58% from the field to end the half. Seton Hall would go on a 10-2 run.

Both teams came into the second half with guns blazing. Lauren Park-Lane would tie it up for the Pirates at 37 before the Bulldogs would answer with a pair of buckets and put them back up 41-37.

The Hall would cut the lead down to 11 with a buzzer-beater three from Alexis Lewis. An injury saw Naira Caceres get taken out for Butler towards the end of the third, after shooting 3/3 with three rebounds in only 10 minutes off the bench. She would return in the fourth.

The Pirates came back with their foot on the gas in the fourth with a 9-2 run to cut the deficit to six. Johnson would hit a clutch second-chance three to bring them within three. Shadeen Samuels would get to the bucket to tie the game and a pair of free throws from Johnson would give the pirates their first lead of the game at 62-60.

Johnson continued her heroic stretch with the go ahead three-point jumper, leaving the Bulldogs with 29 seconds to answer. Kristen Spolyar was trusted with the game tying shot but couldn’t get it to fall. Samuels was fouled off the rebound and iced the game with two free-throws. The Pirates also introduced a full-court press that proved to be detrimental for the Bulldogs, who were outscored 24-8 in the fourth quarter.

Johnson led the way with 18 points and five rebounds. Lewis added on 17 points and Samuels fell a point shy of a double-double with nine points and 11 boards. Despite the loss Spolyar had herself a game with 17 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, all team highs.

The Pirates will stay on the road as they take on the Xavier Musketeers in Cincinnati on New Year’s Eve. Tip-off is set for 1:00 PM.

Ronny Castaneda can be reached at ronald.castaneda@student.shu.edu.

Posted in: Sports, WSOU, Women's Basketball