TAMPA, Fla. - The Saint Anselm College women's basketball team fell to the University of Tampa on Tuesday on the final day of the Tampa Holiday Classic by a final score of 76-47. The Hawks dropped to 4-6 on the season with the loss against the Spartans who improved to a 12-2 overall record.
UP NEXT:
- Saint Anselm returns to the Hilltop for their last non-conference game of the season hosting Felician University on Saturday, December 30. The game is slated for a 1:00 start time at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.
Score: Saint Anselm 47, Tampa 76
Records: Saint Anselm 4-6; Tampa 12-2
Location: Tampa, Fla. (Bob Martinez Athletics Center)
Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Attendance: 125
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Spartans took an early 4-0 lead to start the game with Zoe Piller dropping the first four points for Tampa. Junior Melanie Hoyt (Stamford, N.Y.) responded for the Hawks pouring in the opening four points for Saint Anselm to tie the game at 4-4. After a made layup by fifth-year Liv Robles (Wallingford, Conn.) at the 5:20 mark, Tampa would go on a 14-0 run to take a 22-6 at the end of the first quarter.
- Hoyt and Robles each knocked down a basket apiece to start the scoring in the second quarter for Saint Anselm. At the 6:32 mark, junior Katie Lemanski (Haymarket, Va.) hit a three-point shot off the assist from senior Alexa Quirolo ( ) to make it 28-13 Spartans. Tampa then went on a 10-0 run before Lemanski disrupted their momentum with her second triple of the game. Hoyt finished off a layup with sophomore Tatum Forbes picking up the assist, but the Spartans would head into the break with a 25-point lead.
- At the start of the third quarter, sophomore Gina Gaccione (Rutherford, N.J.) registered a basket for her first points of the afternoon. Robles soon knocked down a triple off the assist from Hoyt to make it 43-20. Following a made layup by Hoyt, Robles hit another three-pointer at the 5:49 mark. With under two minutes left in the quarter, Robles drained her third three-point shot however the Spartans would keep a 20-point cushion heading into the fourth quarter.
- Sophomore Harmony Marquez (Rutherford, N.J.) started in the final quarter of the contest and finished a layup to start the scoring for Saint Anselm. Tampa extended their advantage to 27 points after going on a 6-0 run. Robles soon answered for the Hawks making two jump shots midway through the quarter. With 1:16 left in the fourth quarter, junior Kyla Cunningham (Taunton, Mass.) knocked down a triple off the assist from sophomore Anna Nelson (Gorham, Maine), but the Spartans would cement the 76-47 victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Tampa shot 52.5 percent (32-61) from the floor while Saint Anselm made 19 of the 55 shot attempts for a 34.5 shooting percentage from the field. The Hawks knocked down six three-point shots (27.3%) in comparison to the five triples (33.3%) made by the Spartans.
- Tampa outrebounded Saint Anselm by a 35-27 margin and held a 13-5 edge in steals in the game.
- The Spartans scored 50 of their 76 points in the paint and converted 22 points off turnovers. Tampa also held a slight 9-7 advantage in second-chance points.
- Robles led the squad with a season-high 20 points (8-17 FG, 3-6 3-FG, 1-3 FT) to go along with three rebounds and two assists. Hoyt also dropped double-digits with 14 points (6-12 FG, 2-2 FT) as well as three rebounds, two assists, and a pair of blocks.
- Piller poured in 22 points (8-15 FG, 6-6 FT) for the Spartans and posted seven rebounds, one assist, and a steal.
- This marked just the second meeting between these two programs in over 25 years. Saint Anselm defeated Tampa, 68-58, in their first meeting during the 1997-98 season. The Spartans are now 1-1 in the all-time series with today's win.
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