BANGOR, ME – Saint Joseph's College (3-1) toppled Husson University (0-2), 74-35, in non-conference women's basketball action on Thursday night. Senior guard Danyelle Shufelt (Sutton, Vt.) scored a career-high 17 points and went 6-8 from the field, including 3-3 from three-point distance, in the lopsided victory.
The Monks led wire to wire in the battle of former conference counterparts and held a 36-11 cushion heading into halftime. The Eagles' first-half point total is the fewest allowed by Saint Joseph's since Thomas College netted nine in the second stanza almost exactly a year ago, when the Monks bested the Terriers, 65-27, at the Harold Alfond Center on November 30th, 2011.
Freshman center Morgan Cahill (Yarmouth, Maine) produced a game-high 19 points and six rebounds while shooting 6-9 from the floor with a perfect 7-7 effort from the line and sophomore guard Sarah Assante (Standish, Maine) left the bench to contribute eight points, four steals and three boards for the Monks. Sophomore Nicolette Kapothanasis (Westbrook, Maine) added seven points while Lindsay Moore (Barrington, N.H.) and Alyssa Grigware (Biddeford, Maine) netted six points apiece on the night.
Junior guard Gab Duke (Rockport, Maine) paced the Eagles with 10 points while junior forward Stephanie Comstock (Bangor, Maine) scored six points for the hosts in a losing effort.
Saint Joseph's enjoyed a fine shooting performance from the field, as the Royal Blue connected on 59.2% (29-49) of the team's attempts, the highest success rate since the Monks shot 64.7% (33-51) in an 85-49 triumph over Johnson & Wales University on January 21st, 2012. St. Joe's shot 42.9% (3-7) from beyond the arc and 76.5% (13-17) from the free throw line in the victory.
Husson countered by shooting 34.8% (16-46) from the floor and 37.5% (3-8) from the charity stripe while missing all five shots from three-point range in the loss.
With the victory, Saint Joseph's improves to 37-30 in the history of the series with Husson and has now defeated the Eagles in consecutive meetings for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign. In the 35-year history of the series with Husson, the 39-point margin of victory ranks second only to a 50-point win (96-46) over the Eagles at the "Chamber of Horrors" on November 25th, 1985.
Next up for both teams is a game versus Maine Maritime Academy, as Saint Joseph's hosts the Mariners on Saturday at 1:00 PM while Husson plays at MMA on Tuesday at 5:30 PM.
Saint Joseph's College, founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, celebrates its Centennial year in 2012 with a theme of "Realize the Promise" – honoring our commitment to educating well-rounded graduates who combine career focus with classic liberal arts studies. A Private, Catholic, primarily residential, coeducational liberal arts institution, Saint Joseph's welcomes students of all ages and all faiths. The campus, located 18 miles northwest of Portland and just two hours from Boston, encompasses 350 acres along the shore of beautiful Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine. Enrollment ranges between 1,000 and 1,100 students annually. Saint Joseph's offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education, nursing and business fields in a value-centered environment.