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BIG EAST Conference preview: Marquette the team to beat

By Erica Ayala

MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 07: Marquette Golden Eagles guard Allazia Blockton (11) looks inside during the Big East Women's Championship Game between the DePaul Blue Demons and the Marquette Golden Eagles on March 7, 2017 at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, WI. (Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 07: Marquette Golden Eagles guard Allazia Blockton (11) looks inside during the Big East Women's Championship Game between the DePaul Blue Demons and the Marquette Golden Eagles on March 7, 2017 at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, WI. (Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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MILWAUKEE, WI – MARCH 04: Seton Hall Pirates guard LaTecia Smith (3) dribbles during a Big East Tournament game between Providence Lady Friars and the Seton Hall Pirates on March 04, 2017, at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, WI. (Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI – MARCH 04: Seton Hall Pirates guard LaTecia Smith (3) dribbles during a Big East Tournament game between Providence Lady Friars and the Seton Hall Pirates on March 04, 2017, at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, WI. (Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Seton Hall

Preseason predicted ranking: 6th, up two spots from 2016-17 finish

2016-17 Record: 4-14

2016-17 Overall Record: 12-19

Biggest Losses:

Lubirdia Gordon, who led the team in blocked shots last season (43), graduated from Seton Hall. Both LaTecia Smith and Claire Lundberg opted to transfer. Both were among the top five scorers for Seton Hall last season.

Key Returners:

JaQuan Jackson and Kaela Hilaire are two notable names for the Pirates.  Jackson enters 2017-18 as a redshirt senior. She led the team with 15.3 points per game, enough to earn a spot of the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.

A 2017 All-Freshman Team member, Hilaire is one of six sophomores on this Pirates team. She averaged double digit points and over 130 assists in her rookie season.

Newcomers:

Donnaizah Fountain (Temple) and Taylor Brown (Western Kentucky) both transfer in for the 2017-18 season. Team Croatia member Inja Butina is another player hoping to make an impact for Seton Hall.

Head coach:

Tony Bozzella returns for a fifth season with the Pirates. In four years, Bozzella has an 83-48 (.364) record. He has led his team to a share of the regular season first and second place in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

He will look to redirect the skid to lat year’s 4-14 BIG EAST record.

Key non-conference games:

The Pirates take on New Jersey neighbor Rutgers, Wake Forest, as well as cross country trip against UCLA (7) before opening BIG EAST play at DePaul on December 28.

Outlook:

Seton Hall will need a stronger performance among BIG EAST opponents to have a successful season and a winning record.

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