Pirates Open BIG EAST Play At DePaul on Thursday

CHICAGO - After a strong non-conference run, the Seton Hall women's basketball team (8-3, 0-0 BIG EAST) opens conference play on Thursday night when it visits perennial BIG EAST favorite DePaul (8-4, 0-0 BIG EAST). Tip-off between the Pirates and Blue Demons is set for 8 p.m. (ET) at McGrath-Phillips Arena streaming on the BIG EAST Digital Network and over the air on WSOU.net.

The Hall opens BIG EAST play with a tremendous challenge, facing the two teams picked atop the preseason league poll in DePaul and Marquette on the road in its first two contests. The Pirates last played on Dec. 21, knocking off Fairfield in the non-conference finale at Walsh Gym. DePaul is also coming off a victory in its last contest, taking down IUPUI on Dec. 20.

SETON HALL TIP-INS >>

Donnaizha Fountain leads The Hall with 14.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, joined in double-figures by JaQuan Jackson (12.9 ppg) and Taylor Brown (11.9)
Jackson is on the latest BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll after pouring in 28 points on 11-of-13 shooting in the non-conference finale against Fairfield
The Hall is the only team in the top half of the BIG EAST in both scoring offense and scoring defense, ranking third in the league in both categories
The Pirates lead the conference and rank eighth nationally with 13.1 steals per game, and also lead the conference with 14.5 offensive rebounds per game
The Pirates are kicking off their 36th season of BIG EAST play and fifth since realignment - The Hall is 43-36 in conference action under Anthony Bozzella

BLUE DEMON BULLETS >>

DePaul hosts The Hall after going 8-4 in the non-conference slate, including marquee wins over Oklahoma, Gonzaga and Northwestern
The Blue Demons boast the sixth-highest scoring offense in the country, averaging 88.7 points per game
Ashton Millender (14.1 ppg) and Amarah Coleman (13.7 ppg) lead six Blue Demons in double-figures, while Kelly Campbell averages team-highs of 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game
DePaul was picked to finish second in the BIG EAST preseason poll and have won a share of the conference's regular season title in each of the last four years

BIG EAST OPENER >>

The Pirates begin league play on Thursday, their 36th year as a member of the BIG EAST conference and the fifth season since realignment
The Hall holds a 217-350 all-time record in conference play, but a 43-36 mark under Bozzella
The Pirates won their last BIG EAST title in 2014-15, claiming the regular season crown with a 15-3 league record
The Hall is 3-1 in conference openers under Bozzella, winning their league lid lifter in each of the last three seasons
Last year, The Hall knocked off St. John's at home by a score of 64-59 in the league opener
The Pirates last opened conference play on the road in 2015-16, picking up a win over Providence

DUELING DePAUL >>

The Hall is 4-15 all-time against DePaul after falling to the Blue Demons three times last season
Prior to last season's struggles, The Hall went 3-2 against the perennial BIG EAST power in the '14-15 and '15-16 seasons
The Hall has won at DePaul three times and are the only team with multiple road wins against the Blue Demons since realignment
Notable performances against DePaul include a program-record 107 points in a win at Walsh Gym on Jan. 18, 2015 and a tight setback in the BIG EAST Championship game in Chicago on March 10, 2015
The Hall won the first meeting in the series in 1999, but the sides did not square off again until DePaul joined the BIG EAST for the 2005-06 season

FAIRFIELD RECAP >>

In the non-conference finale on Dec. 21, The Hall knocked off Fairfield by a score of 80-61 at Walsh Gym
JaQuan Jackson led the way with a huge offensive day for The Hall, pouring in a game-high 28 points on a blistering 11-for-13 shooting effort
The Pirates led by only one at the half, but out-scored the Stags 42-24 in the second half to pull away and secure the double-digit win
Jackson was one of four Pirates in double-figures, joined by Taylor Brown with 11 and Inja Butina and Donnaizha Fountain each with 10
Playing in her first game since Dec. 8, Butina went for 10 points, six assists and two steals in 31 minutes
As a team The Hall shot 53.4 percent, the third time in the non-conference it shot better than 50 percent

WHAT'S AHEAD >>
The Hall is back in action on Saturday, Dec. 30 when it visits reigning BIG EAST Tournament Champion and preseason favorite Marquette for a 7:30 p.m. (ET) tip at the Al McGuire Center.