Seton Hall women’s basketball closed out their regular season with a 62-55 loss to Butler on Saturday afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
The loss was the Pirates’ third-straight loss after falling to St. John’s and Xavier last week, as they now shift their focus to the BIG EAST Tournament quarterfinals on March 7.
In the loss, Jordana Codio exploded on offense, dropping a career-high of 27 points while playing the entire game. The senior guard / forward shot 12-for-22 (55%) from the field, knocked down two 3-pointers, and grabbed nine rebounds. Codio kept attacking the basket and provided most of SHU’s offense, especially as the game became close late in the fourth quarter.
The Pirates' injury problem continued early, as starting guard Savannah Catalon left early with an injury and did not return. Catalon played for just nine minutes and was held scoreless, forcing SHU to adjust their rotation for the remainder of the game. Catalon’s injury added to a growing list of setbacks for a team already dealing with injuries throughout the last couple of months this season.
With Catalon sidelined, other Pirates stepped up. Graduate forward Mariana Valenzuela finished with 13 points and five rebounds, while senior guard Shailyn Pinkney pulled down eight rebounds and added five points. Freshman guard Zahara Bishop also added seven points and four rebounds as the Pirates tried to generate enough offense to stay within reach of Butler.
The Bulldogs had control for most of the game, leading for more than 36 minutes and building a double-digit advantage during the third quarter. Butler shot nearly 47% from the field compared to SHU’s 36%, which helped them maintain their lead. Mallory Miller led Butler with 19 points, including three made three-pointers. Butler’s Nevaeh Jackson and McKenna Johnson each scored 10 points.
SHU made a couple of pushes in the fourth quarter behind Codio, cutting the deficit to just two points on multiple occasions, but Butler answered every time with key baskets and free throws. A late three-pointer by Miller helped seal the game late for Butler.
The Pirates struggled to convert from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line, shooting just 26.9% from three and making only 2-for-7 (28.6%) free throws.
Although the loss ends the regular season on a disappointing note, SHU will have an opportunity to regroup later this week. The Pirates will return to action on March 7 in the BIG EAST Tournament quarterfinals, hoping to bounce back and make a deep run.
Jaden Highsmith is the assistant editor of The Setonian’s Sports section. He can be reached at jaden.highsmith@student.shu.edu.
