Greyhounds Best Blue Jays In Steel Club Classic Finale, 71-50

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's basketball team fell to hosts Moravian University (Moravian), 71-50, to close out the 19th Moravian Steel Club Classic inside Johnston Hall in Bethlehem, Pa. Junior forward Jordan Ouellette (Bristol, Conn.) was named to the All-Tournament Team.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: USJ 50, Moravian 71
Records: USJ (6-4), Moravian (7-5)
Location: Johnston Hall (Bethlehem, Pa.)
Notes: 19th Moravian Steel Club Classic

HOW IT HAPPENED

Moravian started the game on fire, taking an early 9-0 lead inside the opening three minutes. USJ would cut the Greyhounds momentum, utilizing a 4-0 stretch of its own, featuring buckets by Ouellette to cut the gap to 9-4 at the 6:35 mark. The Blue Jays continued to claw its way back, as junior forward Olivia Heslin (Plainville, Conn.) sunk a tough layup, drawing a foul and sinking the and-one free throw to bring USJ within two, 9-7. However, the hosts would fire back with a 5-0 stretch of its own, extending the gap to seven, 14-7, with 2:42 remaining in the quarter. The Greyhounds would tack on four more point to end the quarter, holding an 18-7 edge entering the second stanza.

Moravian carried the momentum into the second quarter, using an early 4-0 stretch to jump out to a 22-7 lead, forcing a Blue Jays timeout with 8:34 remaining. The Greyhounds continued to hold USJ scoreless until freshman guard Jordan Farrell (West Hartford, Conn.) knocked down a mid-range jumper, at the 6:06 mark, sparking a 5-0 stretch to cut the gap to 32-12. USJ continued to fight back, putting together a 7-2. Stretch, featuring four points from Farrell to get within 16, 34-18, with 2:18 left in the half. The two teams continued to trade buckets in the closing moments as the Greyhounds took a 38-22 lead entering the halftime break.

The Blue Jays and Greyhounds traded buckets to start the second half, as an Amanda Fudge (Middletown, Conn.) pull-up jumper at the free-throw line brought Moravian's lead down to 13, 41-28, at the 7:02 mark. However, an 8-2 Moravian stretch reestablished a 49-30 lead for the hosts. Junior guard Taylor Verboven (Columbia, Conn.) cut the Greyhounds momentum with a three-pointer, but Moravian went on to break open a 20-point lead, 53-33, with 2:27 remaining in the third quarter. Farrell and Ouellette sparked a quick 4-0 stretch for the Blue Jays in the final minute, but Moravian scored the final basket of the quarter to take a 55-37 edge into the final quarter of play.

USJ continued to try and fight back, pulling within 19, 59-40, after an Ouellette jumper, but the Blue Jays would not get any closer as Moravian took home a 71-50 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Verboven paced the offense with 13 points.
• Farrell and Ouellette joined her in double-figures, dropping 12 points each.
• Ouellette led the team in rebounding with eight, while Verboven dished out a team-high four assists.
• Sophomore guard Maya Slisz (New Britain, Conn.) swiped two steals on the day.
• The Blue Jays were held to 26.0 percent shooting (19 of 73), while the Greyhounds shot 41.2 percent (28 of 68) from the field.
• Moravian held a 57-47 edge on the glass.
• Moravian took the inaugural meeting against USJ.
• The Blue Jays move to 12-11 all-time against schools from Pennsylvania.

UP NEXT

Women's basketball returns to James A. Calhoun Gymnasium, hosting GNAC foe Johnson & Wales University on Tuesday, January 3. Tipoff against the Wildcats is set for 5:00 p.m. in West Hartford. Tickets to attend Tuesday's game can be purchased by visiting www.usjbluejays.com/tickets. Fans who cannot make it to the game in person can watch all of the action live by visiting https://portal.stretchinternet.com/usj/.

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