The 2020-21 Seton Hall Women’s Basketball season ended in heartbreaking fashion with a second-round Big East Tournament exit. However, in a season where it overcame extreme adversity and exceeded the Preseason Coaches' Poll of a sixth-place finish in the overall standings, the team had a lot of pride to take in. Here is how they looked by the numbers.
Andra Espinoza-Hunter (Graduate Student): Quite possibly the biggest surprise this season, the Mississippi State transfer Espinoza-Hunter had a transfer waiver approved midway through the season. In just 17 games with the Pirates, the graduate transfer shot 41.4% from the field and 31.9% from 3-point land. By season’s end, she led the team with 18.6 points per game, along with 6.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists. She was outstanding defensively as well, averaging 1.5 steals per game as well. She was head coach Anthony Bozzella’s workhorse, leading the team with 36.8 minutes per game, while at the line, she finished with a 79% free throw percentage. Her First Team All-Big East award was well deserved.
Desiree Elmore (Senior): In her senior season, Elmore dominated the middle of the floor, as was anticipated by her Preseason All-Big East Team nomination. In possibly her final season in Walsh Gymnasium, Elmore nearly averaged a double-double, as she dropped 17.4 points per game while grabbing 9.1 rebounds and dishing 3.3 assists. She shot an impressive 51.7% from the floor and 40.0% from 3-point range, while going 70% once getting to the line. She was great defensively as well, leading the team with 1.4 blocks and 1.9 steals per game. Her outstanding season earned the Pirates a third First Team All-Big East award winner in Elmore, as her fantastic career as a Pirate has likely come to a close.
Alexia Allesch (Redshirt Junior): In her second season with the team since transferring from Massachusetts, the redshirt junior Allesch started in all 18 of her games played this season. In 23.4 minutes, she averaged 4.3 points on 31.9% from the field. From deep, she shot 20.0% and went for 60% at the free-throw line. However, her impact defensively cannot be understated, as she came down with 5.0 rebounds, 0.8 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game. Look for Allesch to have a big impact as a part of the starting five in her senior season.
Lauren Park-Lane (Sophomore): Park-Lane’s second year under coach Bozzella saw her take on a massive role, starting in all 19 games she played in. Her 17.5 points per game in just her sophomore year saw her earn the Big East Conference’s Most Improved Player Award. She manned the point with authority, gathering 1.1 steals per game and averaging 5.3 assists per game, while still scoring at an impressive clip. She shot 42.7% from the field and 27.0% from deep while flaunting an impressive 82.9% from the free-throw line. Park-Lane impressed just about everyone in her sophomore season, and big things are to be expected from the First Team All-Big East player in the two years she has left in South Orange, New Jersey.
Mya Jackson (Sophomore): Another sophomore who has done nothing but impress, Jackson started in 21 of the Pirates’ 21 games this season, the only player on the team to do so. In these games, the sharpshooter dropped 10.6 points per game on 41.1% shooting from the field and 41.7% shooting from three in just 28.4 minutes. At the line, she shot an outstanding 80.6%, earning the Pirates key points when they needed them. If their first two seasons are anything to go off of, then Jackson and Park-Lane will become a devastating dynamic duo that will terrorize the Big East for the next two years.
Jasmine Smith (Senior): In her final season, the former JUCO transfer played in 20 of 21 games for the Pirates, averaging 18.2 minutes on the floor. She scored 4.0 points per game while shooting 33.9% from the field but 11.5% from deep. At the line, she shot an extremely impressive 84.6%, while coming down with 2.6 rebounds and dishing 1.6 assists per game. Her consistent play and senior leadership will be sorely missed by Bozzella and his crew.
Danielle Robinson (Junior): Robinson sat out due to injury last season, but she returned this year as a rotation piece for the Pirates. She played nine games and started once against Albany where she had a season-high six rebounds. She also discord a season-high seven points against Wagner.
Mya Bembry (Sophomore): After having a minor impact in her freshman year at Penn State, the transfer Bembry got consistent time in her sophomore season at Seton Hall, playing in all 21 games and starting in eight. In her 21.3 minutes, she averaged 4.3 points on 43.2% shooting. From deep, she shot 26.7% and went 66.7% from the free-throw line. The 6-foot-1-inch sophomore also averaged 4.9 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per game in her second collegiate season. She, along with Allesch, will likely have a greater impact down low with the loss of Elmore next season.
Victoria Keenan (Sophomore): On her day, Keenan proved to be a lights-out shooter from 3-point range this season. She went 7-for-7 from beyond the arc twice this season, scoring a career-high 21 points at home against Saint Peter’s and at Xavier in an 85-59 Big East regular season win. Overall, Keenan shot 18-for-29 from range and scored just once from 2-point range.
Kailah Harris (Sophomore): Harris played slightly less than last season but still provided the Pirates with an option off the bench. She featured six times for the Pirates this season and scored two points against Wagner and Saint Peter’s in Seton Hall’s first two games of the season.
Amari Wright (Freshman): The McDonald’s All-American came onto the scene at Seton Hall and immediately received consistent playing time. She played in all but one game for the Pirates, getting 11.4 minutes of playing time per game. She dropped 2.9 points per game on 52.9% shooting from the field and an even 50% from deep. At the charity stripe, she shot 66.7%, and still dished 1.0 assists per game. Defensively, she played a big role as well, coming down with 1.5 rebounds and 0.8 steals per game in limited minutes. Bozzella will likely have this young, high-ceiling player in a much bigger role next season.
Skylar Treadwell (Freshman): Of the team’s four freshmen, Treadwell had the second most appearances off the bench for Seton Hall with 10. Though she only tallied nine points in that time, she did average almost one steal per game with two coming against No. 1 University of Connecticut. She also recorded a career-high six rebounds in that game against the Huskies.
McKenna Minter (Freshman): Featuring eight times off the bench this season, Minter scored in five of those appearances with a career-high 12 points coming against Saint Peter’s. She scored the first Big East regular season basket of her Seton Hall career in her fourth conference appearance of the season at home against Xavier.Brendan Balsamo can be reached at brendan.balsamo@student.shu.edu. Follow him on Twitter @brenbal.
