Credit: GR Productions
Pirates Look to Bounce Back against San Francisco
Published: Monday, December 2, 2024
by Darren Worrell
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ – The Seton Hall Women’s Basketball team (4-2) returns home to historic Walsh Gymnasium with redemption on their minds, as they prepare to face the San Francisco Dons (2-3). This marks the third meeting between the two teams and the first since December 20, 2004.
The Pirates are coming off a tough 84-51 loss to the No. 6-ranked USC Trojans in the Acrisure Holiday Invitational last Wednesday. Seton Hall struggled on the boards in that game, getting out-rebounded 56-27, including a 22-11 disadvantage on the offensive glass. Despite the lopsided score, the Pirates showed flashes of promise by creating good looks, but struggled to convert them into points.
Faith Masonius, however, delivered an exceptional performance. The graduate forward led all scorers with a career-high 25 points, shooting 11-for-21 from the field and three-for-six from beyond the arc. Her highlight-reel buzzer-beater to close the third quarter underscored her strong outing. This marks her fourth 20-point game of the season and her ninth consecutive game scoring in double figures, dating back to her final three games at Maryland.
The San Francisco Dons (2-3) come into the game following a narrow 59-57 loss to Boise State on November 21. The tightly contested matchup came down to the final moments, with a missed layup by Freja Werth and a split trip to the free-throw line by Lorena Barbosa ultimately sealing Boise State’s victory.
The Dons are led by Freja Werth, their starting guard, and Debora Dos Santos, the starting center, who have both been consistent double-digit scorers. Werth and Dos Santos have proven to be pivotal for the team, even as San Francisco navigates a slow start to the season.
Beyond their top two players, key contributors for the Dons include Emma Porta Trawally and Elle Papaphronis. Trawally is a two-way force, leading the team in blocks (2.2 per game) and three-point shooting percentage (.462), while averaging 8.8 points per game. Papaphronis, meanwhile, is the team’s fourth-leading scorer with 8.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game.
For the Pirates, Faith Masonius remains the centerpiece, but several other players could play pivotal roles in this matchup. Yaya Lops is averaging 13 points and five rebounds per game while shooting efficiently from both the free-throw line and beyond the arc. Amari Wright has been a steady floor general, leading the team in assists (5.8 per game) and steals (3.5 per game). Savannah Catalon, the third-leading scorer, has delivered several double-digit performances this season and is a dangerous offensive weapon when she finds her rhythm. Freshman Jada Eads has also provided a spark off the bench, showing flashes of her potential at the point guard position.
To secure a victory, the Pirates must prioritize crashing the boards and strengthening their rebounding efforts, a clear weakness in their game against USC. They also need to develop reliable second and third scoring options to support Masonius, as over-reliance on a single player will make it difficult to compete effectively not just in their upcoming matchup against San Francisco, but against other well-rounded teams in the future.
Tipoff between the Pirates and Dons is set for Monday at 7 P.M. at Walsh Gymnasium in South Orange, NJ. Kyle Ferreira and Jackson Shank will have the call on WSOU 89.5 FM, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m.
Darren Worrell can be reached at darren.worrell@student.shu.edu.Posted in: sports,