Jan. 7, 2012

Box Score

AMHERST - Outscoring Massachusetts 46-22 in the second half, the Saint Joseph's women's basketball team opened Atlantic 10 play with an 86-58 win Saturday afternoon at the Mullins Center. The Hawks, who got a 15-point, 10-rebound performance from senior forward and Kelly Cavallo, improved their win streak to five games and opened conference play with a win for the 26th time in 30 seasons.

Up 40-36 to start the second half, Saint Joseph's (10-4) used a 17-8 run to open play, taking a 57-44 lead on a three pointer by sophomore guard Erin Shields at 12:33. The Hawks would keep the Minutewomen at a distance for the rest of the game, opening a 30-point lead before the final outcome.

In the first half, Saint Joseph's jumped out to a double-figure lead early as a pair of free throws by Shield gave the Hawks a 22-11 edge at 11:14.

Massachusetts (5-11, 0-1 A-10) would answer back over the next seven minutes, cutting the SJU lead to one possession. The Minutewomen used a 21-11 run to make it a 33-32 game on a three pointer by Emilie Teuscher at 4:10.

The Hawks got jumpers from seniors Michelle Baker and Cavallo and a three pointer from Shields as they Hawks ended the period on a 7-4 run to make it a 40-36 SJU lead at the half.

For the game, SJU hit 33-of-66 from the floor, 8-of-16 from behind the arc and 12-of-15 from the foul line. The Hawks, who turned the ball over nine times in the first half, turned it over just three times in the final stanza.

Individually, junior guard Ashley Prim led the Hawks with 14 points and five assists, while senior guard Katie Kuester added 13 points, including three from three-point range. Baker and classmate Samira van Grinsven also figured in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

At the other end, Massachusetts went 22-of-51 from the field (43.1 percent), but were held to just nine field goals in the second half. Kim Pierre-Louis and Shakia Robinson scored 14 points apiece to lead UMass.

Saint Joseph's returns to action this Tuesday against Dayton. Game time is set for 11:30 a.m. at Hagan Arena as part of the "Fieldtrip to the Fieldhouse" promotion for area youth.