Women's Hoops Cruises Past Lehman, 77-30, in Opening Game of 25th Annual USJ Tip-Off Tournament

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's basketball team dominated at home against Lehman College (Lehman), defeating the Lightning 77-30, in the opening game of the 25th Annual USJ Tip-Off Tournament, presented by Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, inside James A. Calhoun Gymnasium in West Hartford, Conn. With the result, USJ moves to 3-0 on the year, while Lehman drops to 0-4 on the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After Lehman grabbed an early 3-2 lead, senior guard Amanda Fudge (Middletown, Conn.) knocked down a three-pointer to establish a 5-3 USJ edge after the opening minute of play.
• The Lightning battled back, cutting the gap to one, 9-8, but a senior forward Jordan Ouellette (Bristol, Conn.) jumper from the elbow reestablished a three-point Blue Jays lead, 11-8, at the 6:38 mark.
• Ouellette continued her red-hot start to the game, knocking down another mid-range jumper, increasing the lead to seven, before senior guard Taylor Verboven (Columbia, Conn.) grabbed a defensive rebound before finishing at the other end, establishing a 17-8 lead for USJ with 4:17 left in the first.
• USJ continued to dominate to close out the quarter, as Fudge sunk a floater to beat the buzzer and send USJ into the second quarter leading, 26-10.
• The Blue Jays carried the momentum into the second, exploding for a 7-0 run, featuring a senior guard Jelly Frigo (Canton, Conn.) three, and layups from sophomore forward Julia Olson (North Scituate, R.I.) and Fudge, as USJ forced Lehman to call a timeout at the 8:36 mark, trailing, 33-10.
• USJ continued to control the opening half, as Ouellette found freshman guard Natalia Zappone (Morris, Conn.) for a corner three, increasing the gap to 42-13, and forcing a Lightning timeout with 4:25 left in the half.
• The game continued to be all USJ, as the Blue Jays took a 48-13 edge into the halftime break.
• The halftime break did not slow down USJ, as the Blue Jays opened the third quarter on a 7-0 run, featuring three points from junior guard Maya Slisz (New Britain, Conn.) to increase the gap to 40, 55-15 at the 7:24 mark.
• USJ would go on to end the quarter on an 8-2 run, featuring buckets from senior froward Maci Dorantes (Bristol, Conn.), Frigo and junior guard Emiah Soto (Wolcott, Conn.) holding a 66-20 lead entering the final quarter of play.
• USJ continued to utilize a spread-out offense as the freshmen duo of Zappone and Gjamory'a McTier (Palmer, Mass.) hit back-to-back buckets, increasing the USJ lead to 50, 74-24, with 5:56 left to play.
• The deficit was too much for the Lightning, as USJ cruised to a 77-30 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 

• Ouellette finished with a game-high 23 points.
• Verboven grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
• She also dished out a team-high five assists.
• Slisz was a menace defensively, swiping three steals.
• USJ shot 58.3 percent from the floor while holding Lehman to a 25.0 percent clip.
• The Blue Jays dominated the glass, outrebounding the Lightning 41-18.
• All 16 members of the USJ roster saw the floor.

UP NEXT
The Blue Jays return to the court tomorrow, Saturday, November 18 for the final game of the 25th Annual USJ Tip-Off Tournament, presented by Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, against Sage College. Tipoff against the Gators is set for 2:00 p.m.

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