Pirate Preview: Savanna Jones ('26-'27)

Published: Sunday, September 27, 2026

by Jack Pine

The Seton Hall women’s basketball team will feature plenty of new faces during the 2026-27 season. After the departures of experienced players like Jordana Codio, Mariana Valenzuela, and Messiah Hunter, senior forward Savanna Jones gives the Pirates an experienced option in their frontcourt.

 

Jones originally came to South Orange after a strong season in junior college at North Dakota State College of Science. She scored 13.3 points and grabbed 7.7 rebounds across 35 games while earning First Team All-Conference honors.

 

Jones also helped NDSCS finish 28-7 and win the Region 13 Championship in 2024. When Jones transferred to Seton Hall, head coach Tony Bozzella complimented her ability to catch and shoot while also protecting the basket. Entering her senior season, Jones could have an opportunity to carve out a larger role.

 

Basketball runs deep in Jones’ family. Savanna's father, Rob Jones, played college basketball at Wisconsin-Parkside, while her brothers Tyus and Tre are both in the NBA.

 

Tyus played one season with Duke and led the Blue Devils to the 2015 National Championship. Tyus was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player for his efforts, before being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft.

 

Tre also went on to play at Duke before being drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round in 2020. With multiple family members reaching the college and professional levels, Savanna grew up surrounded by high-level basketball.

 

Jones now enters her third season with Seton Hall after transferring in 2024. The 6-foot-2 forward and center has primarily served as a reserve during her first two years in South Orange, appearing in 55 games without making a start. Last season, Jones played in 26 games and averaged 1.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 8.6 minutes per game.

 

Although her numbers have not been eye-catching, Jones has still shown flashes when given extended opportunities. She opened her junior season with five points and five rebounds against Saint Peter’s and grabbed a season-high six rebounds against Georgetown. In the BIG EAST Tournament against Villanova, Jones brought in five rebounds in Seton Hall’s final conference game of the season.

 

Seton Hall's frontcourt will look different following the departures of Mariana Valenzuela and Messiah Hunter.

 

Jones is now one of the Pirates’ most experienced players in the post, while freshmen Inieye Oruh, Shamira Morton and Kenadie Maughan join the frontcourt alongside senior transfer Jada Crawshaw.

 

For Jones, her next step will be turning her experience into more consistent production. Jones has already shown that she knows Bozzella’s system, which could help Seton Hall as the team brings several new players into the rotation.

 

After two seasons coming off the bench, Jones enters 2026-27 with an opportunity to make her biggest impact yet in a Seton Hall uniform. 

 

Jack Pine can be reached at john.pine@student.shu.edu 

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