KINGSTON, R.I. - RYAN CENTER

SETON HALL (3-1)

vs.

RHODE ISLAND (0-3)

AUDIO: 89.5 FM WSOU

A LOOK AT THE RAMS

Head Coach                  Cathy Inglese

Record at URI (Years)     0-3 (1)

Career Record (Years)    393-256 (23)

Conference                    Atlantic 10

Current Streak                L3

Last Five                        0-3

Leading Scorer               Megan Shoniker, Lara Gaspar (12.0)

Leading Rebounder         Lara Gaspar (10.0)

Last Season                  10-21, 2-12

Rhode Island is off to a slow start in 2009-10, losing its first three games by an average of 21.7 points.  Junior guard Megan Shoniker and sophomore forward Lara Gaspar are tied for the team lead in scoring at 12.0 points per game, with Gaspar also adding 10.0 rebounds per contest.

REMINDER

Looking at recent history, Seton Hall has enjoyed a measure of success against the Atlantic 10 Conference.  The Pirates have won three straight against A-10 teams, including a pair of road victories last season over Saint Joseph's and Massachusetts.   The Hall's last loss in such games came on Nov. 18, 2006, when Massachusetts claimed a 70-61 win.

ON TO THE NEXT ONE

The Pirates came back strong in the consolation game of the Anaconda Sports "The Rock" SHU Classic, thrashing Arkansas State, 76-52.  Freshmen Alexandra Maseko and Brittany Morris made their collegiate debuts in the contest, with Morris netting four points.

A STAR IS BORN

Sophomore Kandice Green made the SHU Classic All-Tournament team with a strong two-day performance that included a pair of double-doubles.  After setting a career-high with 16 rebounds to go along with 14 points against Morgan State, Green notched 16 points, 11 boards and a career-high four steals against Arkansas State.  She is currently averaging a double-double with 13.0 points and 11.8 rebounds, and is halfway to her season total of six in 2008-09.

CLAP FOR 'EM

Several Pirates set new career-highs in the win over Arkansas State: senior Letita Curry with 10 rebounds, sophomore Kandice Green with four steals, sophomore Shanai Heber with seven assists, and freshman Terry Green with 10 points.

ALREADY HOME

For the first time since losing to Florida in the 2005-06 season, Seton Hall fell in its home opener when Morgan State escaped with a 58-55 win at Walsh Gymnasium in the opening round of the Anaconda Sports "The Rock" SHU Classic.  The Pirates wasted little time in reclaiming their turf, disposing of Arkansas State easily in the consolation round, 76-52.

TOURNAMENT STREAK ENDS AT FOUR

Seton Hall had won its last four in-season tournaments, including the last two SHU Classics, before falling to Morgan State in the opening round this year.    The Pirates are now 14-4 all-time in the Classic with five tournament titles.

CLUTCH COMEBACK

Facing a four-point deficit in the final minute and having never led in the game, Seton Hall's Ebonie Williams took over.  After cutting the deficit to two with a jumper with 58 seconds to go, Williams drained a step-back three-pointer with 14 seconds to go to put the Pirates in front, 53-52.  One more defensive stop sealed the dramatic victory.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE DOUBLE

Senior Nicole Emery totaled 16 points and 12 rebounds, while sophomore Kandice Green had 11 points and 13 rebounds, giving Seton Hall two players with double-doubles.  The Pirates last accomplished the feat in last year's regular season finale, when Green and Noteisha Womack both doubled up.

EMERY BOARDS

Senior Nicole Emery set a new career-high with 12 rebounds at Marshall on her way to her first double-double as a Pirate.

MOVING UP THE CHARTS

With her three three-pointers at Arkansas State, Ebonie Williams brings her career total to 98, just three shy of fifth place at Seton Hall.  She remains the best free throw shooter in school history with a mark of 83.0 percent.

TWO FOR THE ROAD

The Pirates started the season with two true road games for the first time since 1999-00.  That year, as it did this year as well, the Hall won both contests, defeating Richmond and DePaul.

A TEAM EFFORT

Seton Hall had contributions from all over in its win at Rider.  Seven on the nine players who saw action grabbed four or more rebounds, helping the Pirates to a 42-37 edge overall.  The Hall benefitted from 11 points off the bench as well as seven players recording at least one steals.  Of the Pirates' 21 baskets, 12 were assisted.

WILLIAMS DOESN'T MISS A BEAT

Junior Ebonie Willams paced the Pirates, as expected, with 18 points in the season-opening win over Rider.  Williams was the team's leading scorer as both a freshman and a sophomore.  Ozelina Gorham (1978-82) is the only player in Seton Hall history to lead the team in scoring every year of her career. 

GREEN DEBUTS

Freshman Terry Green debuted in fine fashion against Rider, eight points, four rebounds and a team-high three steals in 19 minutes.  Green was 2-of-3 from three-point land.

SEASON OPENERS

Seton Hall is 28-9 all-time in season openers, with an 19-6 mark under the leadership of Phyllis Mangina after defeating Rider to begin the 2009-10 season.  The Pirates have won their last three opening games.

DEJA VU

For the second straight season and fourth time overall, the Pirates opened their campaign with a game against Rider.  Seton Hall has won each contest and is 7-0 all-time against the Broncs.  For the third consecutive year, the Pirates faced an opponent from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in their season opener, with Manhattan kicking things off in 2007-08.  Seton Hall has won seven straight against teams from the MAAC.

STARTING ON THE ROAD

Seton Hall played its season opener away from home for the first time since the 2006-07 campaign, when it fell to Kansas in the WBCA/Metrosports Classic, 64-50, in Kansas City, Mo.  Prior to that game, the last opener on the road came in the 1999-00 season when the Pirates defeated Richmond, 83-81.  The Hall has played just seven season openers away from home under Phyllis Mangina.

IT'S THE ROCK

The Pirates will play a pair of home games at Prudential Center for the second straight season.  Seton Hall will face Saint Peter's on Dec. 19 as part of a doubleheader with the men's program before hosting defending national champion Connecticut on Jan. 2.

CURRY RETURNS

After missing the 2008-09 season due to injury, senior Letitia Curry returns to the Pirates' lineup for her final year of eligibility.

COMING BACK

The Pirates return 62.0 percent of their scoring and 58.3 percent of their rebounding from last season's squad.  Junior guard Ebonie Williams, the team's leading scorer in each of her first two years, is back after posting 13.2 points per night last season.  Sophomore Kandice Green, a member of the BIG EAST All-Freshman team in 2008-09, is the top returning rebounder after grabbing 6.6 per game in her rookie campaign

ROOKIE TRIO

Three freshmen populate the 2009-10 Pirates' roster.  Guard Britanny Morris and forwards Terry Green and Alexandra Maseko will all make their debuts in blue and white this season.

A NEW CREW ON THE SHIP

Jasmine Crew has joined the women's basketball program after playing her first two years at Northeastern.  Crew will sit out the 2009-10 season in accordance with NCAA transfer regulations.  She was a Second Team All-Colonial selection as a sophomore after leading the Huskies with 13.9 points and 3.2 assists.

GRACE ADDED TO STAFF

There is one new member on Phyllis Mangina's coaching staff this season, as Ty Grace enters her first year with the Pirates.  Grace comes to South Orange after a successful three-year run at Army.  She has also served as an assistant at Fairleigh Dickinson as well as the head coach at Ramapo College.

PIRATES TABBED 14TH

For the second straight season, Seton Hall was picked to finish 14th in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches Poll.  Connecticut was the unanimous choice to take the league title, led by Preseason Player of the Year Maya Moore.  Skylar Diggins of Notre Dame was chosen as the Preseason Freshman of the Year.

PIRATES SIGN FIVE FOR 2010-11

Head coach Phyllis Mangina has inked five student-athletes to national letters of intent for next season, including a pair of top-60 recruits.  Elaine Swaby (Paterson, N.J.), a 6-1 forward from John F. Kennedy High School, is ranked 43rd overall and sixth among power forwards in the ESPNU HoopGurlz 100.  Ka-Deidre Simmons (Newark, N.J.), a 5-8 point guard from Malcolm X. Shabazz High School, is the 53rd ranked player overall and 16th at her position.  Nicosia Henry (Bolingbrook, Ill.), a 6-0 small forward from Bolingbrook High School, is the 20th ranked wing player by HoopGurlz.  Jazzmine Johnson (Glen Dale, Md.), a 5-8 guard from Riverdale Baptist High School, checks in as the 69th ranked shooting guard.  Tiffani Blackman (Toledo, Ohio), a 5-11 guard from Toledo Central Catholic, is ranked 112th among shooting guards in the class of 2010.   

TELEVISION SCHEDULE

The Pirates will play in a pair of televised games as part of the BIG EAST's ever-growing package.  On Jan. 12, the Hall's contest with St. John's will be aired live on CBS College Sports.  The Jan. 30 game at Villanova will be shown on tape delay on SNY.

FOLLOW THE PIRATES!

New this season, all home Seton Hall women's basketball games will be streamed live on Hall Pass at SHUPirates.com.  In addition to the video component, Jon Schaeffer will call all the action in his first year as a member of the Hall's broadcast family.

2010 BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP

The 2010 BIG EAST Women's Basketball Championship will once again be held at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn., on March 5-9.  For the second straight year, all 16 teams will be invited.