PHILADELPHIA – Trailing 61-54 with just 4:06 remaining in regulation, the Hawks tore off on a 10-0 run that would ultimately snap an eight-game losing streak for the Crimson and Gray as the Saint Joseph's women's basketball squad earned a 66-63 win over St. Bonaventure in Atlantic 10 action on Friday evening. SJU improves to 6-9 (4-9 A-10) while St. Bonaventure falls to 6-13 (5-11 A-10).

"We came back and showed a lot of grit, poise, and composure down the stretch," said head coach Cindy Griffin following the win. "I see that we've grown. We've grown from previous games, and that's the most important thing. Getting the win is icing on the cake. I'm really proud of our team for coming together . . . We made plays when we needed to make plays, and for that, I'm proud."

Following a 9-0 Bonnies run, the Hawks found themselves trailing by seven late in the fourth. However, graduate student guard Alayna Gribble (4:06) and junior guard Katie Jekot (2:47) hit back-to-back three pointers to pull the Hawks to within one, 61-60, before sophomore guard Kaliah Henderson battled for an offensive board and put back the second-chance lay-up to give the Hawks a one-point lead, 62-61, with 1:29 to go.

Sophomore forward Gabby Smalls would then force a turnover on St. Bonaventure's next offensive possession to get the ball back for the Crimson and Gray with 1:06 remaining, and Gribble hit a jumper with 18 ticks to go to give the Hawks a three-point edge.

St. Bonaventure's Asianae Johnson scored on a lay-up with one second remaining to close the Bonnies to one, 64-63, but Gribble hit a pair of free throws and SBU couldn't get a shot off en route to the Hawks' three-point victory.

Jekot led the Hawks in scoring with 16 points (6-of-15 FG), including four three-pointers, to go with a game-high six assists.

Smalls poured in a season-high 15 points (5-of-7 FG) and added five rebounds while Gribble (13 points, seven in the fourth quarter) and Henderson (10 points, seven rebounds, five assists) added double-figure scoring performances on the night.

How It Happened
Q1 – Each team shot 47.1 percent (8-of-17) from the field in the opening quarter, but the Bonnies would hit a pair of three-pointers and go 3-of-5 from the stripe to take a four-point edge, 21-17, through the end of the first. Smalls (six) and Jekot (five) combined for 11 points for the Hawks.

Q2 – The Bonnies shot 50.0 percent (6-of-12) from the field to extend their lead to six, 35-29, at the halftime break; the Hawks pulled to within two, 31-29, on a Gribble jumper with 1:37 to go, but St. Bonaventure closed the quarter on a 4-0 run. Jekot led the Hawks with five points in the second for 10 first-half points.

Q3 – Paced by a nine-point third quarter from Smalls and six more points from Henderson, the Hawks exploded for 23 points in the third. Trailing 46-43 at the 2:29 mark, Smalls battled to the basket, was fouled, and completed the three-point play from the stripe to even it up, 46-46. Following three quick points from junior forward Katie Mayock and Gribble, Smalls again battled to the basket, was fouled, and hit her free throw to put the Hawks up by four, 52-48, heading into the final 1:07 of the quarter. The Bonnies hit two free throws in the next 67 seconds to close to within two, but SJU would hold the 52-50 lead entering the fourth.

Q4 – From the 8:09 mark to the 4:29 mark, the Bonnies went on a 9-0 run to take a seven-point lead, 61-54, but the Hawks used a 10-0 run of their own to secure the victory. Gribble was big in the fourth, with seven of SJU's 14 points.