Twitter: @SHUWBB
Following a 30-point performance on Saturday, graduate guard Daisha Simmons scored 25 on Sunday to lead the Seton Hall women's basketball team to a 77-60 victory over Saint Joseph's in the SHU Thanksgiving Classic Championship. The Pirates defended their 2013 tournament title as four players scored in double-figures for Seton Hall. Simmons was crowned the tournament MVP, finishing with 55 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 steals on the weekend.
“Daisha (Simmons) found her groove,” head coach Tony Bozzella said. “To see her giving us these contributions this early speaks volumes about her talent.”
The Pirates (5-1) jumped out to an 8-4 lead in the first 90 seconds as junior guard Tabatha Richardson-Smith knocked down a triple followed by two free throws by Ka-Deidre Simmons.
But, it was not long before Saint Joseph's broke out on a big run. The Hawks (2-4) went on a 20-6 spurt, capped by five straight points from Ciara Andrews, that spanned over six minutes, giving Saint Joseph's a 24-14 lead with 12:14 to play.
“We weren’t making them (Saint Joseph’s) work defensively,” Bozzella said. “Because we attacked, we got them from getting a rhythm in the second half.”
Andrews started at 6-of-12 from the field, finishing with 22 points for the Hawks.
The Pirates answered with their fast pace, following up the Hawks' run with one of their own.
Sophomore forward Kat Egan and Daisha Simmons combined for the Pirates' next 11 points, as a jumper by Egan cut the Hawks' lead to 28-25 with 9:16 to play in the first half.
After Natasha Cloud gave the Hawks a five-point cushion with a jumper, the Pirates followed with five unanswered from Richardson-Smith and Ka-Deidre Simmons to tie the game up with 7:23 left to play in the first half. Simmons scored three more points to give The Hall a three-point edge, which was all part of a 19-6 surge by SHU, helping the Pirates take in a 42-37 edge into the locker room
In the second stanza, the Pirates started off on a 10-4 run, powered by three field goals from graduate forward Janee Johnson, to take a 52-41 advantage.
“Starting strong in the second half ended up being the key,” Daisha Simmons said. “We’ve done a really good job of getting on teams this season. That’s big, for it to be November.”
The middle segment of the second half featured a heavy amount of fouls, as Saint Joseph's was in the bonus with just under 12 minutes to play. It was less than a minute later that the Red Hawks entered the penalty in a second half that featured an increased level of physicality.
The Hawks closed within five of the Pirates with just over eight minutes to play, but Daisha Simmons followed with a 9-0 surge all by herself that spanned the next 4:50, giving the Pirates a comfortable 71-57 advantage.
The Hawks scored just three points in the final 8:09, as the Pirates held Andrews to 2-of-12 shooting and allowed just 23 second half points.
The Pirates outscored Saint Joseph's 44-26 in the paint and had a 24-2 advantage in points off turnovers.
Tabatha Richardson-Smith, who finished with 16 points, six rebounds, and five steals on Sunday, garnered a spot on the all-tournament team along with Janee Johnson. The graduate forward compiled 11 points and 10 boards in Sunday's win.
The Pirates will return to action on Wednesday, Dec. 3, in their BIG EAST opener at Creighton. The game will be televised to a national audience on Fox Sports 1 and will tip off at 7 p.m. ET.
“We’re going to find out a lot about our group this week,” Bozzella said. “We have to toughen up, and I think we’re ready for it.”
John Fanta can be reached at john.fanta@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @John_Fanta.
