Army Proves Too Much for Women’s Basketball

WEST POINT, N.Y. — On Saturday afternoon, the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's basketball team battled their second Division 1 opponent of the week, Army, at West Point. A fairly close opening five minutes boded well for the Bears, but a 29-9 run to close out the first and points recorded by 14 of 16 Black Knights on the roster propelled the cadets to a one-sided victory in both squads' final hardwood appearance before the holidays.

The Basics

• Final Score: Army 107, St. Joseph's 46
• Records: Army (7-4), St. Joseph's (5-6)
• Location: West Point, N.Y. — Christl Arena
• SJC Starters: O'Neill (G), Porcasi (G), DiCioccio (G), O'Donnell (G), Staab (C)

Turning Point

• Army closed the first on a 29-9 run (final 6:42) to gain control of the game and they did not look back from there.

How It Happened

• The Bears played their Division 1 foes closely to begin the first period, as a three from junior Kellie O'Neill (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) brought them within one (8-7) just under the seven-minute mark.
• However, the Black Knights' dominant finish to the frame placed the contest in their favor behind 10 points from forward Madison Hovren in the first. The hosts then amassed an 18-3 over the first five minutes of the second to push the score to 55-19, and they would go on to lead at the break 60-25 (Hovren: 14 points at half).
• Junior captain Victoria Porcasi (Franklin Square, N.Y./H. Frank Carey) attempted to spark SJC's offense in the third, scoring eight of her 13 in the stanza, but the high-powered Army attack outscored the Bears by 26 in the second half, running away to their seventh win of the season.

For the Bears

• Rookie Kelly O'Donnell (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) notched a team-high 15 points while grabbing seven rebounds.
• Porcasi finished with 13 points (4-12 FG) and dished out a team-high three helpers.
• Junior Nina DiCioccio (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) was aggressive throughout the contest, accumulating nine points, seven boards, and two assists.

Inside the Box Score

• Turnovers were largely the story of the game, as St. Joseph's coughed up the rock 21 times as opposed to Army's eight.
• Both teams struggled to find their footing from beyond the arc, with neither surpassing 30% 3FG.

The Bear Facts

• This was SJC's first-ever meeting with the Black Knights.
• Porcasi (15) and O'Donnell (9) each extended their respective double-digit scoring streaks in the loss.

Next Up for the Bears

• Their final game before the new year, hosting Brooklyn College at 2 p.m. on Saturday (Dec. 30). Live stats and video streaming at SJCBears.com.