The Seton Hall women's basketball team looks to continue its undefeated streak against the Michigan Wolverines this weekend.
The Pirates are coming off three straight wins, two of which have been on the road.
On Sunday, two days after their season opening victory, the women's basketball team played its first away game of the season against Army.
In the 53-50 victory, senior Jasmine Crew led the Pirates with 21 points, including 2-of-4 from behind the arc. Crew also grabbed five rebounds and dished five assists with no turnovers.
According to head coach Anne Donovan, Crew has the right attitude this season.
"I would say the number one thing about her is her competitiveness," Crew said. "She plays both ends of the floor and she wants to win every game."
Against Army, the Pirates limited the Black Knights to 31.6 percent shooting from the floor with eight steals and seven blocks, four of which came from senior forward Tajay Ashmeade.
On Wednesday, Nov. 16, Seton Hall continued their hot start when they defeated the New Hampshire Wildcats 61-38.
Like the Hall, the Wolverines have also been led by their senior guard in the team's first two wins of the season.
Courtney Boylan shot 8-of-13 from the floor while going 5-of-6 from the line, which allowed her to finish with career highs in points with 21 and rebounds with seven to help lead Michigan past the Florida Gators, 69-66, in the season opener on Friday, Nov. 11.
After the first weekend of play, Boylan was recognized by the Big Ten Conference as Player of the Week for her performance at Florida.
The Wolverines have also been aided by other upper classmen, such as senior guard/forward Carmen Reynolds and juniors Rachel Sheffer and Jenny Ryan.
In Michigan's 73-51 rout of Florida Atlantic on Monday, Nov. 14 in the newly renovated Crisler Arena where the Wolverines play their home games, Sheffer led the offense with 20 points and six boards, with Boylan following closely behind with 18 points.
In addition, Ryan notched career highs with nine steals and nine assists. The nine assists in a game tie the second most in school history, behind the 10 against Northwestern in 2000.
Seton Hall is 5-15 all-time against teams currently in the Big Ten Conference, including 1-1 against the Wolverines when the Pirates were coached under Phyllis Mangina.
The Pirates first played Michigan on the road in December of 2002, losing 59-41. The Hall, however, got revenge a year later in December of 2003 when the Pirates defeated Michigan in December of 2003, winning 63-52 in Walsh Gymnasium.
Coach Donovan said the key to winning is keeping the same defensive pressure they have had thus far this season.
"We'll keep working," Donovan said. "If we're going to win games we need to keep doing what we have been doing defensively."
The Seton Hall Pirates will host the Michigan Wolverines on Sunday, Nov. 20 in Walsh Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.
Krissy Wrobel can be reached at wrobelkr@shu.edu.
