#BIGEASTwbb Preview: Seton Hall Pirates - Big East Conference Skip To Main Content

Big East Conference

The BIG EAST Conference The Official Website of The BIG EAST Conference

Members

#BIGEASTwbb Preview: Seton Hall Pirates

#BIGEASTwbb Preview: Seton Hall Pirates

Bookmark and Share

The BIG Picture
After returning just one starter in 2015-16, expectations were mild for the Pirates as the league’s coaches picked them to finish fifth. Fast forward to March and The Hall was in the midst of its third consecutive 20-win season under third-year head coach Tony Bozzella, finishing in a tie for second in the BIG EAST standings and earning their second straight NCAA Tournament at-large berth. Bozzella will need to work his magic once again in 2016-17 as only one starter is back from last season’s campaign.
 

Who’s Returning
Senior center Lubirdia Gordon is The Hall’s top returner, coming off a junior season in which she averaged 5.5 points and 6.8 boards per game. Gordon’s playing time tapered a bit towards the end of the season, but she still finished among the league leaders in rebounding and blocks. Sophomore guard LaTecia Smith earned a trio of starts as a rookie last year, backing up veteran all-league point guard Shakena Richardson. With Richardson graduated, Smith will be counted on more for ball-handling duties in 2016-17.

Who’s Gone
The Pirates graduate over 80 percent of their scoring from last year, including the reigning BIG EAST scoring champion Tabatha Richardson-Smith, and the league’s top rebounder in ’15-16, Tiffany Jones. Richardson-Smith, Aleesha Powell and Shakena Richardson all garnered All-BIG EAST accolades and graduated in May.

Storylines
The Pirates have entered the season as underdogs for quite some time, something fourth-year head coach Tony Bozzella has used as bulletin board material since returning to his alma mater three years ago. In each of Bozzella’s three seasons, The Hall has defied those expectations, earning national postseason berths, including back-to-back at-large NCAA Tournament invites, and battling their way into the top 25. Bozzella always seems to have a trick, or transfer, up his sleeve that elevates Seton Hall to the next level, and this year’s roster may be no different with Louisiana Tech transfer JaQuan Jackson now eligible and primed to lead the Pirates in scoring. Eyes will be on Kaela Hilaire as well, coming off a senior season which she averaged 29.8 points per game and was named Newsday Girls Player of the Year.