Blue Jays Top Mount Ida, 79-56

NEWTON, Mass. – Junior forward Mary Hyde (Derby, Conn.) led four players in double figures as the University of Saint Joseph basketball team defeated Mount Ida, 79-56 Thursday in a GNAC game.

Saint Joseph improved to 14-9 overall and 6-5 in the GNAC. Mount Ida is 6-18 overall and winless in 11 conference games.

Junior guard Devon Diliberto (Waterbury, Conn.) and sophomore forward Heather Framski (Prospect, Conn.) scored 12 points apiece for the Blue Jays and sophomore guard Brianna Ferraro (Waterbury, Conn.) netted 11.

All 11 USJ players scored and had at least one rebound. The teams shot similarly from the field as USJ was 31-for-76 (40.8 percent) and Mount Ida was 22-for-55 (40.0 percent) but the Blue Jays created many more opportunities by outrebounding Mount Ida 50-31 and had more offensive rebounds, 25-9. Frasmki had nine rebounds, including seven on the offensive side and Kaci Seibert (Barkhamsted, Conn.) had seven boards.

Ferraro made a three-pointer 26 seconds into the game and St. Joseph never trailed. She had seven early points to help the Blue Jays open up a quick 15-3 lead after 5:07. Ferraro scored all 11 of her points in the first half and Diliberto scored eight helping USJ to a 38-21 lead at intermission.

The St. Joseph lead grew to 21 early in the second half and peaked 29 (73-44) with 4:21 left in the contest on a lay-up by sophomore guard Lindsey Dionne (Portland, Conn.)

Evebonee Acosta (Hartford, Conn.) scored a game-high 20 points for Mount Ida and Jenn Rafuse (Brockton, Mass.) had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

St. Joseph plays its final home game of the regular season, hosting Rivier Sat. Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. The game will be preceded by USJ's annual celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Terese Cerins (Manchester, Conn.) will be honored on Senior Day and Diliberto will be presented a game ball in honor of scoring her 1,000th career point in pre-game ceremonies.