Seton Hall women’s basketball suffered a heartbreaking 54-53 loss to the Columbia University Lions on Tuesday at Walsh Gymnasium. The Pirates held the lead for most of the night, but a late-game collapse and defensive mistake in the final seconds allowed the Lions to walk away with the win.
This loss came just a week after SHU fell to the Princeton University Tigers, making it their second straight defeat to an Ivy League program and their third straight loss to Columbia.
The Pirates started strong and controlled the first three quarters of the game. They led by as many as 11 points, moved the ball well, and forced Columbia into tough shots. SHU won every quarter up until the fourth, showing that they had the game in their hands for most of the night.
The turning point came in the fourth quarter, when the Pirates’ offense went cold. They shot 2-for-16 (12.5%)from the field in the final ten minutes and scored just eight points. Possession after possession ended in missed layups, missed jumpers, or rushed attempts. While the Pirates struggled to find their rhythm, Columbia slowly chipped away at the lead.
Even though the Pirates still had a small lead in the final minute, the momentum had clearly shifted in the Lions’ favor. Columbia used the Pirates' missed shots to push the ball and attack the rim. With only seconds left, SHU planned to foul before Columbia could get a clean shot. The coaches signaled it, and the team discussed it in the huddle. But when Columbia inbounded and pushed the ball up the floor, the foul never came. Instead, Columbia’s Perri Page scored a layup with 0.5 seconds remaining.
Page sealed the game with the shot and ended the night with 15 points and 10 rebounds. The crowd fell silent as SHU missed their contested shot attempt before the buzzer sounded.
After the game, head coach Anthony Bozzella voiced his frustration.
“This was a very disappointing game,” he said.
Bozzella also stressed that “it is not about effort anymore at this point of the year, it is about execution,” pointing to both the team’s missed shots in the fourth quarter and breakdown on the last possession.
Despite the loss, SHU had several standout performances. Junior guard Savannah Catalon, who was also celebrating her birthday, once again led the Pirates by scoring 16 points and recording five steals. She pushed the pace early and helped SHU build its early double-digit lead.
Sophomore guard Jada Eads was right behind Catalon with 15 points and nine rebounds. Eads attacked the rim and helped the Pirates stay ahead for most of the game.
Senior forward Mariana Valenzuela, who was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday, also added six points and ten rebounds. Her presence inside helped SHU win the rebounding battle 45-36 and limited Columbia’s second-chance scoring for most of the night.
Now 5-3, SHU will try to bounce back when they host Auburn University on Dec.14. The Pirates have shown they can play strong basketball, but they know they must finish games better to avoid another tough loss like Tuesday’s.
Jaden Highsmith is the assistant editor of The Setonian’s Sports section. He can be reached at jaden.highsmith@student.shu.edu.
