WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Heather Framski (Prospect, Conn.) led four players in double figures with 15 points as the University of Saint Joseph basketball team held on for a 69-67 victory in a non-conference game Wednesday at the O'Connell Center.
With the win Saint Joseph improved to 5-1, while Wentworth had its two-game win streak snapped, falling to 4-3.
There were 13 lead changes including nine in a 5:30 stretch in the second half. After leading 30-25 at halftime, Wentworth took its biggest lead at 43-35 with 13:13 to play on a layup from Rachael Camara (Fall River, Mass.). But the Blue Jays scored the next nine, including 4-for-4 on free throws from Claire Consonni (Bristol, Conn.) and led 44-43 on a three-pointer from Devon Diliberto (Waterbury, Conn.) with 10:47 left. A furious back-and-forth resulted in lead changes on nearly every score in the following stretch and Saint Joseph took the lead for good with 5:17 left on a short jumper by Terese Cerins (Manchester, Conn.).
The Saint Joseph lead ballooned to 65-57 with 2:45 left on a three-pointer from Lindsay Fiducia (Beacon Falls, Conn.), but Wentworth had one final push left. Kendra Kerr (Marshfield, Mass.) scored seven points in a row for the Leopards, the last on a put-back to pull Wentworth within 67-65 with 0:20 left. But Diliberto made two free throws with 14 seconds left and Wentworth made a layup at the final horn.
Brianna Ferraro (Waterbury, Conn.) scored 14 points for the Blue Jays and Diliberto and Consonni scored 11 apiece. Consonni made both her field goal attempts and went 6-for-6 at the line.
Camara led Wentworth with a career-high 16 points, while Kerr scored 15 and Jordan Biggar (Beverly, Mass.) 13.
Saint Joseph outscored Wentworth 16-4 on the fastbreak. But Wentworth executed well in its half-court offense and shot 58 percent from the floor (29-for-50) to 45 percent (22-for-49) for USJ. The Blue Jays did shoot better at the line making 21 of 26 to Wentworth's 8 of 16.
Saint Joseph plays at MCLA, Fri. December 7 at 7 p.m. in its final game of the fall semester. Wentworth breaks for final exams before returning to the floor on December 13, when the Leopards host Lesley.
(Recap Courtesy of Saint Joseph Sports Information)
