In a game dominated on the defensive side, Seton Hall came out victorious in the nation’s capital as the Pirates defeated the Georgetown Hoyas 60-50 to earn their fourth straight win.
Things started slow offensively as it took until the 5:57 mark in the first quarter for either side to get on the board. Trailing 6-1, Andra Espinoza-Hunter finally landed a jumper in the paint after an 0-for-10 start for the Pirates. Scoring was still stagnant through the rest of the quarter, and Georgetown led into the second frame 10-7.
Sidney Cooks began the second quarter with a quick layup to bring Seton Hall within one. The Hall saw themselves down six later in the quarter, but a turnover produced a Mya Jackson score. A foul on Cooks followed and two shots from the stripe sent the Pirates into the break down 22-20. Georgetown was held scoreless for the final 4 minutes of the first half.
Seton Hall took their first lead with 8:23 remaining in the third quarter, though could not pull away initially. That was until a 14-to-3 run for the Pirates headed into the fourth quarter shifted the tides. Espinoza-Hunter led the way with seven of the 14 points, while Curtessia Dean added five during the 5-minute run.
The Hall never trailed again in their Wednesday evening matchup with the Hoyas. Georgetown was relentless, though, coming within four points multiple times throughout the quarter. A 9-to-1 run sealed the deal after the Pirates led 48-44 with 3:31 left to play in the game. Lauren Park-Lane scored half of her 14 points during the run.
Offensive efficiency for Seton Hall was not up to par with their recent performances, though three Pirates still notched double figures. Park-Lane and Cooks had 14 points each, with Park-Lane adding five assists and Cooks grabbing eight boards. Espinoza-Hunter scored 13 points. Mya Bembry led The Hall with 10 rebounds. The team shot just 23% from downtown but held the Hoyas to a mere 11% off of two triples in the second quarter.
Seton Hall improves to 7-7 in Big East play and 12-10 overall. This is the first time that the Pirates have had an even record in conference play. They will return to action in South Orange on Sunday, February 13th as they host Villanova.
