SJU: Roster | Schedule | Stats
UMass: Roster | Schedule | Stats

PHILADELPHIA – The Saint Joseph's women's basketball squad (7-7, 1-1 A-10) heads to UMass (12-3, 2-0 A-10) to continue Atlantic 10 action this Saturday, January 11. Opening tip at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Mass. is set for noon. The Hawks were predicted to finish 10th in the A-10 this year, according to the 2019-20 A-10 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll conducted by the league's 14 head coaches and announced on October 29, while the Minutewomen were predicted to finish eighth. SJU enters the match-up following a 47-40 road loss at VCU on Wednesday, January 8, where freshman forward Gabby Smalls went off for 14 points, while UMass is on a nine-game winning streak and last defeated St. Bonaventure, 62-52, on the road on Wednesday.

Saint Joseph's picked up its 50th program win over UMass with a 55-54 home victory on February 13 of last season, and the Hawks' 50 wins over the Minutewomen are the second-most against any opponent, trailing SJU's 56 vs. Rhode Island. SJU has won eight of its last nine meetings against UMass, dating back to January 22, 2011, and owns the series 50-10.

For tickets to Saturday's game, please click here.

NOTHING SMALL FROM SMALLS
In her first career start at Auburn on November 24, freshman forward Gabby Smalls stole the show with a career- and game-high 19 points (9-of-10 FG) and a team-high eight rebounds in 23 minutes of play. Despite the 66-62 loss, Smalls was a bright spot in the highly-competitive match-up.

In her second career start, at VCU on January 8, Smalls scored a team-high 14 points, with 10 coming in the fourth quarter, on 5-of-7 shooting from the field to go with six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block in 22 minutes.

SHARP-SHOOTING HAWKS
Sophomore guard Katie Jekot lit up Hagan Arena with a team-high 17 points and a career- and game-high six assists to lead SJU to a 67-56 win  over Richmond in the Atlantic 10 opener on January 4. Saint Joseph's shot a season-best 56.9 percent from the field (29-of-51) as Jekot shot 7-of-12, including three three-pointers, sophomore forward Katie Mayock added 11 points (5-of-7 FG), junior guard Mary Sheehan chipped in nine points (5-of-7 FG), and sophomore guard Devyne Newman added eight points (4-of-5 FG) in 20 minutes off the bench.

ALL-DAY KJ
Sophomore guard Katie Jekot is the returning leading scorer from last year's squad. Jekot averaged 7.5 points per game in all 31 appearances with 25 starts in 2018-19 and is SJU's returning leader in total steals (36) and three-pointers (42).

This year, the sophomore leads the squad in scoring (10.9 ppg), field goals made (52), three-pointers made (23), and minutes (31.4) and is shooting 86.2 percent (25-of-29) from the free throw line. Jekot turned in her first career double-double with a season-high 20 points and a career-high 11 rebounds – both game-high numbers - in SJU's 71-44 win over Sacred Heart on December 4.

She leads the Hawks with eight double-figure games this season.

Be sure to follow the Saint Joseph's women's basketball team on Instagram and Twitter and like the Hawks on Facebook. Fans can receive all of the latest news and info on the women's basketball program with Hawk E-News.