Jan. 5, 2013

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Behind a combined 46 points from redshirt senior Chatilla van Grinsven and redshirt sophomore Natasha Cloud, the Saint Joseph's women's basketball team topped Penn, 66-53, in the Hawks' final nonconference game of the year. Improving to 1-1 in Big 5 play and 9-5 overall, SJU got a career-high 27 points from van Grinsven and a career-best 19 points from Cloud.

Up 24-21 heading into the second half, the Hawks quickly saw their lead disappear as the Quakers (6-5, 1-1 Big 5) used an 8-2 run to start the half.

Saint Joseph's and Penn would exchange baskets as Penn held a 33-32 lead with 12:09 to go. From there though, the Hawks put together a 17-3 run, opening a 49-36 advantage on a van Grinsven layup with 7:44 remaining. van Grinsven scored nine points during the run, while SJU held the Quakers to just just 1-for-3 during the run.

Penn would cut the Hawks' lead to eight with under six minutes to go, but Saint Joseph's responded with six-straight points to open a 57-43 lead at 3:54 and never allow the Quakers to get any closer than 10 from there.

Up 13-10 in the first half, van Grinsven and Cloud combined for seven points as the Hawks went on a 7-2 run to expand Saint Joseph's lead by eight points, its largest lead of the half.

The Quakers began to chip away as they came within just one possession three different times, but the Hawks would hold the advantage as they went into the locker room leading 24-21.

For the game, van Grinsven hit 12-of-20 from the floor and 3-of-4 from the foul line, while grabbing a game-high 15 rebounds to go with two assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Cloud finished 6-of-12 from the floor and 7-of-7 from the foul line and added a team-high six assists and three steals to go with eight rebounds.

At the other end, Penn was led by Alyssa Baron's 12 points.

The Hawks return home to kick off Atlantic 10 conference action against Richmond on Saturday, January 12. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at Hagan Arena.