Women's Basketball Dominant In USJ Tip-Off Tournament Opener

WEST HARTFORD, Conn - The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's basketball team got back on track Friday night with a dominant victory, 75-42, over the Lynx of Lesley University (LES), in a non-conference matchup in the newly completed O'Connell Center, in game one of the USJ Tip-Off Tournament, presented by Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast. With the win, the Blue Jays advance to the championship game of the tournament against Bard College, played at approximately 2:00 p.m. inside the OC on Saturday, November 13. Lesley meanwhile will play in the consolation game at 12:00 p.m. against Lehman College.

The Blue Jays wasted little time blowing this one open behind a tenacious defensive effort, particularly on the perimeter. USJ scored 20 straight points in the first half, while Lesley went nearly 10 minutes without scoring a single point. Four players scored in double-figures for the Blue Jays, including sophomore forward Olivia Heslin (Plainville, Conn.), who finished with 12 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the field to go along with nine rebounds. Freshman guard Maya Slisz (New Britain, Conn.) was everywhere Friday night, recording her first career double-double (12 Pts, 11 Reb, 5 Ast, 4 Stl). Saint Joseph had 17 steals on the night, as many as they had in their first two games combined. Freshman guard Kizziah Ruff (Cambridge, Mass.) led the way for the Lynx with 12 points.

COACH QUOTE [Wendy Davis] "It was a good team win for us tonight. 20 assists…that number really stands out to me. It really showed our unselfishness throughout the night. I am really excited that we shot the ball so well in our first game in the new gym. We are eager for Saturday and a chance to beat Bard in front of our home fans."

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Lesley 42, Saint Joseph 75
Records: LES 0-3, USJ 1-2
Location: O'Connell Center | West Hartford, Conn.
Game Notes: USJ Tip-Off Tournament

UP NEXT
The Blue Jays advance to the championship game of the Tip-Off Tournament against Bard College, played at approximately 2:00 p.m. inside the OC on Saturday, November 13, with a chance to hoist the trophy. Admission is free, while those who cannot attend can follow all the action live on www.usjbluejays.com.

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