Seton Hall women’s basketball had another strong week, which was recognized by the conference , as freshman Zahara Bishop was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week while junior guard Savannah Catalon earned a spot on the Weekly Honor Roll for the fourth time this season. The two honors came after the Pirates (13-5, 7-2 BIG EAST) picked up two important conference wins over Marquette and DePaul last week.
Bishop’s award marks a milestone in her freshman season. The first-year guard continues to play a key role for the Pirates and delivered her best week of the season when it mattered most.
Against Marquette on Jan. 14, Bishop finished with seven points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes. While her shooting night was a challenge, she stayed aggressive and made key plays on both ends of the floor.
Bishop followed that performance with a breakout game at DePaul on Jan. 17. In 29 minutes, she scored a career-high 21 points, shooting 8-for-10 (80%) from the field and 3-for-4 (75%) from beyond the arc. Her scoring helped SHU pull away late and secure another key conference win on the road.
While Bishop earned her first conference honor, Catalon once again showed why she has been one of the Big East’s most consistent players. The junior guard was named to the Weekly Honor Roll for the fourth time this year after another dominant week.
Catalon opened the week against Marquette with 12 points, knocking down all 10 of her free throws attempts while also adding three rebounds and two assists in 36 minutes. Even on an off-shooting night from the field, Catalon made her presence felt by attacking the basket and converting at the line in an important conference matchup.
She followed that performance with one of her best all-around games of the season at DePaul. Catalon scored 24 points, shooting 5-for-11 (45%) overall and 4-for-9 (44%) from three-point range, while also being perfect from the free-throw line, going 10-for-10 yet again. The Mansfield, Texas native also added four rebounds, four assists and two steals, showing her ability to impact the game on both sides of the court.
This week’s honors add to a growing list of Big East recognition for SHU women’s basketball players this season. Earlier in the year, Valenzuela was named Big East Player of the Week, while Catalon has now been recognized four times, and Bishop has earned her first freshman-related award.
The Pirates finished the week 2-0 in Big East play, continuing to climb the conference standings and to build momentum heading into a rematch with the No. 1 UConn Huskies (19-0, 9-0 BIG EAST) on Jan. 25.
SHU will look to carry that momentum into its next game against Providence (10-10, 3-6 BIG EAST) on Jan. 20, as conference play continues. If Bishop’s confidence keeps growing and Catalon stays consistent, the Pirates will remain a tough matchup for any team in the Big East.
Jaden Highsmith is the assistant editor of The Setonian’s Sports section. He can be reached at jaden.highsmith@student.shu.edu.
