Is déjà vu even enough to describe this matchup?
From 2021 until this year, there have been four Big East Women’s Basketball Tournaments. In all four, the Seton Hall Pirates have taken on the Creighton Bluejays in the Quarterfinals.
Once again, these two teams will take center stage and put on a show. In the last two matchups, each game has been won by a single point, with the Hall and the Bluejays trading buzzer-beaters.
Mya Bembry, now a Georgetown Hoya, was the hero for the Hall in 2022 while Morgan Maly, who ripped the hearts out of Pirates fans last year, is still on Creighton’s roster.
At a first glance, this game may appear to be an easy Creighton victory. They’re the #21 team in the country, they’ve lost just twice in the year 2024, and they swept Seton Hall this year. However, something is different this time. In years past, the Pirates have struggled against the Bluejays and have gotten blown out in one or in both games. This year is different, though. The Pirates played Creighton incredibly close in their two matchups.
Again, while it’s true that the Pirates did get swept, both of these games were decided in the final minutes. Looking back to their most recent battle, a 72-65 Seton Hall loss, we can get an idea of what we might, or might not, see.
Creighton was the beneficiary of some of the Seton Hall’s best offensive players all going ice cold at the same time. Savannah Catalon, Micah Gray, and Amari Wright all combined to go 3-of-24 from the field and 0-of-9 from three. It is reasonable to assume that these three all shooting that poorly on the same night probably won’t happen again, especially coming off of their win over DePaul in the first round.
Creighton was also blessed to have Jayme Horan, averaging 3.3 points this season, come off the bench and have the game of her life. She finished with 14 points in 18 minutes, went 5-of-5 from the field and 4-of-4 from three with no turnovers. It was the only game this season where she had more than eight points. Will lightning strike twice?
Maybe not for Horan, but the rest of the team can surely make up for it. The scouting report can be summed up in three words: they can shoot. They take a lot of threes. They make a lot of threes. Can the Pirates keep up? The answer is yes if yesterday’s win over DePaul isn’t just a flash in the pan. Going 13-of-26 from deep will keep you in just about any game the Big East could throw at you. It’s important to get Catalon, Gray, and Azana Baines going from deep early. A few makes from Sha’Lynn Hagans and Brazil Harvey-Carr wouldn’t hurt either.
Creighton has a high-powered offense but hasn’t shot Seton Hall out of the gym yet this year. Coming off of one of their best statistical games of the season, the Pirates are looking to get some revenge on this all-to-familiar foe.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Mohegan Sun Arena. Ryan Johnston and Ryan Henry will be in the booth for the call, with pregame coverage starting at 6:30 p.m. on 89.5 FM WSOU.