Women's Basketball Set to Face Top-Seeded SJC in GNAC Championship Game

STANDISH, MAINE — The second-seeded University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's basketball team looks to win its first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship since 1998, travelling to top-seeded, and reigning GNAC champions, Saint Joseph's College of Maine (SJC) in the GNAC Championship Saturday afternoon. Tipoff against the Monks is set for 1:00 p.m. inside the Harold Alfond Center in Standish, Maine.

#2 USJ BLUE JAYS (24-3, 13-1 GNAC) at #1 SJC MONKS (20-7, 14-0 GNAC) 
LOCATION: Harold Alfond Center (Standish, Maine) 
DATE/TIME: Saturday, Feb. 24 (1:00 p.m.)  
WATCH: Live Stream 
LIVE STATS: Live Stats 
TWITTER: @USJ_BlueJays | #FearTheFlock | #GoBlueJays | #d3hoops
 
USJ QUICK HITS 

• USJ earned the second seed in the GNAC playoffs after posting a 13-1 conference record during the regular season.
• The Blue Jays have already set a program record for wins in a single season (24) and have won 14-straight contests, setting a new program-record for consecutive wins.
• USJ is lead by the quartet of seniors Jordan Ouellette (Bristol, Conn.), Amanda Fudge (Middletown, Conn.) and Taylor Verboven (Columbia, Conn.) and junior Maya Slisz (New Britain, Conn.)
• Ouellette leads the team with 16.4 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per contest.
• Verboven is a jack-of-all-trades, ranking second in rebounding (7.2 per game), while sitting fourth in points (12.1) and third in assists (3.3).
• Slisz leads the team in assists (3.8 per game), while ranking second in scoring, dropping 15.1 points per game.
• Fudge is a threat from beyond the arc, leading the conference with a 41.0 percent clip from beyond the arc.
• The Blue Jays are one of the best offensive teams in the GNAC, leading the conference in points per game (75.5), field goals made per game (29.0), field goal percentage (44.0%), three-point percentage (35.9%) and assists per game (17.7).
• USJ is also stellar defensively, leading the GNAC in rebounding margin (7.7) while ranking second in points per game allowed (57.7).
• USJ has reached the GNAC playoffs for the third season in a row. The Blue Jays are 9-7 all-time in the postseason and are looking for their second GNAC Championship and first since 1998.

SCOUTING SJC

• SJC earned the top-overall seed in the 2024 GNAC Playoffs after going a perfect 14-0 in conference play during the regular season.
• The Monks are currently on an 11-game winning streak.
• SJC earned its spot in the GNAC Title game after defeating eight-seeded Rivier in the Quarterfinals, 74-64, and fourth-seeded Emmanuel in the Semifinals, 70-64.
• The Monks are paced by the duo of senior guard Angelica Hurley (Groveland, Mass.) and sophomore forward Grace Ramsdell (Wells, Maine).
• Hurley leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.8 points per game while hauling in 7.4 rebounds and dishing out 3.4 assists per contest.
• Ramsdell trails closely behind with 14.3 points per game, while grabbing a team-high 8.1 rebounds per game.
• SJC is the best defensive team in the conference, limiting opponents to a GNAC best 56.5 points per game.
• The Monks are one of the most successful programs in GNAC history, winning five GNAC Titles, including last year's.
• SJC is making their eighth-straight GNAC Championship game appearance, ninth in the past 10 seasons.

INSIDE THE SERIES 

• Saturday marks the 17th meeting on the hardwood between USJ and SJC.
• The Monks hold a 14-2 edge in the all-time series.
• SJC is currently on an eight-game winning streak against USJ.
• The two sides met earlier this season in Standish on December 2, 2023, with the Monks coming out on top, 64-53.
• The meeting between USJ and SJC is the first time that the two programs will meet in the GNAC Playoffs.

UP NEXT 
With a victory, the Blue Jays would advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. USJ would learn their fate during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Monday, February 26 at 2:30 p.m.

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