STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (4-1) toppled University of Southern Maine (0-5), 69-41, in a non-conference women's basketball contest at the Harold Alfond Center on Sunday evening.
FIRST GLANCE:
Junior guard Julia Champagne (Brunswick, Maine) tied a career-high with 19 points and added 10 rebounds to secure her third career double-double as the Monks held a staggering 36-8 points in the paint advantage in a lopsided victory.
THE REST OF THE STORY:
The Monks owned a 37-24 advantage entering intermission and proceeded to put the game well out of reach in the third frame, as the hosts outscored the visitors by a 25-7 margin and doubled the Huskies on the board, 62-31, heading into the fourth quarter.
A stifling SJC defensive effort held USM to a 23.1% (12-52) shooting percentage as the Huskies failed to convert more than four field goals in any of the four quarters.
COSTELLO CUP:
With the victory, Saint Joseph's retains possession of the Costello Cup, which is presented annually to the winner of the contest between the rivals and honors the late Dr. Richard "Doc" Costello, former USM Athletic Director and long-time basketball coach.
The Monks have now claimed the coveted cup for three consecutive seasons for just the second time in the 26-game history of the series. St. Joe's, now 7-19 in Costello Cup contests, also clinched the rivalry trophy in three straight meetings during the 1993, 1994, and 1995 seasons.
The 28-point margin of victory is the most ever recorded by the Monks and tops the previous mark of 19 points accomplished in a 72-53 win over the Huskies on February 9th, 1994.
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Senior forward Regan McFerran (Albany, N.Y.) tallied 11 points and eight rebounds with two assists and a pair of steals
- Junior forward Emily Benway (Rochester, N.H.) netted 13 points with six caroms and a pair of assists
- Junior guard Kelsi McNamara (West Newbury, Mass.) chipped in with 11 points and eight assists
- Junior guard Hannah Marks (Waldoboro, Maine) scored six points with six boards
LEADERS – SOUTHERN MAINE:
- Senior guard Emily Nicholson (Quispamsis, New Brunswick) led the Huskies with 10 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and a pair of steals
- Junior forward Kimberly Howrigan (Fairfield, Vt.) contributed eight points and three boards
- Junior guard Alexa Srolovitz (Montreal, Quebec) added seven points, two caroms, two steals, and a pair of assists
TEAM STATS:
Saint Joseph's held considerable leads in rebounds (45-34), assists (20-10), points off turnovers (18-9), points in the paint (36-8), and fastbreak points (8-0) on the evening.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's returns to action Wednesday with a non-conference game at Colby College. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 PM.
#GOMONKS
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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 474-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
