St. Joe’s women are on a hot streak and could earn a double bye in the Atlantic 10 Tournament
The Hawks have won three straight after their victory over Duquesne. However, the outcome of their next three games in the regular season could be costly to their position in the tournament.
St. Joseph’s was in a defensive struggle with Duquesne through 20 minutes Wednesday night at Hagan Arena. The Hawks jumped out to an early nine-point lead, but the Dukes’ defense clamped down, and they held a one-point advantage early in the second quarter.
The Hawks rebounded behind strong free throw shooting and an 11-2 run to grab a eight-point lead at halftime. St. Joe’s pushed its lead into double figures in the third quarter and never looked back as it picked up a 61-46 win.
“I’m really pleased with the grit and determination that our team came out with [on Wednesday],” said head coach Cindy Griffin. “I thought the beginning of the first and third quarters really set the tone and it starts with our defense.”
St. Joe’s (18-8, 9-6 Atlantic 10) is riding a three-game winning streak and still competing for a double bye in the A-10 Tournament. With three games left in the regular season, the Hawks are tied with Davidson for fourth place, which is the last spot for a double-bye.
Statistical leaders
Guard Gabby Casey guided the Hawks with 19 points on 7 of 12 shooting along with nine rebounds. Forward Faith Stinson also had a strong performance with 13 points, nine rebounds, and three assists. She was key a factor on defense against the Dukes’ taller frontcourt.
“I really just took what we have been working on in practice like slowing down and assessing what the defense is giving me,” Stinson said. “Then using my multiple post moves to get around the defender and score from the easiest angle.”
The Hawks’ offense struggled shooting the ball, going 20-for-54 from the field, but found success from three-point range, where they made 7 of 18 attempts. Their defense stepped up and held Duquesne (9-17, 2-13) to 31% from the field and forced 13 turnovers. Guard Mackenzie Blackford led the Dukes with 16 points.
Coasting in the second half
St. Joe’s opened on a 9-0 run and made four of its first five shots. However, offense became hard to come by after that. The Dukes’ defensive pressure made it difficult for the Hawks to get open looks and Duquesne began to crawl back. St. Joe’s went more than six minutes without a point, which allowed Duquesne to take a 16-15 lead in the second quarter.
The Hawks regained control with an 11-2 run in the final six minutes of the first half, with seven points coming from Casey. St. Joe’s entered the locker room with a 29-21 advantage. St. Joe’s extended its lead to 37-27 midway through the third quarter.
“Nobody really panics,” Griffin said. “I think they trust each other. They trust what we’re doing as a team, and they know that if we just persevere and if we are relentless about what we’re doing on both ends of the floor and stay connected, we know that we’re going to come out of those slumps a little bit.”
Duquesne never got within single digits in the second half, as the Hawks’ sharp free throw shooting and timely three-pointers answered every Dukes bucket.
Strong free throw shooting
St. Joe’s remained ahead thanks to its ability to get to the free throw line.
The teams had nearly identical shooting splits from the field and in three-pointers in the first half, but the Hawks held a nine point advantage by going 7-for-8 in free throws, while the Dukes did not have a free throw in the first 20 minutes. Overall, St. Joe’s went 14-for-16 in free throws and Duquesne was 3-for-5.
“When you’re talking about a low scoring game and the shooting percentage wasn’t great, you have to find different ways to score,” Griffin said. “Getting to the free throw line and making free throws, we talked about it all year, layups and free throws.”
Up next
St. Joe’s will visit St. Louis (11-17, 5-10 A-10) on Saturday (3 p.m., ESPN+).