Looking to win their first WBIT title in school history, the Pirates hosted the Quinnipiac Bobcats in the first round of the tournament on Thursday, March 20, in South Orange, New Jersey. The Pirates defeated the Bobcats 55-38.
After a 22–9 season, the women’s basketball team hoped to receive an invite to the NCAA tournament. Unfortunately, they met the same fate as their male counterparts did last year, as they were snubbed from the tournament altogether.
In addition to their 22–9 overall record, they finished the season as the third-best team in the Big East with a conference record of 13–5. They trailed only the 26–6 Creighton Blue Jays and the 31–4 UConn Huskies, the only teams from the conference to make the tournament. Four of their five total conference losses, came against these two teams, meaning they did not lose to any other Big East opponent except for Marquette just once.
After the NCAA Tournament bracket was announced and Seton Hall was left out, head coach Tony Bozzella shared this message with Pirate Nation via the team’s social media pages: “While we are all disappointed that the third-place team in the fifth-hardest conference in the country did not get selected for the NCAA Tournament, we are very excited to once again represent Seton Hall in the [WBIT]. I can assure you; our young ladies are going to come out and play [as] hard as they possibly can to try and win as many tournament games as possible.”
As Bozzella mentioned, the team was invited to participate in the 2025 Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) instead. This marks the fourth consecutive season the Pirates have played in the postseason, as well as the ninth time in 12 seasons since Bozzella became head coach.
From the start, the game was intense. After a steal by graduate guard Amari Wright, a fastbreak layup from graduate forward Faith Masonius gave the Pirates an 8-3 lead early in the first quarter. Following a timeout and corner 3-pointer by graduate guard Kaydan Lawson, sophomore guard Savannah Catalon hit a mid-range shot to give the Pirates their first double-digit lead of the game, as they led 15-5. Catalon would then hit another mid-range shot to give the Pirates a 12-point lead at the end of the first quarter. Both Catalon and Masonius led the Pirates with four points in the quarter, while Quinnipiac’s leading scorer, freshman guard Gal Raviv, also had four for the Bobcats. The Pirates managed to hold Quinnipiac to just 14% shooting (2-14) in the first while they shot 40% (8-20).
Quinnipiac started the second quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers from senior guard Jackie Grisdale, who led the MAAC in 3-point field goal percentage this season by shooting 40%. The six-point swing brought the lead back under double-digits with seven minutes to go in the second. However, the Pirates would regain their double-digit lead by the first media timeout of the quarter, as they led 26-15 with five minutes to go in the half. Minutes later, a corner 3-pointer from Quinnipiac sophomore guard Karson Martin brought the lead back down to six with just under a minute remaining. At the end of the first half, Seton Hall led 28-22, with the game now within reach for the Bobcats. Grisdale led all scorers with 11 points, with three 3-pointers and a layup. For the Pirates, Catalon led with nine points while Masonius followed with six. The Bobcats shot 29% (8-28) in the half, a huge improvement from their first-quarter field goal percentage (14%).
Early in the third quarter, Grisdale scored a layup to put the game within four points. Minutes later, Masonius was the first player for the Pirates to score in double-figures with a right-handed scoop layup to give the Pirates a 34-26 lead. Following a nice pass from Lawson, Masonius scored again in transition as Seton Hall regained their 10-point lead with two minutes to go in the third. After a timeout, Catalon scored a tough and-1 to give her 12 points on the game and extend the Pirates’ lead to 41-28 at the end of the quarter.
Freshman guard Jada Eads, who finished the game with 10 rebounds and a double-double, got hot early in the fourth quarter by scoring consecutive baskets as the Pirates led 47-30. Later in the quarter, consecutive wing 3-pointers from Catalon sealed the win for Seton Hall, 55-38.
Catalon led all scorers with 18 points, while Grisdale led the Bobcats with 15. A huge part of this win for the Pirates was their ability to stop Raviv, Quinnipiac’s leading scorer, from scoring. Averaging 18 points per game on the season, Seton Hall managed to hold her to just six points on 20% shooting (2-10).
After the game, coach Bozzella praised the team’s defensive performance, saying it was “the best defense we’ve played in a long time.” He also praised the team for giving their all despite the fatigue that comes at this point in the season.
“The kids have worked hard and we’re tired, we’re sore,” Bozzella said. “Faith is literally playing on one foot. Like seriously, if this was in the offseason, we probably would have her sit for two months, but she doesn’t want to come out.”
Additionally, Bozzella praised the fans, band, and dance and cheer team in attendance.
“I think being at home is a huge advantage for us,” he said. “Our crowd was amazing. I want to thank specifically the band, which was full tonight, the dance team, and the cheerleaders…they make such a difference in our program. We had such a great crowd on such short notice, and it made a difference.”
Bozzella also said that Shaheen Holloway, head coach of the men’s basketball team, offered him valuable advice on embracing the opportunity to play in the postseason regardless of the NCAA snub.
“I give Shaheen a lot of credit. He spoke to me at length and told me some keys because they were disappointed last year,” he said. “He spoke to me about moving on [and] relishing the opportunity to continue to play.”
Before the game, Bozzella said that one of his former assistants asked him if he was nervous, to which he said he was because this team was “the most special group” that he coached in Seton Hall.
“This group is the most special group I’ve coached here in 12 years…I used that word very carefully, but they are really special and I wanted them to win the game at home,” he said. “Our fans have been amazing and these kids deserve to win the game here…I hope we continue to win, of course, but I was more nervous today than I had been all year because I wanted it for them, and they were fantastic.”
With the win, the Pirates advance to the second round of the tournament, where they will host the Portland Pilots in Walsh Gymnasium for the last time this season on Sunday, March 23.
Zachary Mawby is the head editor of The Setonian’s Sports section. He can be reached at zachary.mawby@student.shu.edu.
