Dec. 29, 2009

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Sparked by the first career double-double of Hawk Classic MVP Ashley Prim, the Saint Joseph's women' basketball team downed Boston University, 71-58, in the title game of the 19th Annual Hawk Classic on Tuesday afternoon at Hagan Arena. Prim led SJU with a career-high 18 points to go with 11 rebounds as the Hawks captured its seventh Hawk Classic title.

Boston University (4-7) jumped out to an early 17-9 edge as the Terriers snapped a 9-9 tie. The terriers held the Hawks to 0-9 from the field and caused four turnovers as a layup by Aly Hinton gave BU an eight-point lead.

SJU's freshman guard, Prim, and the Hawks answered back with a 14-4 run over the next 4:41 as a jump shot by Prim gave the team a 23-21 lead with just over four minutes left in the opening half.

Following a pair of Boston University baskets, Saint Joseph's scored 10-straight points to end the half and take a 33-25 edge into halftime. The Hawks held the Terriers to 0-for-3 from the field and a turnover in the final minutes.

Saint Joseph's (6-7) senior guard Amy Gillespie made three free throws in the opening minute of the second half as BU was accessed two quick technical fouls.

The Terriers responded to the fouls with seven straight points, making it a 36-32 game on a layup by Chantell Alford at 18:09.

Prim, and seniors Ashley Logue and Mariame Djouara scored the next six points, quickly giving the Hawks a 10-point advantage, 42-32.

Boston University cut the deficit to 46-39, but would get no closer. A layup by Prim and five-straight points sophomore guard Michelle Baker (Wilmington, Del./Brandywine) pushed the lead back to 14 as SJU held the Terriers at bay by double digits for most of the final 12 minutes.

As a team, the Hawks shot 34.5 percent from the field (24.5 percent), and 28.6 percent from three-point range, while the Terriers shot 32.8 percent from the floor (22-of-67) and 21.1 percent from behind the arc (4-of-19). The big difference came at the line where SJU went 27-of-33 (81.8 percent), while the Terriers converted just 10-of-18 free throw opportunities (55.6 percent).

Prim's game-high 11 rebounds helped SJU to a season-best 55 boards, while holding BU to just 34 rebounds. Prim finished 5-of-11 from the floor, 1-of-2 from three-point range and 7-of-8 from the foul line, and added a team-best four assists.

Logue, an All-Tournament Team selection alongside Prim, finished with eight points and nine rebounds despite sitting out the final few minutes. Saint Joseph's senior forward Brittany Ford added 11 points with classmate Gillespie adding a team-best four steals to go with 11 points, and Djouara adding six points. Baker and sophomore guard Katie Kuester finished with five points apiece, while sophomore forward Kelly Cavallo and junior forward Dominique Bryant rounded out SJU's scoring with four and three points, respectively.

At the other end, Chantell Jordan scored a game-high 20 points, while Alex Young and Caitlyn Moran finished with 14 points apiece. Young and Moran joined Logue, Prim and South Carolina's Valerie Nainima and Brown's Hannah Passafuime on the Hawk Classic All-Tournament Team.

In the opener, Brown and South Carolina traded the lead for a majority of the first half, but the Gamecocks used a 17-2 run to end the period. Up 40-24 to start the second stanza, South Carolina went on to outscore the Brown Bears 33-22 to earn a 73-46 victory.

Saint Joseph's returns to action January 3 at Maryland. Game time is set for 2 p.m.

***Photos from today's game available at www.sidephotos.com