DiCioccio Scores Career High but NJIT Brings Down Women’s Basketball

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NEWARK, N.J. — Sophomore wing Nina DiCioccio (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) notched a career-high 11 points, but the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's basketball team suffered a one-sided defeat on the road to the New Jersey Institute of Technology on Monday night. The Bears were playing up battling the Division 1 Highlanders for the second-straight season, but failed to find their footing and were controlled throughout by the hosts as NJIT picked up their first win of 2017-18.

The Basics

• Final Score: New Jersey Tech 106, St. Joseph's 42
• Records: New Jersey Tech (1-10), St. Joseph's (4-5)
• Location: Newark, N.J. — Wellness and Events Center
• SJC Starters: O'Neill (G), Porcasi (G), O'Donnell (G), DiCioccio (G), Staab (C)

Turning Point

• The Highlanders opened play on fire scoring the game's first 19 points and setting the tone early.

How It Happened

• DiCioccio put the ball in the basket at 4:20 in the first for the Bears' first points of the game after going down 19-0 out of the gate. NJIT led 27-9 after the first period behind eight points from guard Amarri Trueheart (3-4, 2-2 3FG).
• The Bears mustered just five points in the second quarter (tied-lowest quarter total on year) and trailed the Highlanders 54-14 after two. At the half, freshman Kelly O'Donnell (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) led SJC with five points and Trueheart had 13 of her own for NJIT.
• After intermission St. Joseph's showed some life, running to a 10-2 run early in the third capped off by a deep-ball from scoring-leader Victoria Porcasi (Franklin Square, N.Y./H. Frank Carey).
• Their brief momentum didn't last, but the Bears totaled 16 points in the third — their highest-scoring quarter on the night. NJIT never let the outcome be questioned, however, as they won the second half by 24 and rolled to their first victory in non-conference play.

Highlights

WBB (Highlights) | Three Bears reached double figures and DiCioccio scored a career high against a tough Division I NJIT squad last night. #BearWitnessSJC #SJCNY #d3h #d3basketball pic.twitter.com/13GsFJqsW3

— St. Joseph's Bears (@SJCBears) December 12, 2017

For the Bears

• DiCioccio (7 reb) and O'Donnell (5 reb, 2 stl) tied for the team-high in scoring with 11 apiece.
• Porcasi maintained her double-digit points in every game this year with 10, as well as six rebounds.
• Junior Kellie O'Neill (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) notched her only points on a buzzer-beating three to end the game, but also contributed five rebounds, four assists and a steal.

Inside the Box Score

• The Bears struggled mightily against the Division 1 defense, coughing up 29 turnovers on the night (forced 10).
• New Jersey Tech provided suffocating pressure, but SJC was still cold on the shots they did get off shooting just 27.6% from the floor.

The Bear Facts

• NJIT has won four-straight over St. Joseph's, with the Bears last win in the series coming in 1997.

Next Up for the Bears

• A quick return to Skyline play, going up against Yeshiva at their Manhattan campus on Thursday (Dec. 14) at 7:30 p.m. Live stats at SJCBears.com.