Lady AMCATS Nipped by Blue Jays in GNAC action

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Junior forward Mary Hyde (Derby, Conn.) had 22 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes of action as the University of Saint Joseph basketball team defeated Anna Maria college Tuesday, 82-59 in a GNAC game at the O'Connell Center.

Saint Joseph improved to 13-7 overall and 5-4 in the GNAC while Anna Maria dropped to 4-17 and 0-8.

Katie Pryor (Whitinsville, Mass.) led three Anna Maria players in double figures with 16 points. Taylor Walker (Winchendon, Mass.) had a double-double for the AMCATS with 15 points and 13 rebounds and Liz Sama (Windsor, Conn.) scored 12.

The Blue Jays forced 26 turnovers to their 11 and scored 36 points off turnovers to Anna Maria's nine.

Devon Diliberto had 14 points and seven assists for St. Joseph and Stephanie DeJesus added 12 points. Ten Blue Jays scored, all 11 who dressed had at least one rebound and eight players combined for 15 steals.

Saint Joseph leads the GNAC in three-point shooting and free throw shooting percentages and did both well Tuesday. The Blue Jays went 9-for-20 on three-pointers as Hyde went 4-for-5 and Diliberto hit three. USJ was 13-for-15 at the line and Hyde went 4-for-4.

The Blue Jays built an early 16-3 lead, which ballooned to 25-7 after a three-pointer from Diliberto with 9:08 to play in the half. The AMCATS then went on a 17-7 run of their own, with six points coming from Walker, to cut their deficit to 32-24 with 2:19 remaining in the half. But Diliberto hit another three and Heather Framski (Prospect, Conn.) had two layups and USJ took a 39-24 lead into intermission.

Anna Maria was only able to get as close as 14 in the opening minute of the second half and the Blue Jays lead peaked at 65-32, 9:05 into the second half. The AMCATS did outrebound St. Joseph, 47-33.

St. Joseph plays a non-conference game Thursday, Feb. 7 at Old Westbury at 7 p.m. Anna Maria next plays at Johnson & Wales in a GNAC game, also Thursday at 7 p.m.