PHILADELPHIA – Saint Joseph's women's basketball (5-10, 1-2 A-10, 2-2 Big 5) pulled within one possession on seven different occasions inside the final 90 seconds, but couldn't overcome the threshold as it fell to La Salle (9-6, 2-1 A-10, 2-1 Big 5), 69-65.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Hawks scored the first bucket of the game and would go on to lead 10-6 at the media stoppage with 4:21 left in the first. SJU added to its lead with a 7-4 advantage through the rest of the period for a 17-10 lead. Rookie Mackenzie Smith dropped a pair of triples in the frame to lead the Hawks.
- The Blue & Gold pulled within one after a 12-6 run over the first 5:05 for a 23-22 SJU lead. La Salle finished the frame up 35-30 after claiming 13 of the next 20 points.
- Both teams traded triples to begin the second half before the Hawks ran off on a 6-0 spurt over a 1:54 span to regain the lead at 39-38. The Explorers held the margin 15-8 through the rest of the stanza for a 53-47 lead.
- It was a low scoring affair to start the final period with the Hawks scoring first, followed by a triple by La Salle. A timeout by SJU stopped the clock at 7:31 for the media break. Despite a 16-13 scoring differential in favor of St. Joe's, the Hawks couldn't overcome the deficit.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE:
- The Hawks shot 40.3% (25-of-62) from the floor, 43.8% (7-of-16) from long range, and 61.5% (8-of-13) from the line.
- La Salle went 44.0% (22-of-50) overall, 41.2% (7-of-17) from deep, and 100.0% (18-of-18) from the stripe.
- SJU wont the rebounding margin (+8), but lost the turnover battle (-1).
- Of St. Joe's 25 baskets, 20 of them came off assists.
- Smith finished with a team high 17 points on a 6-of-12 performance, including 4-of-6 from three-point land.
- Rookie Talya Brugler tallied 16 points and a game best seven boards. She was 7-of-13 from the field.
- Junior Kaliah Henderson scored 10 points to round out the double figure scoring totals for SJU.
- Graduate student Katie Jekot dished out a career best 12 assists to just two turnovers. She added six points, five rebounds, and a block to her totals.
- Freshman Julia Nyström handed out a career high six assists.
UP NEXT:
St. Joe's will head to St. Bonaventure on Friday to make up its rescheduled game from New Year's Day. This was announced at 9 a.m. Monday morning before the game.