Tabatha Richardson-Smith scored 20 points and was named Riviera Divison MVP
Nov. 27, 2015
Final Stats
Box Score (PDF)
CANCUN, Mexico – Rivieria Division MVP Tabatha Richardson-Smith (Bay City, Texas) scored nine of her game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter to lead the No. 25 Seton Hall women’s basketball to a 57-49 victory over Northern Iowa on Friday night at the Hard Rock Riviera Maya. The contest marked the Pirates final outing in the 2015 Cancun Challenge, as The Hall (7-0) finished as the lone unbeaten in the six-team Riviera Division.
Richardson-Smith finished her tournament averaging 19.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game to take home MVP honors. The Pirates overcame a slow shooting start to come back from their first halftime deficit of the season and out-scored the Panthers 31-19 over the final 14 minutes of the contest.
The Hall also got 17 points from Aleesha Powell (Philadelphia, Pa.) for the second-straight night, while Lubirdia Gordon (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) led the way with eight rebounds and six blocks to anchor the Pirate defense. The Hall held Northern Iowa to 23.8 percent shooting from the floor and 12.9 percent from 3-point range and out-scored the Panthers 32-16 in the paint. Taylor Byrne (Massapequa, N.Y.) chipped in with career-highs with six points and three rebounds off the bench.
Turning Point
Trailing by four at the U-5 timeout in the third quarter, The Hall reeled off an 11-2 run over the final 4:07 of the period to take a five-point advantage and build a lead it would hold the rest of the way. After a Shakena Richardson (Neptune, N.J.) jumper, Powell knocked down two from the line to even the contest at 30-30. The tie marked the first time UNI did not lead since The Hall went up 10-9 in the first quarter.
On the next possession, Gordon came up with a huge block that led to a Byrne transition lay-in on the other end to put the Pirates up by two. A three-point play from Richardson-Smith and a Powell jumper in the final 90 seconds of the frame extended the run and pushed the lead to 37-32 heading to the fourth quarter.
Head Coach Anthony Bozzella on the result:
“I’m just happy for the girls because again we beat a very good team…they were ready for us and had a great defensive plan. But the kids stayed with it, they fought. In the end the kids had my back and came through.”
Inside The Numbers
- The Hall held Northern Iowa to 23.8 percent shooting and 12.9 percent from 3-point range, both season-lows for an opponent
- Lubirdia Gordon recorded a career-high six blocks, tied for fourth-most in a game in Seton Hall history and most since Ayanna Phillip rejected six on Dec. 18, 2004 vs. Miami (Ohio)
- Richardson-Smith notched her third 20-point game of the season and the 24th of her career
- The Pirates had a season-low 10 turnovers
News and Notes
- The Pirates are off to their first 7-0 start since winning eight-straight to kick off the 1989-90 season
- Seton Hall trailed at halftime for the first time this season
- The Hall held its second opponent of the year under 50 points and has limited six of seven opponents to 57 points or less, while no foe has scored over 64 in a game
- Martha Kuderer (Eden Prairie, Minn.) scored her first career points with a second-quarter put-back
- The Pirates improve to 6-0 in Thanksgiving Tournament play under Bozzella and 32-7 in non-conference action under the third-year head coach
Up Next
The Pirates will take a short break before a trip to Athens, Ga. and a date with SEC foe Georgia on Sunday, Dec. 6. The Hall and the Bulldogs will square off at 2 p.m. on SEC Network+.
Pirate Women's Basketball Home
http://www.shupirates.com/sports/w-baskbl/recaps/112815aaa.html
Nov. 27, 2015
Final Stats
Box Score (PDF)
CANCUN, Mexico – Rivieria Division MVP Tabatha Richardson-Smith (Bay City, Texas) scored nine of her game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter to lead the No. 25 Seton Hall women’s basketball to a 57-49 victory over Northern Iowa on Friday night at the Hard Rock Riviera Maya. The contest marked the Pirates final outing in the 2015 Cancun Challenge, as The Hall (7-0) finished as the lone unbeaten in the six-team Riviera Division.
Richardson-Smith finished her tournament averaging 19.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game to take home MVP honors. The Pirates overcame a slow shooting start to come back from their first halftime deficit of the season and out-scored the Panthers 31-19 over the final 14 minutes of the contest.
The Hall also got 17 points from Aleesha Powell (Philadelphia, Pa.) for the second-straight night, while Lubirdia Gordon (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) led the way with eight rebounds and six blocks to anchor the Pirate defense. The Hall held Northern Iowa to 23.8 percent shooting from the floor and 12.9 percent from 3-point range and out-scored the Panthers 32-16 in the paint. Taylor Byrne (Massapequa, N.Y.) chipped in with career-highs with six points and three rebounds off the bench.
Turning Point
Trailing by four at the U-5 timeout in the third quarter, The Hall reeled off an 11-2 run over the final 4:07 of the period to take a five-point advantage and build a lead it would hold the rest of the way. After a Shakena Richardson (Neptune, N.J.) jumper, Powell knocked down two from the line to even the contest at 30-30. The tie marked the first time UNI did not lead since The Hall went up 10-9 in the first quarter.
On the next possession, Gordon came up with a huge block that led to a Byrne transition lay-in on the other end to put the Pirates up by two. A three-point play from Richardson-Smith and a Powell jumper in the final 90 seconds of the frame extended the run and pushed the lead to 37-32 heading to the fourth quarter.
Head Coach Anthony Bozzella on the result:
“I’m just happy for the girls because again we beat a very good team…they were ready for us and had a great defensive plan. But the kids stayed with it, they fought. In the end the kids had my back and came through.”
Inside The Numbers
- The Hall held Northern Iowa to 23.8 percent shooting and 12.9 percent from 3-point range, both season-lows for an opponent
- Lubirdia Gordon recorded a career-high six blocks, tied for fourth-most in a game in Seton Hall history and most since Ayanna Phillip rejected six on Dec. 18, 2004 vs. Miami (Ohio)
- Richardson-Smith notched her third 20-point game of the season and the 24th of her career
- The Pirates had a season-low 10 turnovers
News and Notes
- The Pirates are off to their first 7-0 start since winning eight-straight to kick off the 1989-90 season
- Seton Hall trailed at halftime for the first time this season
- The Hall held its second opponent of the year under 50 points and has limited six of seven opponents to 57 points or less, while no foe has scored over 64 in a game
- Martha Kuderer (Eden Prairie, Minn.) scored her first career points with a second-quarter put-back
- The Pirates improve to 6-0 in Thanksgiving Tournament play under Bozzella and 32-7 in non-conference action under the third-year head coach
Up Next
The Pirates will take a short break before a trip to Athens, Ga. and a date with SEC foe Georgia on Sunday, Dec. 6. The Hall and the Bulldogs will square off at 2 p.m. on SEC Network+.
Pirate Women's Basketball Home
http://www.shupirates.com/sports/w-baskbl/recaps/112815aaa.html
Lauren DeFalco @LaUrEn_DeFaLcO 
SHU W Basketball @SHUWBB 
Clayton Collier @Clayton_Collier 
John Fanta @John_Fanta 
Tony Bozzella @TonyBozzella 
