The Seton Hall Pirates demolished the Division II Jefferson Rams 87-61 in an exhibition game on Saturday, Nov. 2 at Walsh Gymnasium.
The Pirates started the game on an 8-0 run and put intense pressure on the Rams defensively, causing Rams head coach, Tom Shirley, to call a timeout nearly two minutes into the contest. Things would not get better for his team throughout the game.
The Pirates did well in limiting what Rams’ senior Sam Yencha was able to do on the court. Yencha, who is the reigning Central Athletic Collegiate Conference player of the year, and averaged 15.6 points and 11.6 rebounds a night, only mustered up eight points and five rebounds through 20 minutes of time on the floor.
Throughout the second half, Jefferson opted for a baffling type of defense, which saw the Rams repeatedly leaving open shooters in the corner. The Hall took advantage, shooting 44% from 3-point range throughout the second half, up from the 29% from long range they shot in the first 20 minutes.
Sophomore guard Savannah Catalon specifically took advantage, tallying 12 of the Pirates’ 21 points in the third quarter. Fellow second-year Nicole Melious was destroying the Rams from distance, notching 15 points on the day, with every shot she attempted being from distance.
Four Pirates scored in double figures, with Catalon leading the charge with a game-high 22 points. Grad students Faith Masonius and Yaya Lops notched double digits as well. The Rams were led by senior guard Emma Kuczynski, who had 10 points, followed closely with eight points from senior Sam Yencha, as well as center Cassie Murphy.
The Pirates were ready, willing, and able to shoot all the threes the Rams were giving them. Seton Hall averaged about 18 3-point attempts a game last season. In this game, they shot 35, with Melious taking 11 on her own and making five.
The Pirates are currently 1-0 and are set to play the Fordham Rams on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. in Walsh Gymnasium.
John Misiewicz writes for The Setonian’s Sports section. He can be reached at john.misiewicz@student.shu.edu.
