PHILADELPHIA – Seniors
Gabby Casey and
Deja Evans combined for 35 points to lead the Saint Joseph's women's basketball team to a 95-27 victory over Kutztown in its season opener Saturday afternoon at Michael J. Hagan '85 Arena.
The Hawks jumped out to an early advantage, scoring 12 of the game's first 14 points. The lead grew to 23-7 by the end of the first quarter as Saint Joseph's closed the period on an 11-0 run. Six different Hawks scored in the opening frame to help build the 16-point advantage.
Evans made an immediate impact in her Saint Joseph's debut, scoring the first 10 points of the second quarter for the Hawks. She outscored the entire Kutztown team in the period as Saint Joseph's closed the half with 12 unanswered points to take a 45-13 lead into the break.
The Hawks continued to pull away to open the second half, with Casey scoring 10 points during a 14-4 run.
Jahzara Green,
Rian Dotsey and
Addy Platt each recorded their first collegiate points as the trio combined for the final 11 points of the period.
Saint Joseph's defense held the Golden Bears to just one made field goal and forced eight turnovers in the final 10 minutes.
Emily Knouse and
Rhian Stokes each scored six points in the fourth quarter as the Hawks closed out the 95-27 victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Casey scored a game-high 19 points on just eight field goal attempts. The senior added a career-high six steals, along with four assists and three rebounds.
- Evans finished 8-for-8 from the field with 16 points, all in the first half. Her eight field goals without a miss tie for the fourth-most in a single game in program history.
- Kaylinn Bethea recorded three steals and a career-high four assists in her first career start.
- Maddy Potts scored eight points and grabbed six rebounds in her SJU debut.
- Freshman Jahzara Green filled the stat sheet with nine points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals in her first collegiate game. Dotsey added six points and six rebounds after missing the 2025-26 season due to injury.
- Saint Joseph's shot 53.5% from the field (38-for-71), including 9-for-22 from three-point range, and went 10-for-12 at the free-throw line.
- Kutztown finished 11-for-48 from the field (22.9%), the fourth-lowest shooting percentage by a Hawk opponent during the Cindy Griffin era.
- The Hawks outrebounded the Golden Bears, 44-30, and forced 25 turnovers, including 19 steals. Saint Joseph's held a 25-3 advantage in points off turnovers.
- Saint Joseph's also held advantages in points in the paint (56-18) and bench points (41-15).
- The 68-point margin of victory is tied for the fourth-largest in program history, with three of the top four margins coming in the past three seasons.
UP NEXT
Saint Joseph's opens its road slate with a matchup at Cincinnati on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
