NEW YORK – A defensive showcase from the Saint Joseph's women's basketball team propelled the Hawks to a 66-48 victory on Thursday morning, holding Columbia to just 33.3 percent from the field and 0-for-14 from 3-point range.
 
FIRST QUARTER

• Both offenses were slow to get off the mark, Columbia earning the first basket of the morning after two and a half minutes.
• Saint Joseph's responded with a 9-0 run with four scorers getting on the board, led by four points from Faith Stinson.
• The Hawks ended the quarter with four points in the final minute after a Gabby Casey dish to a wide-open Jill Jekot gave the Hawks a 15-6 lead heading into the second.

 
SECOND QUARTER

• St. Joe's extended its lead to double figures midway through the second quarter as Aleah Snead drove to the basket to cap a 5-0 run for the Hawks.
• The Lions closed the gap to six points with 90 seconds left before Snead scored five straight points to extend the lead to 11 with 35 seconds.
• Free throws from Columbia in the final seconds cut the hosts' deficit to 31-22 heading into halftime.

 
THIRD QUARTER

• Casey knocked down a pair of 3-pointers in the early stages of the third quarter to keep the Lions at a distance, her second of the frame coming with 4:47 left to put the Hawks up 40-28.
• The Lions answered with a 7-0 run, closing the gap to as few as five points.
• The run prompted another Hawk answer as Casey teamed up with Rhian Stokes to combine for a 9-0 run to grow a 14-point lead in the final minute of the quarter. Columbia scored on a putback in the closing seconds to cut the SJU lead to 49-37 headed into the fourth.

 
FOURTH QUARTER

• St. Joe's continued to show resilience after each Columbia run. Jekot and Snead scored back-to-back baskets after Columbia cut the lead to six points.
• Holding the Lions to just 30.8 percent from the field, the Hawks paired their defensive effort with a 9-0 run while scoring 11 of the final 13 points of the game to seal the victory.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Casey finished with a game-high 17 points on 5-for-9 shooting and 3-for-6 from 3-point range, scoring 16 of her 17 points in the second half. She added five rebounds and three assists.
• Snead added 16 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. The junior has scored in each of the last three games after combining for just five points through the first two.
• Rhian Stokes finished one point shy of a career high, closing as the third Hawk in double figures with 14 points. She went 8-for-9 from the free-throw line and recorded three steals.
• Cecilia Kay paced the Hawk bench with seven points and two assists, with all seven points coming in the first half.
• Saint Joseph's shot 22-for-46 (47.8%) from the floor. The Hawks attempted just 13 3-pointers, coming off a program-record 39 attempts against Penn State, and made four for a 30.8% clip.
• St. Joe's held Columbia nearly 30 points under its season average, limiting the Lions to 16-for-48 (33.3%) shooting. The Hawks forced a season-high 23 turnovers, scoring 16 points off them.
• The Lions' 0-for-14 performance from 3-point range marked the second-most attempts without a make by an SJU opponent. Only St. Bonaventure (0-for-15 on Jan. 26, 2013) has missed more without a make. It was the first time an opponent failed to hit a 3-pointer since VCU on Feb. 8, 2023.
• The Hawks committed 22 turnovers, their most in a win since beating Temple despite 24 turnovers on Nov. 11, 2019.
• Saint Joseph's holds a 3-0 all-time record against Columbia.
• St. Joe's improved to 21-2 in the month of November since the start of the 2022-23 season.
• Columbia suffered back-to-back home losses for the first time since Mar. 7, 2020.

UP NEXT
Saint Joseph's hits the road for a second straight meeting against an Ivy League opponent, taking on Penn on Monday, Nov. 24 at the Palestra. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.