Quotes: Coach Cindy Griffin

Quotes: SJU Student-Athletes

March 23, 2013

STORRS, Conn. - A historic season came to a close for the Saint Joseph's women's basketball team on Saturday, but not without the trademark "Hawk Will Never Die" spirit. Ninth seed Saint Joseph's fought back from a 10-point second half deficit to tie the game late, but the eighth seed Vanderbilt got key baskets in the final minutes to top the Hawks, 60-54, in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.

Making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2000, the Atlantic 10 champion Hawks (23-9) found themselves down 48-40 midway through the second half. Remaining calm, Saint Joseph's used a 8-0 run to tie the game at 48 all on a layup by redshirt senior forward Chatilla van Grinsven at 6:49.

Vanderbilt (21-11) scored the next two baskets, opening a 52-48 lead, but again Saint Joseph's answered, making it 52-50 game following the last media timeout with 4:30 to play.

Saint Joseph's failed to convert on its next two possessions, while the Commodores opened a 54-50 lead on a pair of free throws by Tiffany Clarke with 2:40 left.

After trading baskets, van Grinsven's layup off an offensive rebound made it a 56-54 game in favor of Vanderbilt at 1:11.

The Commodores' Clarke hit a running layup with the shot clock expiring to push Vanderbilt's lead to 58-54 and the Hawks turned the ball over in their next possession, giving the higher seed the ball back with the lead with 28 seconds remaining.

Vanderbilt's Christina Foggie hit one of two free throws to make it 59-54, while SJU failed to score in its final possession, while Vanderbilt added a free throw to seal the game.

"I thought we battled on every possession. We were right there in the end, but the shots just didn't fall today," said Saint Joseph's head coach Cindy Griffin. "There are days like that. In these type of games, the ball needs to drop. I wouldn't do anything different. I think these kids came out today ready to play and ready to win. I couldn't be more proud."

In a tight first half that had eight ties and three lead changes, Vanderbilt opened a 25-21 advantage with under five minutes to go. The Hawks answered back though as senior guard Ashley Prim, knocked down a pair of free throws, while a layup by junior forward Ilze Gotfrida tied the game at 25-25 with 4:13 left in the half.

The Commodores would close the half on an 8-2 run to take a 33-37 lead into halftime as the Hawks were without van Grinsven for much of the first half due to foul trouble.

A three-pointer by Shields to start the second half cut Saint Joseph's deficit to 33-30, but Vanderbilt answered with a 7-0 run to open a 40-30 lead on a three-pointer by Jasmine Lister at 16:06.

The Hawks answered though, cutting the deficit to two, 40-38, on a pair of free throws by van Grinsven. A layup by Robinson sparked the run as junior guard Erin Shields and van Grinsven followed with baskets before the pair of free throws made it a one-possession game.

The Commodores answered, going up 48-40, before the frantic comeback and final minutes.

For the game, the Hawks shot 34.5 percent from the field (19-of-55), but just 1-of-15 from three-point range. (6.7 percent). From the foul line, SJU took advantage of its trips, going 15-of-17 for 88.2 percent.

At the other end, Vanderbilt shot 37.3 percent from the floor (22-of-59), 16.7 percent from behind the arc (2-of-12) and 63.6 percent from the foul line (14-of-22).

Individually, van Grinsven paced SJU with 14 points and nine rebounds. Gotfrida and redshirt sophomore Natasha Cloud both finished with 10 points apiece, while Cloud added a team-high six assists and two steals. Junior forward Ashley Robinson and freshman forward Sarah Fairbanks each added six points for the Hawks, while Shields finished with five. Prim, who matched the career games played record appearing in her 127th game on Saturday, grabbed seven rebounds and had three points, an assist and a steal.

Clarke led Vanderbilt with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Game Notes: Robinson scored the first SJU basket with a layup at 18:36...A jumper by Fairbanks at 13:38 gave the Hawks their first lead, 10-9... Kelsey Berger and Mireia Vila played three and four minutes, respectively.