Strong Second Half Lifts Women's Hoops Past JWU Tuesday, 63-55

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Junior forward Jordan Ouellette (Bristol, Conn.) recorded her third double-double of the season as the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's basketball team started the new year off with a bang, snapping a three-game losing skid and taking down Johnson & Wales University (JWU) 63-55, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action Tuesday night inside the James A. Calhoun Gymnasium in West Hartford, Conn. The Blue Jays, who trailed by as many as 15 in the first half, used a ferocious second half to erase the deficit and take home the victory.

GAME INFORMATION 
Score: USJ 63, JWU 55
Records: USJ (7-4, 3-1 GNAC), JWU (4-7, 1-3 GNAC)
Location: James A. Calhoun Gymnasium (West Hartford, Conn.)

HOW IT HAPPENED

JWU started the game off strong, taking a quick 7-1 lead to force USJ into taking a timeout at the 6:55 mark. The Wildcats maintained their strong start out of the break, increasing the gap to 11-1. Sophomore guard Maya Slisz (New Britain, Conn.) broke the visitors momentum, knocking down a floating jumpshot, cutting the deficit to 11-3 with 4:46 remaining in the quarter. The two teams continued to trade buckets back-and-forth as Ouellette brought the Blue Jays back within single digits, 19-11, after an excellent inbounds play, followed by an easy midrange jumper at the 2:34 mark. However, the Wildcats would take a 21-13 lead into the second quarter. 

Ouellette would put USJ on the board first in the second quarter after a sweet turnaround jay,, but JWU responded with a 7-0 stretch, increasing the gap to 28-15 at the 7:21 mark. Ouellette continued her strong start to the game, putting an end to JWU's 9-0 run with a layup to cut the deficit to 30-17 with 6:02 left in the half. The Blue Jays would pull back within 10 as Amanda Fudge knocked down a driving layup, putting the score at 31-21 at the 2:14 mark. USJ continued to claw back, getting within single digits, 33-24, after a Jordan Farrell (West Hartford, Conn.) pull up jumper with 45 seconds remaining. USJ closed the quarter on a 5-1 run as they entered the halftime break down, 34-26.

Ouellette continued to haver herself a day, scoring an easy layup to start the second half, cutting the gap to 34-28. The Blue Jays played stellar defense in the opening minutes, forcing JWU to take a timeout at the 8:12 mark. USJ continued its explosive start to the second half, pulling within two, 34-32, after a pair of free throws from junior forward Taylor Verboven (Columbia, Conn.) with 5:38 left in the third quarter. The hosts maintained its dominate defense, keeping JWU off the board until the 5:21 mark, where JWU snapped USJ's 6-0 stretch, extending the gap to 36-32 at the 5:21 mark. USJ completed the comeback, taking the lead after Slisz got in the passing lane, recording a steal before finishing on the other end to tie the game at 38-38. 

Slisz drew an intentional foul on the play, as Verboven stepped up, sinking a free throw as USJ took its first lead of the game, 41-38 at the 3:19 mark. The Blue Jays would extend the gap to three, but JWU quickly responded with a triple to level the score at 41-41 with 2:36 remaining. The two teams would trade baskets late as the game entered the fourth quarter deadlocked at 43-43.

Senior guard Amanda Fudge (Middletown, Conn.) gave USJ the early lead in the fourth, knocking down a mid-range jumper to give USJ a 45-43 edge. JWU quickly fired back, but a Verboven triple swung the favor back in USJ's side, 48-45 with 7:58 remaining. The Blue Jays continued to maintain a three-point edge, taking a timeout while leading, 50-47, at the 5:45 mark. USJ continued to roll out of the break, using a 5-0 stretch, featuring a triple from Fudge and a fastbreak layup from Slisz, extended USJ's lead to 55-47 with 4:13 left in the game. JWU would try and fight back, cutting the gap to six, 57-51, with 2:30 on the clock. The Wildcats got even closer, pulling within four, 57-53, after a tough layup at the 1:56 mark. However, JWU would not get any closer as the Blue Jays iced the game out from the free throw line, taking home the 63-55 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Ouellette paced the team with a double-double, scoring 15 points while hauling in 11 rebounds.
• She has scored in double figures in every game this season.
• The double-double is the third of the season for Ouellette.
• Slisz and Fudge joined Ouellette in double figures, tallying 14 and 11 points, respectively.
• Verboven and freshman guard Jordan Farrell (West Hartford, Conn.) were the primary playmakers, dishing out three assists each.
• JWU outshot USJ 37.0 percent (20 of 54) to 32.8 percent (19 of 58).
• The Blue Jays increased its winning streak to four games over the Wildcats.
• USJ evened the all-time series at 17-17 with the victory.
• The Blue Jays are now 8-11 in games played in West Hartford against the Wildcats.

UP NEXT

Women's basketball quickly returns to action, staying in West Hartford to host Lasell University in GNAC play on Thursday, January 5. Tipoff against the Lasers is set for 5:00 p.m. in West Hartford. Tickets to attend Tuesday's game can be purchased by visiting www.usjbluejays.com/tickets. Fans who cannot make it to the game in person can watch all of the action live by visiting https://portal.stretchinternet.com/usj/.

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