The Seton Hall Pirates (17-11) delivered the poetic finish to their home crowd and, most importantly, their Seniors on Senior Night. The Pirates cruised by the Xavier Musketeers (7-19), 72-59. Saturday evening's win showed the dominant history between the two programs, as the Pirates are now 18-3 all-time against Xavier.
Overall, the Pirates appeared to overwhelm the Musketeers with their size and athleticism. Throughout the game, it was evident that Pirates' center Sidney Cooks was heavily involved in this week's game plan for the Musketeers. Not to mention, the Pirates were relentless defensively. The Pirates forced 18 turnovers and helped build momentum throughout the game.
Seton Hall's Slow Start
At the start of the game, the Pirates played with less energy and allowed the Musketeers to hang in the game. In the opening quarter, senior guard Lauren Park-Lane appeared to be a firestarter for the Pirates. Park-Lane's presence was felt in all facets of the game. She helped run the offense through Cooks by feeding her in the post and running high pick and rolls. Due to the excellent spacing on the floor, Xavier often left Cooks isolated in the paint, which allowed her to utilize her skillset to dominate offensively. Cooks recorded five points and two rebounds in just eight minutes.
Early in the game, while this proved to be working, the Musketeers quickly adjusted their game plan and got more physical with Cooks throughout the game. However, Park-Lane never stopped being aggressive and finding her spots. Although the Pirates managed to find offense, their steady defense gave up a few crucial backdoor passing lanes and showed a lack of communication, ultimately leading to the tied game at the end of the first quarter, 13-13.
“We didn’t do a very good job in the second half, they began getting very physical with her,” Seton Hall Pirates head coach Tony Bozzella emphasized in the post-game conference. “However, in the first half, we did a good job finding her as she found some open areas on the court. Going forward, I certainly have to do a better job designing more plays for her to get her the ball.”
The Pirates' Energy Begins to Shift
In the second quarter, the defensive presence of the Pirates began to show slightly. Unfortunately, the offense as a unit started to look complacent and stagnant. The two standouts were again Cooks and Park-Lane. When the Pirates appeared to need a big shot or some play to give them some momentum, the two stepped up to the plate. Nonetheless, the Pirates' defense contained the Musketeers to 18 points and played with much better consistency and energy throughout the quarter.
Park-Lane ended the game with 20 points and ten assists, recording 10 of the 20 points in the second. She proved to be a force throughout the game, but when her team needed her to deliver, she showed up huge and helped take the lead going into the half for the Pirates, 36-31.
In the second half, Xavier displayed more presence in the paint as they allowed Cooks to gouge them in the first half. That said, Park-Lane appeared nearly unstoppable, utilizing her quickness as the Pirates continued their small-ball lineup. Although the Musketeers manage to contain Cooks, they allowed Park-Lane and Senior Azana Baines to be effective in the high pick and roll.
In the second half, many of their guards manage to get into transition much more quickly and finish at the rim. Furthermore, the number of turnovers the defense caused helped them gain momentum and confidence throughout the game.
“Not only am I proud of our defense, but I’m also proud of how we kept them off the boards and only allowed seven offensive rebounds all game,” Bozella expressed. “Our defense caused turnovers but Amari has so much to do with that. I just love her as a kid and her effort and she’ll become a better player in our program.”
Overall, the team is competing at a high level and beginning to move the ball more effectively and efficiently. In the previous three games for the Pirates, they're averaging 83 points per game and looking strong heading into the final two games of the regular season.
What's Next For The Pirates
Seton Hall face the Butler Bulldogs on the road on Friday. Following that game, the Pirates will take on the No. 14 ranked Villanova Wildcats at home to conclude their season on Monday, Feb. 27.
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