MANCHESTER, N.H. - The Saint Anselm College women's basketball team got off to a hot start and never looked back in a 56-27 Senior Day victory over visiting Saint Michael's College on Saturday in Northeast-10 Conference play.
Prior to the game, Saint Anselm honored three graduating seniors of the class of 2023 - McKenzy Ouellette (West Newfield, Maine), Macy Spinks (Luton, England), and Liv Robles (Wallingford, Conn.) who were joined by their families in a special Senior Day ceremony.
Sophomore Melanie Hoyt (Stamford, N.Y.) led the Hawks with a team-high 12 points to go along with three rebounds. Spinks and Ouellette each added nine points, with Robles pitching in eight points, 10 rebounds, and three steals.
Saint Anselm (12-13, 8-11 NE10) started the game on a 15-2 scoring run against Saint Michael's (1-22, 0-19 NE10). The Hawks get back into the win column after dropping two straight games, while the Purple Knights have yet to win in conference play.
Saint Anselm conceded just 27 points in the game, the seventh-fewest points it has ever allowed in a single contest. The Hawks previously allowed 27 or fewer points against Georgian Court on Dec. 5, 1998. Five of the first seven games in team history with 27 points allowed or fewer came in the first 11 games in team history (1976-78).
All five Saint Anselm starters scored in the first quarter, which gave the Hawks a 19-7 lead. Early in the second quarter, Hoyt scored back-to-back layups before Robles poured in a three-point shot to extend the lead to 17. A strong defensive effort by the Hawks held Saint Michael's to just four points in the second frame, as Saint Anselm led 30-11 at the halftime break.
In the third quarter, junior Alexa Quirolo (New Rochelle, N.J.) knocked down a jumper in the paint, which gave the Hawks a 22-point lead. Quirolo added a triple early in the fourth quarter, before Spinks dropped in five points of her own.
Junior Gia Bramanti (Andover, Mass.) knocked down a free throw with 1:09 left in regulation, giving the Hawks a 29-point lead, their largest of the game.
On defense, Saint Anselm held the Purple Knights to just 27.3% (12-44) shooting from the field, including 14.3% from beyond the arc, while also converting 24 points off Saint Michael's turnovers.
The Hawks shot 48.9% from the field, while converting on six-of-13 three point attempts. As a team, Saint Anselm dished out 12 assists on 22 made field goals.
The Hawks conclude the regular season on the road on February 21 at New Haven with an opening tip-off scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
