Hyde Scores Career-High 27 in Victory

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Mary Hyde (Derby, Conn.) had 27 points, 13 rebounds and six assists as the University of Saint Joseph women's basketball team erased a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat Lasell College 72-60 Tuesday in a GNAC game at the O'Connell Center.

St. Joseph improved to 8-3 overall and Lasell dropped to 6-7. Both teams are 1-1 in GNAC play.

The 27 points were a career-high for Hyde, who twice scored 26 last season. She shot 9-for-20 from the floor, 3-for-4 on three-pointers and was a perfect 6-for-6 at the line. 

Lasell built its biggest lead at 29-19 with 2:38 to play in the first half on a three-pointer from freshman Molly Lauver (Cambridge, N.Y.), who scored 21 first-half points and 27 for the game. The Lasers shot 39 percent (14-for-36) from the floor in the first half and St. Joseph was 10-for-36 (28 percent) in the first 20 minutes.

That changed in the second half as USJ was 14-for-33 in the second half (42 percent) and 6 of 12 on three-pointers after a 2-for-12 first half. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, held Lasell to 10-for-32 (31 percent) in the second half.

Devon Diliberto scored 23 points for Saint Joseph, 18 in the second half including four three-pointers. Heather Framski (Prospect, Conn.) had 11 points and nine rebounds for the Blue Jays.

With USJ trailing 33-26 at the break, Framski scored five points in a 15-6 USJ run to start the second half that allowed the Blue Jays to take their first lead since the midway point of the first half. Hyde's layup with 11:22 to play first pushed USJ over the top at 41-39. After a layup from Lasell's Kayla Vincelette (Westport, Mass.), Diliberto gave St. Joseph the lead for good at 44-41 on a three-pointer with 10:27 left. The Blue Jays immediately pushed their advantage as two three-pointers apiece from Hyde and Diliberto made it 56-43 with 7:35 remaining. Lasell was unable to get close than seven points from there.

Saint Joseph forced 20 Lasell turnovers while having just 12 of its own and outscored Lasell 19-11 off turnovers. Alexis Chappell (Springfield, Mass.) scored 17 for Lasell and Kim Archibald (Lewiston, Maine) had 15 rebounds. Shauna Sullivan added eight points and eight rebounds for USJ.

Saint Joseph next plays at Johnson & Wales, Thur. Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. and hosts Simmons, Sat. Jan. 19 at 1 p.m.