PHILADELPHIA – The Saint Joseph's women's basketball team closed out 2025 on a high, securing its fourth straight win with a 55-45 defensive battle victory over VCU on Wednesday afternoon inside Hagan Arena.
 
FIRST QUARTER

• Faith Stinson scored six of the first seven points for Saint Joseph's (10-3, 1-1 A-10), helping the hosts build a 7-4 lead.
• VCU (4-10, 0-2 A-10) answered with a 7-0 run over a 2:30 span to push the visitors ahead by four points.
• The Hawks responded with a 7-0 answer of their own after Aleah Snead started and ended the run, sandwiching an Emily Knouse 3-pointer. VCU scored the final basket as SJU took a 14-13 lead after the opening quarter.

 
SECOND QUARTER

• In a quarter defined by defense, the teams combined to shoot just 4-for-22 (18.2%) from the field..
• Kaylinn Bethea cut backdoor for a layup to give the Hawks an 18-15 lead with 4:37 to play in the half.
• A 6-2 run to close out the half gave VCU a 21-20 advantage at the half.

 
THIRD QUARTER

• Rhian Stokes scored five of the 10 points for the hosts to jumpstart a 10-2 run out of the break, growing a 30-23 lead.
• The Hawks built an 11-point advantage with under three minutes remaining after a quick 4-0 spurt was capped from the free throw line by Stokes.
• VCU outscored St. Joe's 6-4 over the final 2:36 to cut the Hawk advantage to 42-33 entering the fourth quarter.

 
FOURTH QUARTER

• The Rams used a 10-5 run over the opening 6:27 of the frame.
• Kaylie Griffin helped alleviate the VCU run with a reverse layup to push the lead back to six. The Hawk defense held the Rams scoreless for over three minutes, fueled by three of Jill Jekot's four steals on the afternoon. Snead reestablished a nine-point lead with a free throw with 31 seconds remaining.
•  Despite a layup by the visitors on the next possession, three free throws in the final 25 seconds sealed a 55-45 win and opened the Hawks' Atlantic 10 account.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Rhian Stokes led the Hawks with 11 points and five assists. The sophomore has totaled 24 points and 15 assists with just two turnovers over the last two games.
• Aleah Snead joined Stokes in double figures with 10 points and five rebounds.
• Gabby Casey's 11-game streak with double-digit scoring closed with nine points in the win, adding three rebounds and three assists.
• Faith Stinson narrowly missed her first double-double as a Hawk, scoring nine points to go along with a season-high nine rebounds. Stinson added three assists and two blocks.
• Jill Jekot recorded seven points, but her impact was felt most late with three of her four steals coming in the final 2:03 of the game.
• Saint Joseph's finished 19-for-48 (39.6%) from the floor while going 3-for-21 (14.3%) from beyond the arc.. The Hawks overcame a 7-for-27 (25.9%) opening half, helped by 18 assists on 19 made field goals.
• VCU shot 15-for-51 (29.4%), the lowest mark by a Hawk opponent this season. Mary-Anna Asare led the Rams with a game-high 20 points.
• St. Joe's won the rebound battle with a 39-28 advantage on the glass, limiting VCU to just six offensive rebounds and three second chance points.

 
UP NEXT
Saint Joseph's makes its first Atlantic 10 road trip of the season, facing Fordham on Saturday, Jan. 3 inside Rose Hill Gym. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.