MANCHESTER, N.H. – Senior Tori Lehr (Cohasset, Mass.) registered her seventh double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds and classmate Briana Jones (White Plains, N.Y.) also scored 16 points, including a trio of free throws to seal the victory, as the Saint Anselm College women's basketball team stunned 13th-ranked Adelphi University, 61-55, on Saturday afternoon at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.
The Hawks win for the fifth time in seven games, including their second victory against a nationally-ranked opponent during that span, to improve to 9-6 on the season and 5-5 in Northeast-10 play. Saint Anselm also posted a 66-65 W at home against 14th-ranked Stonehill College on Dec. 10. The Panthers lose their second straight to fall to 12-2, 6-2 NE-10.
Lehr shot 8-for-18 from the field and matched her career best in rebounds for the sixth time this season. Jones was 5-for-14 from the floor, but started 4-for-4 and went 6-for-8 at the line, while recording eight rebounds and three steals. Fellow senior Meg Morrissey (So. Kingstown, R.I.) was also in double figures with 11 points (5-12 FG; 1-2 FT).
Jessica Kitrys led Adelphi with 16 points, while Sade Jackson earned a double-double with 11 points and 12 boards.
Saint Anselm led, 13-12, six-plus minutes into the contest when it ripped off a 14-2 run – powered by eight points from Lehr – to open up a 27-14 lead with 7:42 remaining in the opening half. With the lead still at 13 nearly four minutes later, the Hawks closed the half with four straight points – highlighted by an old-fashioned three-point play by Jones – to bring a 37-20 lead into the break.
Morrissey opened the second half with a layup that pushed the lead to a game-high 19 points just 1:05 in, but the Panthers responded with a 27-6 barrage that gave them a 47-45 lead with 8:57 to play. Jackson contributed nine points during the stretch, while Jenna Halaby added eight.
The Hawks stopped the bleeding with a 5-0 run – with three points from senior Kierra Moore (Albany, N.Y.) – to retake the lead at 50-47 with 7:38 on the clock, but baskets from Kitrys and Halaby put Adelphi back on top nearly a minute later.
A Lehr jumper and Jones free throw put the Hawks in front, 53-51, but back-to-back hoops from Kitrys gave Adelphi a 55-53 edge with 4:38 left. That was the last lead the Panthers would hold, however, as consecutive baskets from Lehr sparked a game-ending 8-0 run.
After Morrissey made one of two at the line to nudge the lead to 58-55 with 2:16 to go, Jones also sank one of two to make it a two-possession game before sealing the win with a pair of freebies with just under 18 seconds on the clock.
Freshman Candace Andrews (Boston, Mass.) chipped in nine points (3-11 FG; 3-4 FT), four rebounds and two assists.
Saint Anselm outshot Adelphi, 35.9 percent (23-64) to 34.3 percent (23-67), including 50 percent (17-34) to 25.7 percent (9-35) in the first half. While the Hawks went 0-for-3 from deep, they held the Panthers to just 2-for-27 (7.4 percent) shooting from long range. Saint Anselm held a 47-44 edge on the glass, while Adelphi won the paint, 40-36. The Hawks held huge advantages in second-chance points (11-0) and points off turnovers (23-12), despite only giving it away one fewer time (22) than the Panthers (23).
The Hawks return to action Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m. when they play host to Southern Connecticut State University at Stoutenburgh. Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter @STAHawks.
