Pirates Blowout Sacred Heart, Win Third Straight

Published: Monday, December 9, 2024

by Jack Pine

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. — The Seton Hall Pirates (7-2) earned a decisive 67-46 victory over the Sacred Heart Pioneers (3-5) on Monday evening. The win marks the Pirates' third straight as they continue building momentum ahead of conference play.

Seton Hall opened strong on defense, forcing six turnovers and holding Sacred Heart to just seven field goals in the first quarter. A buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Ny'Ceara Pryor trimmed the Pirates' lead to eight, giving the Pioneers a spark heading into the second quarter.

The Pirates' smothering defense continued in the second quarter, but they struggled to capitalize early. Turnovers, offensive fouls, and missed shots prevented Seton Hall from building on its lead until the final minutes of the first half.

The points started to come in transition as the Pirates continued to force turnovers. Savannah Catalon’s third 3-pointer of the game and two fast-break buckets from Faith Masonius fueled a 13-2 run to close the half. The run was capped by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Jada Eads, giving Seton Hall a 37-20 lead at intermission.

The offenses found their rhythm early in the second half, with both teams shooting more efficiently. Turnovers were also cleaned up, as the teams combined for just seven in the quarter. The Pirates maintained a strong lead throughout but couldn’t deliver a knockout punch.

The Pirates showed their grit early in the final quarter with offensive rebounds and second-chance points. Jada Eads followed up her buzzer-beater with some strong minutes in the fourth, draining a pair from beyond the arc. Offensive turnovers again plagued Seton Hall down the stretch, but the outcome was already determined.

Savannah Catalon was again the pacesetter in the stat sheet, as she scored 20 points on her 20th birthday. The milestone game gave Catalon her third consecutive game with 20 or more points on the same day that she was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for the first time in her career.

Coach Tony Bozzella mentioned before the game that he wanted his team to win the turnover battle by at least 10, but the margin capped out at just two. If the Pirates had half as many turnovers, they would have met this pregame expectation.

Following the 67-46 victory, Seton Hall (7-2) will look forward to their matchup with the Le Moyne Dolphins (0-9) on Saturday afternoon. AJ Rayer and CJ Weipz will have the call, and pregame coverage will begin at 11:45 a.m. on WSOU.

Jack Pine is an Assistant Sports Director/Sports Web Editor at WSOU 89.5 FM and can be reached at john.pine@student.shu.edu. 

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