Pirates Look to Stay Hot Against Butler

Published: Sunday, December 29, 2024

by Darren Worrell

The Seton Hall Women’s Basketball team (9-3) travels to Indianapolis to face Butler (10-4) in their second BIG EAST matchup of the season. The Pirates lead the all-time series 17-6, and they look to continue their strong start to conference play.

Seton Hall heads into this game riding the momentum of a gritty 51-40 victory over Providence at Walsh Gymnasium. While the win was not the Pirates' best performance, their defense was the difference. Seton Hall forced 30 turnovers, a season-high, displaying just how disruptive they can be on that end of the floor. The Pirates also dominated the offensive glass, 13-7, creating key second-chance points to seal the win.

Surprisingly, all 51 of Seton Hall’s points came from just three players; but watching the game,you would not have known it. The collective energy and effort from the entire roster wereevident, making it feel like a full-team effort from start to finish.

Jada Eads led the charge, continuing her breakout stretch with a career-high of 25 points. The freshman guard has been electric, following up a 20-point performance against LSU with another impressive showing. Eads' growing confidence has solidified her place in the starting lineup and given the Pirates an offensive spark.

Faith Masonius once again proved why she is the heart and soul of this Seton Hall squad. Shefinished with 18 points, five rebounds, and five steals, doing a little bit of everything to keep the Pirates afloat. Masonius’s leadership and consistency also earned her a spot on the Big East Weekly Honor Roll, her fifth accolade this season.

A major boost for Seton Hall was the return of Kaydan Lawson, who had missed seven games due to injury. Lawson wasted no time making an impact, filling the stat sheet with eight points, nine rebounds, three assists, four steals, and a critical block late in the game. Her defensive intensity and physical presence were exactly what the Pirates needed to close out Providence.

On the other side, Butler presents a tough challenge, despite coming off a recent 66-43 loss to DePaul. The Bulldogs have had a solid start to the season, thanks in large part to their dynamic backcourt of Caroline Strande and Kilyn McGuff. Both guards have been consistent double-figure scorers, and when they are in rhythm, Butler becomes difficult to stop.

Beyond their star guards, Butler boasts a deep and balanced roster. Riley Makalusky and Lily Carmody provide additional scoring punch, while two Bulldogs are shooting over 50% from three-point range. Head coach Austin Parkinson frequently utilizes his bench, with every player seeing action in at least 12 games this season.

For Seton Hall to secure a road win, defense will once again need to be the priority. Slowing down Strande and McGuff will be crucial, as will forcing turnovers to disrupt Butler’s offensive rhythm. Additionally, the Pirates must find more scoring contributions outside of Eads, Masonius, and Lawson especially with Savannah Catalon and Shailyn Pinkney out with injuries.

Another key point of emphasis will be rebounding. Butler holds a noticeable size advantage, meaning Seton Hall must crash the boards aggressively to prevent second-chance opportunities for the Bulldogs.

Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Michael Bellifemini and Lauren Reese will have the call on 89.5 FM WSOU, the flagship station for Seton Hall Women’s Basketball.

Darren Worrell can be reached at darren.worrell@student.shu.edu.

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