VILLANOVA, PA (12/07/01) - Sophomore Stephanie Graff registered career-highs with 25 points and 15 rebounds and Susan Moran added 24 points to help the Saint Joseph's University women's basketball team (5-2, 2-0 Big Five) hold off Villanova (4-2, 1-2 Big Five), 68-62, in a Big Five thriller at The Pavilion. The win was the 14th in a row by the Hawks in Big Five competition, one victory shy of their own City Series record set from 1992-95. "We hung on. We hung on to win," stated SJU head coach Cindy Anderson-Griffin after the game. "It shows a lot of character on our kids part." The Crimson and Gray led by 21-points, 46-25, with 13:45 left to play in the game, before a furious comeback by the Wildcats cut the SJU lead down to just two points with 21 seconds left in regulation. A 19-6 run by VU during the final three minutes did most of the damage. "I thought they were going to make a run eventually," said Anderson-Griffin. "I was suprized we were up by as much as we were." Clinging to just a two-point lead, Moran knocked down a pair of free throws to put the Hawks up by four points, 66-62. On the ensuing possession Villanova pushed the ball rapidly up the floor, but Graff stuffed a three-point attempt by the Wildcats. Quickly gathering the loose ball, VU attempted to fire up another desperate three-pointer, but this time Amy Snell came up with the blocks for the Hawks. Snell then fell on the ball where she was quickly fouled. The senior guard then iced the game with a pair of charity tosses with just six seconds remaining. Even when the Hawks were up big, Moran new it would take a full 40 minutes to hold off the Wildcats. "There was no way Villanova was going to give up. They came back really strong, but we had answers for them. We hung in there at the end." The two player tandem of Graff and Moran did all the damage for SJU in the first half, as the Hawks took a 29-18 lead at the break. Moran had 17 points at intermission, while Graff registered a double-double with 12 points and 10 caroms in the opening stanza. The wildcats meanwhile shot a paltry 36.4% in the half. Snell's late game block and the ensuing charity tosses came at the expense of her sister Mary Beth, who is a former Villanova standout and a current Wildcat assistant coach. SJU's senior class has nev er lost an official Big Five Game. The Hawks will relax this week, as the players focus on final examinations. SJU returns to the court on Wednesday, December 19, when the Hawks host Drexel at the Fieldhouse. Anyone who donates a new unwrapped toy at the door will receive free admission to the game.