Pirates Prevail in Conference Opener vs Friars, 51-40

Published: Saturday, December 21, 2024

by Patrick Corsello

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J - The Pirates (9-3) defeated the Providence Friars (7-7) on Tuesday afternoon, 51-40, opening up Big East play with a comfortable win. This was a great bounce-back performance following a tough loss to LSU in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Saturday. 

It was not the prettiest victory, as both teams struggled mightily throughout; there was 47 combined turnovers, with 17 for the Hall, and 30 for Providence. 

Neither team really controlled the play through the first three quarters. The game was very back-and-forth during this time, with both teams struggling to put the ball in the bucket.  Still, Friars’ leading scorer Grace Efosa came alive. While only posting four points in her last game, she tallied 20 points on the day today. 

Yet the problem for the Friars was that the points didn’t come from anywhere else. Mackayla Scarlett and Marta Morales tied for second in scoring for Providence, with only five points each. 

For most of the game, the Pirates were in a similar position. Surprisingly, only three players put points on the board for Seton Hall: Faith Masonius scored 18 and Kaydan Lawson contributed eight. Jada Eads posted a career-high for her third straight game, as she finished with 25 points against the Friars. 

The Pirates finally broke through in the fourth quarter, taking control of the game. This charge was led by Eads, who went coast-to-coast, knocking the ball out of Providence’s hands, racing up the court, and finishing with a layup. From there, it was all Pirates. Eads scored 12 points in the final quarter, reviving Seton Hall’s offense.  

Like the preview mentioned, Eads will need to be a big factor with Savannah Catalon out due to injury, and the freshman has proved capable in these past two games without Catalon. 

However, having only three players contribute points is not an ideal scenario for the Pirates. Senior Yaya Lops struggled in this game, failing to score a single point in 33 minutes of play. Despite the win, Seton Hall still has questions to answer as they move forward. 

It will be interesting to see if more players step up for the Pirates, as Big East play is officially underway now. Naturally, these will be looked at as some of the most important games of the season. 

The Pirates will now have a short Christmas break before their next game on Sunday, December 29th, when they head to Hinkle Fieldhouse to face the Butler Bulldogs. 

As always, you can listen on 89.5 FM WSOU, with coverage starting at 1:30 p.m Eastern Time. Tipoff starts at 2 p.m, with Mike Bellifemini and Lauren Reese on the call. 

Patrick Corsello is an Assistant Music Director and can be reached at patrick.corsello@student.shu.edu. 

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