Seton Hall smokes Saint Peter’s in opener, using 22-0 run to lead the way

By Ray Floriani (@rfloriani)

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. — Seton Hall led for 37 minutes in its season opener Tuesday en route to a decisive 88-39 victory over Saint Peter’s at Walsh Gymnasium.

The visiting Peacocks struck early, when Laila Grant opened the scoring with a three-pointer from the left corner. The Pirates used full-court pressure, forced turnovers and went on a 22-0 run on the way to a 25-8 lead after the first period. At halftime, the Seton Hall advantage had expanded to a 50-19 count. The Pirates never looked back from there.

Points of Emphasis

Defense: Saint Peter’s shot just 27 percent from the floor.

“They can shoot the three, so we concentrated on that,” Seton Hall coach Tony Bozzella said. “They shot 4-of-28 from three, so we got the job done.”

The Hall also effectively clogged the inside, making post entries to 6-foot-3 Carys Roy difficult. The Pirates also forced Saint Peter’s into 24 turnovers, resulting in a 34-14 edge in points off giveaways. Regardless, the Pirate mentor is focused on defensive improvement.

“We have to be consistent,” Bozzella assessed. “We gave up some good outside looks that Big East teams would hit.”

Offensive woes: Beside the aforementioned first-period Seton Hall spurt, Saint Peter’s coach Jennifer Leedham saw her roster navigate a few other bumps in the road. The Peacocks went almost four minutes before getting on the board following the halftime break. In the final stanza, they went scoreless over the first four-and-a-half minutes.

A bright spot for Saint Peter’s was the play of De’Naya Rippey. The sophomore forward showed the ability to effectively attack the basket and mix it up inside. She was the Peacocks’ lone double-figure scorer with 16 points, and the leading rebounder with eight boards.

Newcomers: Among the new faces on board, Jordana Codio caught attention with a game-high 20 points in her first game after transferring from Texas. The 6-foot-1 senior scored 25 points in Seton Hall’s exhibition last week, has a nice mid-range touch, and the ability to fit in if Bozzella goes with a small or big lineup.

“We recruited her wanting her to be a stretch four,” Bozzella said. “She’s stepped up in scoring and I love her attitude, aggressiveness and confidence. She was really well-coached two years at Texas under Vic Schaefer, one of the best coaches in the country. I think she has to be better in defending and rebounding, but she’s growing and is so coachable.”

Mariana Valenzuela was doubtful due to a lower leg injury from a few days earlier, but the 6-foot-2 graduate forward wanted to play and turned in a credible eight-point, eight-rebound outing.

“Mariana opens things up for our guards,” Bozzella praised.

Zahara Bishop, who reminds Bozzella of some of the outstanding wings that have passed through the program, scored 15 points. The six-foot freshman knocked down two three-pointers in the process.

Jada Eads and Savannah Catalon are virtually a given in the starting five. After that, Bozzella admits to having options to fill out the remaining starters. The newcomers, he says, afford some encouraging options.

Numbers and Notes: In a 71-possession contest, Seton Hall held a resounding 126-54 edge in offensive efficiency. The Pirates also owned the glass with an outstanding 52-21 margin, including 21 offensive boards.

Seton Hall will head west for its next two outings. The Pirates visit the University of San Francisco a week from Friday and Pacific two days later. The trip will allow the Pirates to play in front of some west coast alumni but the bottom line, as Bozzella said is, “we are going out there to try to win two basketball games.”

Saint Peter’s visits Fordham on Monday.

Bozzella summed it all up by noting, “we have a

team that has a chance to be very good this year.”