Feb. 25, 2010

AMHERST, MASS. - Massachusetts shot 61 percent in the second half to pull away from Saint Joseph's and earn a 75-62 win at the Mullins Center in Atlantic 10 women's basketball action. SJU is now 15-13 (8-5 A-10) while UMass improves to 11-17 (5-8).

Ashley Logue scord 12 points for the Hawks while Dominique Bryant and Mariame Djouara each scored 11.

Leading 29-23 at the half, UMass opened the second half with six straight points to build its lead up to 35-23, and then increased that to 40-27. SJU would go on a 6-0 run to cut it to 40-33, but the Minutewomen answered with a 9-2 run to maintain a 49-35 lead. Saint Joseph's would get no closer than 10 points the rest of the way.

The Minutewomen shot 54.7 percent from the field in the game, compared to 38.5 percent by the Hawks.

Saint Joseph's offense clicked early, running the Hawks out to a 17-8 edge behind a trio of three pointers.

The Hawks, who opened 7-of-11 from the floor, cooled over the final 12 minutes as Massachusetts made its move. The Minutewomen held Saint Joseph's to just 2-of-21 over the remainder of the first half, while outscoring the Hawks 21-6 to take a 29-23 lead into halftime. The Minuteomen overcame 11 turnovers by holding the Hawks to 28.1 percent from the field (9-of-32) in the opening stanza.

The Hawks return to action Sunday as they cap the regular season at home versus Duquesne at 2 p.m. Aside from being "Senior Day", Saint Joseph's will honor the 1984-85 squad, which was its first NCAA Tournament team. In attendance for the ceremony will be the coach of that team, Jim Foster, and former Hawk star Debbie Black.