AMHERST, Mass. - The Saint Joseph's women's basketball team dominated from the start as the Hawks downed Massachusetts, 85-51, Thursday evening at the Mullins Center. Senior Kelsey Berger led four Hawks in double figures with 14 points and junior Natasha Cloud had 13 assists, 12 rebounds and eight points as SJU improved to 21-7 overall and 10-5 in the Atlantic 10.
The Hawks took control from the tip, jumping out to a 17-2 lead on a jumper by Erin Shields 5:35 into the game. Saint Joseph's defense smothered the Minutewomen, holding them to just 1-of-11 from the floor and causing two turnovers, while the Hawks hit eight of their first 14 shots.
Saint Joseph's, which held Massachusetts to 22.9 percent from the floor in the first half, built its lead to as many as 26 points before heading into halftime ahead 43-19.
Massachusetts (4-25, 1-14 A-10) would score four of the first six points in the second half to cut the deficit to 22, but that would be as close as it would get as Saint Joseph's pushed its lead to as many as 36 and outscore the Minutewomen 42-32 in the stanza for the 11th road win of the season for the Hawks.
As a team, the Hawks shot 43.8 percent overall (32-of-73), 28.6 percent from behind the arc (4-of-14) and 94.4 percent from the foul line (17-of-18). Saint Joseph's finished up 53-34 in rebounding, setting a new season-high in the process.
Individually, sophomore Sarah Fairbanks added 13 points, while classmate Ciara Andrews finished with 10. Shields added 11 points and six rebounds with Cloud matching her career-high for assists and setting a new career-high for rebounds with 12.
At the other end, Massachusetts shot 31.3 percent overall (20-of-64), but hit just 1-of-15) from behind the arc (6.7 percent) and 10-of-16 from the foul line. Kim Pierre Louis had a game-high 15 points to lead the Minutewomen.
Saint Joseph's caps the regular season Sunday versus Fordham at 2 p.m. The Hawks will honor their senior class in a pregame ceremony.
Game Notes: The Hawks' bench tallied 39 points...Freshman Lisanne de Jonge had a career-high six points, while classmate Geena Gomez matched hers with five points and added four assists...Rookie Kathleen Fitzpatrick added six points, with classmate Jessica Pongonis adding two points and a rebound...Senior Ilze Gotfrida finished with six points...Freshman Mackenzie Rule added a steal as all 12 Hawks played at least three minutes...Men's soccer senior Pat McGlynn served as The Hawk for the game.
