SAINT JOSEPHS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HAS EIGHT-GAME WIN STREAK SNAPPED BY CHARLOTTE, 71-66

PHILADELPHIA - The Saint Joseph's women's basketball team had its eight-game win streak snapped Sunday as the Hawks dropped their first Atlantic 10 game of the season, 71-66, against Charlotte at Hagan Arena. Redshirt senior Chatilla van Grinsven (Helmond, Netherland/Dr. Kippenberg College) shad a game-high 20 points and added 10 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season for SJU.

Leading 40-32 to start the second half, Saint Joseph's (16-6, 7-1 A-10) came out cold as Charlotte used a 17-6 run to open the stanza, taking a 49-46 lead on a three pointer by Hillary Sigmon at 13:38.

Saint Joseph's fought back to tie the game at 55-55 on a three-point play by senior Ashley Prim (Ansonia, Conn./Kolbe Cathedral), but the 49ers answered with an 11-0 run as a pair of free throws by Amanda Dowe put the visitors up 66-55 with less than five minutes to play.

Scrambling back, SJU made it a one-possession game with 1:52 to go on a pair of free throws by van Grinsven. After a defensive stop, the Hawks failed to convert on their next possession as Charlotte hit 1-of-2 from the foul line to make it a 68-64 game with 39 seconds to play.

Redshirt sophomore Natasha Cloud's (Broomall, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) driving layup made it a 68-66 game with under 15 second to go, but Charlotte's Ny Hammonds sealed the victory, hitting a pair of free throws, while teammate Jai Forney got a steal and added an insurance free throw with six seconds remaining.

The Hawks, who shot just 31.3 percent in the second half (10-of-32), were solid in the first half, opening a nine-point lead, 26-17, on a Prim layup.

Charlotte closed to within three, but SJU pushed the lead back to nine again. Cloud would stop a short run by the 49ers to end the half, hitting a running layup to give her team a 40-32 edge after 20 minutes.

For the game, the Hawks shot 40.6 percent from the floor (28-of-69), 35.7 percent from three-point range (5-of-14) and 83.3 percent from the foul line (5-of-6). At the other end, Charlotte shot 54.9 percent overall (28-of-51), including 57.1 percent from behind the arc (4-of-7), but managed just 57.9 percent from the foul line (11-of-19). SJU turned the ball over just 11 times, but nine coming in the second half. Charlotte, which turned the ball over 19 times, finished with a 39-29 edge in rebounding, despite the Hawks grabbing 12 offensive rebounds to the 49ers 10.

Individually, Cloud and junior Erin Shields (Drexel Hill, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) were the only other Hawks in double figures. Cloud had a team-high seven assists to go with 12 points, while Shields tallied 13 points to go with four assists.

For Charlotte, Amanda Dowe had 19 points to lead five players in double figures. Dowe and Jennifer Hailey each had 14 rebounds, with Hailey adding 11 points and two blocked shots.

The Hawks return to action this Wednesday at Duquesne. Game time is set for 7 p.m.