Pine Manor Tops USJ 88-76

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Jayva Johnson (West Haven, Conn.) had 17 points and 11 rebounds and Natasia Franklin (Windsor, Conn.) had 15 points and 10 rebounds as the Pine Manor women's basketball team defeated the University of Saint Joseph 88-76 Thursday in a non-conference game at the O'Connell Center.

Pine Manor improved to 12-2 overall; Saint Joseph is 7-10.

Heather Framski (Prospect, Conn.) led USJ with 18 points and Mary Hyde (Derby, Conn.) had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Both teams had five players score in double figures. Brianna Ferraro (Waterbury, Conn.) and Devon Diliberto (Waterbury, Conn.) had 13 point each for USJ and Lindsey Dionne (Portland, Conn.) had 10. Alexis Lee (Akron, Ohio) scored 16 for Pine Manor and Maria Vaughan (Okinawa, Japan) and Sybil Lynch had 12 apiece.

USJ went ahead early 14-1 on the way to a 36-31 halftime lead, but Pine Manor scored 57 second-half points. The teams were tied at 72 when Lee hit a three-pointer with 5:09 to play to give Pine Manor the lead for good and the Gators finished on a 16-4 run. Vaughan went 6-for-6 at the free throw line to help seal for the win for Pine Manor.

After USJ held Pine Manor to 26 percent (9-for-35) shooting in the first half, the Gators went 22-for-40 (55 percent) in the second half and had 16 fast-break points.

Saint Joseph is at Anna Maria Sat. January 25 at 2 p.m. Pine Manor hosts Vermont Tech, Sun. Jan. 26 at 1 p.m.