Earlier today, the BIG EAST named Seton Hall women’s basketball graduate forward Mariana Valenzuela to its Weekly Honor Roll after she averaged 16.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in a 1-1 week for the Pirates, who currently sit third in the BIG EAST at 14-6 overall and 8-3 in conference play.
This marks her second time earning the honor this season, and her third overall honor from the conference after she was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week on Dec. 29.
This week’s honor comes just a few days after the Pirates suffered a 40-point loss on Jan. 24 to the No. 1 UConn Huskies, who have dominated virtually every one of their opponents this season and are the lone undefeated team left in women’s college basketball at 20-0. They entered Saturday’s contest having trailed for a total of 12 minutes all season.
But that changed on Saturday when Valenzuela scored six unanswered points in the game’s opening minutes that gave SHU an early 6-0 lead over the defending champs.
Although UConn got themselves back into the game and ultimately blew SHU out, Valenzuela’s first-quarter effort was not for nothing: the six-foot-two forward helped hand the Huskies their longest time trailing any opponent this season, with the Pirates leading for 4:13 through the first 10 minutes of play.
With her finishing the game leading all scorers with 18 points, 12 of which were scored in the first quarter, on 61.5% (8-for-13) shooting from the field while also grabbing a game-high eight rebounds, Valenzuela’s performance against the Huskies earned her praise from UConn’s Hall of Fame head coach Geno Auriemma, who said Valenzuela is an All-BIG EAST talent.
“I think players that are hard to guard in our league—she’s one of them,” Auriemma said. “She’s a big kid that can score from a lot of different spots on the floor; she’s a tough matchup.”
“We played everybody at least once,” Auriemma added. “And I’ve not seen 10 players better than her, that’s for sure.”
Valenzuela had a similar performance in the Pirates’ 73-57 win over the Providence Friars on Jan. 20, the game prior. She was one of four Pirates in double-figures, scoring 15 points on 45.5% (5-for-11) shooting from the field and 42.9% (3-for-7) from beyond the arc while also grabbing a team-high eight rebounds. The win not only marked SHU head coach Anthony Bozzella’s 550th career win, but also the Pirates’ first without starting sophomore guard Jada Eads, who suffered a season-ending leg injury the game prior.
“When you lose somebody like that [it's tough],” Auriemma said after Saturday’s game about Eads. “But at the same time, I think if things keep going the way they are going for Seton Hall, and they beat the teams they’re supposed to beat in our league, win the games they’re supposed to win, they’re an NCAA Tournament team. They’re real close right now, but they just need to end the regular season on a high note.”
The Pirates will look to do just that with a win on Jan. 29, when they travel to the nation’s capital to face the Georgetown Hoyas (12-8, 5-6 BIG EAST) with nine games left in the regular season, eight of which against teams they have already beaten.
Zachary Mawby is the head editor of The Setonian’s Sports section. He can be reached at zachary.mawby@student.shu.edu.
