Women's Hoops Dismantles Elms, 77-38, During Senior Day Saturday

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's basketball team took care of business at home, dismantling Elms College (Elms), 77-38, during Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play Saturday afternoon inside James A. Calhoun Gymnasium in West Hartford, Conn. With the result, the Blue Jays moved to 14-9 on the season and 9-3 in conference play, while the Blazers moved to 8-15 overall and 5-7 in the GNAC. The game also served as Senior Day for USJ, as the USJ Department of Athletics honored seniors Emiah Soto (Wolcott, Conn.), Maya Slisz (New Britain, Conn.) and Janai Oliver (Hartford, Conn.) before the opening tipoff.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• USJ jumped out to an early lead, taking a 13-2 edge, paced by 10 points from graduate student forward Jordan Ouellette (Bristol, Conn.), at the 5:19 mark.
• Elms would respond with a 4-0 stretch, but the Blue Jays would outscore the Blazers during the rest of the first quarter, getting buckets from graduate student forward Olivia Heslin (Plainville, Conn.), and eight more points from Ouellette, to hold a 23-11 edge after the first.
• Heslin and Ouellette carried the momentum into the second, combining for eight points to spark a 8-2 stretch, and break open a 31-15 lead with 5:24 left in the first half.
• The Blue Jays extended the run to 15-2 as Oliver scored six points, increasing the gap to 40-15, with 1:43 on the clock.
• USJ closed the quarter on a 7-0 run, featuring a triple from senior guard Jelly Frigo (West Hartford, Conn.) and a last-second layup by Slisz, to take a 47-16 advantage into the halftime break.
• Elms would limit the Blue Jays in the third quarter, outscoring USJ 14-9 to cut the gap to 56-30 entering the fourth.
• However, USJ regained its rhythm, utilizing a quick 10-run, paced by baskets from freshman Ella Kulas (Cheshire, Conn.) and Sequoia Turcotte Briggs (Andover, Conn.), Slisz and graduate student forward Taylor Verboven (Columbia, Conn.), to break open a 66-31 lead with 5:54 left to play.
• Elms would not be able to mount a comeback, as USJ cruised to a 77-38 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 

• Ouellette finished with a game-high 22 points.
• Oliver joined her in double-figures, scoring a career-best 18 points.
• Oliver also hauled in a team and career-high 17 rebounds to finish with a double-double.
• Slisz dished out a team-high six assists.
• All 12 Blue Jays who saw minutes scored points.
• USJ outshot Elms 51.5% (35-of-68) to 25.0% (16-of-64).
• The Blue Jays outrebounded the Blazers, 51-33.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays head on the road for the team's penultimate game of the regular season on Tuesday, February 18, traveling to Newton, Mass. to face Lasell University. Tipoff between the Blue Jays and Lasers inside the Athletic Center is set for 5:30 p.m.

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