Nov. 29, 2008

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Turning in its best all-around performance of the young season, the Saint Joseph's women's basketball team jumped out early on Davidson and held on for a 78-68 win in the consolation game of the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament Saturday at Memorial Gymnasium. The Hawks' junior guard Mariame Djouara earned All-Tournament Team honors after averaging 15.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game during the holiday tournament.

The Hawks, who never trailed the Wildcats, opened the game with a 10-2 run, as senior guard Jenna Loschiavo and Djouara added a basket and three pointer apiece.

Davidson (1-5) cut the deficit to 12-8, but Saint Joseph's answered with a 12-2 run to open up a 24-10 advantage on a jump shot by junior forward Ashley Logue (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Hubert's) at 8:59. The Hawks would get six points out of Loschiavo during the run, while holding Davidson to 1-for-4 from the field and three turnovers.

Leading 32-19, Saint Joseph's upped its lead to 37-19 behind a deep three pointer from freshman guard Katie Kuester and a pair of Djouara free throws.

The Hawks (3-3) would take a 19-point edge into halftime, 44-25, as Djouara hit a driving jumpshot with three seconds left to go in the first stanza.

Davidson refused to yield and opened the second half with a 5-0 run to cut its deficit to 44-30 on a three pointer by Monica Laune. The Wildcats continued to press, but the Hawks answered, upping its lead back to 19, 60-41, with a layup by senior guard Mary Kate McDade at 12:42.

After another Wildcat spurt cut the Hawks' lead to 60-48, SJU answered back with another Kuester three pointer, a pair of baskets by freshman guard Michelle Baker to up its lead to 67-48.

The Hawks opened their biggest lead, 70-50, on a Loschiavo three pointer with 7:19 left, but would go cold from the field as the Wildcats made a run. Davidson used a 15-4 run over the next 4:20 to cut the lead to single digits, 74-65, on a layup by Mercedes Robinson with 2:59 left in the game.

Saint Joseph's answered back though at the foul line as Logue and McDade each nailed a pair of free throws to put the Hawks up 78-65.

Ashley Lax would drill a three pointer for Davidson to bring the Wildcats within 10 with 1:57 to go, but neither team could find the basket over the remaining time as the Hawks held Davidson to 0-of-3 from the field and a turnover to end the contest.

For the game, the Hawks shot 43.5 percent from the field (27-of-62), 47.6 percent from three-point range (10-of-21) and 82.4 percent from the foul line (14-of-17). At the other end, Davidson shot 24-of-60 from the field (40.0 percent), 7-of-14 from behind the arc and 13-of-17 from the foul line (76.5 percent). The Wildcats out rebounded SJU 41-34, but committed 14 turnovers to the Hawks' 11.

Individually, Djouara paced the Hawks with a career-high 18 points in the Crimson and Gray to go with four rebounds and three assists. Loschiavo added 17 points, including five three pointers, while Baker added 10 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Both Kuester and junior forward Brittany Ford each added nine points. McDade added three assists and seven points, while Logue added six points and five rebounds and classmate Amy Gillespie added two points.

At the other end, Robinson and Ashley Lax combined for 43 of Davidson's points, with Robinson scoring a game-high 23 points.

Saint Joseph's returns to action this Thursday, December 4 at the Gallagher Center. Game time is set for 8 p.m.