Basketball Ends with 79-62 loss to Rivier

NASHUA, N.H. – University of Saint Joseph senior Mary Hyde (Derby, Conn.) scored 22 points and senior Shauna Sullivan (Rocky Hill, Conn.) had 10 points and 12 rebounds, but their careers came to close as the Blue Jays dropped a 79-62 game Tuesday at Rivier in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinal game.

USJ, the sixth seed, finished 12-14. No. 3 Rivier is 20-6 and advanced to a semifinal.

Junior Heather Framski (Prospect, Conn.) had 13 points and seven rebounds for the Blue Jays and senior Devon Diliberto (Waterbury, Conn.) had eight assists in her final game.

St. Joseph led for much of the first half, but had its final lead of the contest when Hyde made a jump shot to put USJ up 27-25 with 5:22 left in the half. After four Rivier points, Lindsay Dionne (Portland, Conn.) had a layup with 2:47 in the half to pull USJ even at 29.

Rivier scored the final eight points of the half to head into intermission up 37-29. The Raiders then started the second half on a 12-2 run to take control at 49-31 and maintained a lead throughout the closing stages.

Diliberto finished her career second in school history with 1,397 points, a school-record 212 three-pointers and fourth with 280 assists. Hyde finished sixth all-time with 1,201 points, third in assists (310), third in steals (253) and fourth in rebounds (648). Sullivan tied a record by playing 101 games and is sixth all-time with 622 rebounds.

Elsewhere in the tournament: Top-seeded Emmanuel was upset by No. 8 Norwich, 84-78 in overtime, No. 2 Saint Joseph's College (Maine) defeated No. 7 Lasell, 63-50 and No. 5 Johnson & Wales won at No. 4 Suffolk, 59-45. Emmanuel had won the GNAC tournament seven years in a row. Thursday's semifinals will have Rivier at St. Joseph's and Norwich at Johnson & Wales.