Blue Jays Tame Pride, Advance to GNAC Semifinals

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The second-seeded University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's basketball team opened the 2024 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament with a convincing 80-68 victory over the seventh-seeded Regis College Pride Tuesday night inside the James A. Calhoun Gymnasium in West Hartford, Conn. With the result, the Blue Jays improve to 23-3 overall on the season and advance to the GNAC Semifinals for the first time since the 2010-11 season. The Pride conclude the 2023-24 campaign at 11-16 overall.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Blue Jays got off to a strong start, taking a quick 4-1 edge after a driving layup from senior forward Jordan Ouellette (Bristol, Conn.) at the 8:16 mark.
• Regis closed the gap to two, 8-2, but senior guard Amanda Fudge (Middletown, Conn.) knocked down a spot-up triple, increasing the gap to five, 11-6, with 6:00 on the first-quarter clock.
• The Pride closed the gap back down to three, but a 4-0 USJ run, capped off by a mid-range jumper from senior forward Olivia Heslin (Plainville, Conn.), forced the visitors to call a timeout trailing 15-8 with 4:42 left in the first.
• Regis gained momentum out of the break, closing the quarter on a 7-1 run to cut the gap to one, 16-15, entering the second quarter.
• USJ began to pull away to begin the quarter, as senior guard Jelly Frigo (Canton, Conn.) and Fudge knocked down three consecutive triples, increasing the Blue Jays' lead to double figures, 25-15, at the 8:14 mark.
• Regis responded with a 7-2 stretch, before the two sides traded buckets, as USJ held a 31-24 edge entering a media timeout with 4:32 left before halftime.
• The Pride would not go away easy, clawing back within six to end the first half, 39-33.
• USJ opened the second half on a 6-2 run, capped off by a layup from Ouellette, to reestablish a 10-point lead, 45-35, at the eight-minute mark.
• The Blue Jays continued to roll, as Fudge and Ouellette made back-to-back tough layups, increasing the gap to 51-37 and forcing a Regis timeout with 5:41 left in the third.
• Regis closed the deficit back to ten, 55-45, after a 6-2 run, but junior forward Janai Oliver (Hartford, Conn.) sank a pair of free throws, increasing the lead back to 12, 57-45, at the 1:24 mark.
• USJ found its rhythm late in the quarter, closing on a 9-0 stretch, capped off by a fastbreak layup from Slisz to hold a 64-45 edge heading into the fourth.
• The Blue Jays carried the momentum into the fourth, beginning the stanza on a 7-2 stretch and increasing the lead to 71-47 after a pull-up jumper by Slisz with 8:07 remaining.
• The Pride tried to mount a late comeback, pulling back within 12, 78-66, but the deficit ultimately proved too much, as USJ advanced to the GNAC Semifinals with an 80-68 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 

• Slisz and Ouellette paced the Blue Jays with 16 points each.
• Fudge and Verboven joined them in double figures, dropping 14 points each.
• Ouellette hauled in a team-high 10 rebounds, recording her 10th double-double of the season.
• Slisz dished out a career-high eight assists on the night.
• Ouellette led the team with three steals.
• Heslin was a force in the post, swatting a career-high six shots.
• The Blue Jays outshot the Pride, 48.4 percent (31-of-64) to 34.6 percent (27-of-78) from the field.
• The Pride however were more successful from beyond the arc, shooting at a 50.0 percent clip (6-of-12), compared to USJ's 33.3 percent (4-of-12).
• Regis narrowly outrebounded USJ, 46-45. 

UP NEXT
The Blue Jays return to the hardwood on Thursday, February 22 for the GNAC Semifinals, against No. 3 Albertus Magnus. Tipoff is set for 5:00 p.m. inside James A. Calhoun Gymnasium.

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