MANCHESTER, N.H. - The Saint Anselm College women's basketball team set a new program record with their most free throws made without a miss, going a perfect 21-for-21, on their way to a home conference win over American International College on Saturday. It is the most free throws made without a miss in NCAA Division II East Region women's basketball since 2013. Junior
Melanie Hoyt (Stamford, N.Y.) registered a career-high 27 points and shot nine-for-nine at the line in the win.
UP NEXT:
- Saint Anselm is on the road next week to take on cross-town rival Southern New Hampshire University on Wednesday, January 24th at 5:30 p.m.
Score: Saint Anselm 77, American International 55
Records: Saint Anselm 8-9 (5-6 NE10); American International 10-7 (5-6 NE10)
Location: Manchester, N.H. (Stoutenburgh Gymnasium)
Date: Saturday, January 20, 2024
Attendance: 215
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Saint Anselm got out to a strong start. After conceding the opening basket, the Hawks went on an 8-0 scoring run aided by four points down low by Hoyt to go ahead, 8-2, early in the first quarter.
- After American International got a few buckets to make it a 10-8 Saint Anselm lead, the Hawks finished the quarter on a 14-2 scoring surge as the score was 24-10 after one. Scoring seven points during that final five minutes was Hoyt, and her teammate, fifth-year Liv Robles (Wallingford, Conn.) drilled a three just before the buzzer.
- Robles knocked down another triple early in the second quarter and a jumper from Hoyt on the next possession made it a 29-15 Saint Anselm advantage.
- Sophomore Anna Nelson (Gorham, Maine) entered the game off the bench and with four minutes to go in the half, she connected on a pair of three-pointers to make it a 39-22 ball game. The Yellow Jackets would end the half on a positive note with an and-one layup by Briana Lee as the Hawks led, 43-31, at halftime.
- Saint Anselm came out of the locker room with the energy, orchestrating a 10-1 run to start the second half. Hoyt excelled once more at the offensive end with six more points during that stretch including a pair of free throws.
- Connecting from behind the arc with three minutes remaining in the third was Robles, boosting her team's lead to 20 points with the score at 56-36. The fifth-year would also bury a three for Saint Anselm's first basket of the fourth quarter for her fourth triple of the afternoon.
- The Hawks would keep the Yellow Jackets between 17 and 23 points behind them for the entirety of the final quarter. Saint Anselm went eight for eight at the foul line in the final period and secured the 22-point win with the final score being 77-55.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Saint Anselm shot an efficient 50 percent from the field (25-20), while American International 39.6 percent (19-48) during the game. Both teams attempted ten threes in the game, with the Hawks knocking down six (60.0%) and the Yellow Jackets making five (50.0%).
- Saint Anselm's 21 made free throws out of 21 (100%) is a new program record for free throws made in a game without a miss. AIC also shot well at the line by making 12 out of 14 (85.7%).
- The Yellow Jackets held the edge on the glass, out-rebounding the Hawks, 31-24. However, the Yellow Jackets committed 27 turnovers which the Hawks turned into 24 points.
- Points in the paint was even, with AIC scoring 26 and Saint Anselm scoring 24 inside the painted area. Despite low scoring outings by both benches, Saint Anselm held a narrow 12-7 advantage in bench points.
- Hoyt led Saint Anselm with a career-high 27 points (9-13 FG, 9-9 FT) and grabbed three rebounds. Robles contributed 20 points (6-8 FG, 4-4 3FG, 4-4 FT) and added five rebounds and four assists.
- Lee tallied a double-double for American International with 26 points and 15 rebounds.
- This marked the 73rd all-time meeting between these two teams. Saint Anselm improves to 40-33 overall against AIC.
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