Jan. 25, 2008

PHILADELPHIA - After dropping its first Atlantic 10 game of the season last Saturday, the Saint Joseph's women's basketball team looks to rebound this Saturday, January 26, when the Hawks host Dayton at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed live on www.sjuhawks.com.

• Click here for Saint Joseph's game notes.

GAME STORIES . . .
• Saint Joseph's and Dayton meet for the 17th time with the Hawks holding a 10-6 series lead.
• The past two contests between SJU and UD have been decided by one point each time, with the Hawks winning 66-65 in 2006 and the Flyers earning a 78-77 win in 2007.
• The Flyers have won two of the last three meetings with the Hawks, but SJU has won four of the last six contests.
• The Hawks are coming off their first Atlantic 10 loss of the season and are 19-all-time in their following conference contests.
• Saint Joseph's is averaging its highest assists per game (14.6) since 2001-02 (16.9 apg).
• Hawks' senior guard Timisha Gomez and freshman center Sarah Acker are tied for ninth in conference-only scoring at 15.7 points per game.
• Saint Joseph's senior guard Amy Wold leads all players in assists (5.67 apg) in A-10 only contests and ranks 10th overall (3.59 apg) for the full season.
• Saint Joseph's is 6-4 this season in afternoon games (contests started before 5 p.m.).

LAST TIME OUT
Saint Joseph's dropped its first Atlantic 10 contest, falling 71-53, to Xavier at the Cintas Center. A 14-0 run by the Musketeers midway through the first half put Xavier up 24-9, with the host Musketeers taking a 34-14 edge into the half. The Hawks would cut the deficit to 56-46 with 3:51 remaining, but would get no closer.

OF NOTE
Freshman center Sarah Acker's 59.1 field goal percentage currently ranks third all-time among SJU's single-season leaders...Over the past four contests, Hawks' senior guard Timisha Gomez has averaged 15.5 points and four assists per game...After being held scoreless for the first time this season at St. Bonaventure, junior guard Jenna Loschiavo responded with a season-best 17 point Wednesday versus Fordham and a team-high 12 points at Xavier Saturday... Senior guard Amy Wold, who currently ranks eighth in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.44), has averaged 9.9 points and 5.6 assists per game over her past seven contests.

CAPTAINS ON THE DECK
Saint Joseph's Head Coach Cindy Griffin named seniors Timisha Gomez, Krista Hutchison and junior Mary Kate McDade as the team's captains for the 2007-08 season. All three Hawks are first-time captains.

LOSCHIAVO ENTERS HAWKS' RECORD BOOK
Arguably Saint Joseph's most consistent three-point threat the past three seasons, junior guard Jenna Loschiavo has continued to etch her name in the Hawk's record book this year. Already fifth in SJU history in three-point percentage (.378), Loschiavo has climbed the ladder for both three pointers made and attempted. The Plymouth Meeting, PA, native enters Saturday's game ninth all-time in both makes (130) and attempts (344).

GOMEZ AND ACKER EARN WEEKLY HONORS
Combining for 39 points in Saint Joseph's 68-61 win at St. Bonaventure, the Hawks' senior guard Timisha Gomez and freshman center Sarah Acker were honored for their individual performances with Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Week and Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week accolades, respectively. Earning the first Big 5 honor of her career, Gomez tallied a career-best 21 points to go along with five rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal in the Hawks' win, while Acker was a perfect 7-of-7, scoring 18 points and adding nine boards and four blocks. Acker had previously earned A-10 weekly honors for the week of December 2-9.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
The Hawks added several five faces for the 2007-08 season with the addition of freshmen Sarah Acker, Dominique Bryant, Kallie Hovatter, Alexis Johnson and Laren Robinson. As a group, these rookies averaged 91 points and 52.5 rebounds per game as seniors in high school. Sixteen games into their collegiate careers, these newcomers have made major impacts on Hawk Hill as the group has averaged 15.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game.

ACK ATTACK
Having played in just 18 collegiate games, Saint Joseph's freshman Sarah Acker has already made an impact for the Hawks. Saint Joseph's leader in scoring (12.3 ppg), the Nanticoke, Pa., native currently is sixth in the Atlantic 10 in rebounding (8.1 rpg) and is fifth in blocks (26), with her team-leading 59.1 field goal percentage ranks second in the A-10. Acker has also earned individual accolades, being selected Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week twice (Dec. 2-9, Jan. 7-13 ) and earning Hilton Philadelphia Hawk Classic All-Tournament Team honors.

MCING IT HAPPEN
Serving as backup point guard her first two seasons on Hawk Hill, junior Mary Kate McDade has thrived this year as a starter. Currently tied for fifth in the Atlantic 10, and first on SJU, the Philadelphia native has dished out 70 assists over the first 18 games, well above her career average (1.67 apg). Also, McDade has become a bigger scoring threat this season, averaging 3.4 points per game after entering the year at 1.3 ppg.

GO-TO GOMEZ
It has been a solid start to the season for senior guard Timisha Gomez, averaging a career-high in scoring (11.5 ppg) and rebounding (3.8 rpg). The Elkridge, Md., native has led the Hawks in scoring a team-high five times and scored in double figures nine times. Gomez, who has played in 111 of a potential 112 career games, earned Brown Basketball Classic All-Tournament Team honors after helping SJU to the title.

GILLESPIE GOING STRONG
It has been a breakout season for sophomore guard Amy Gillespie. Ranking fifth in scoring (7.0 ppg), second in three pointers (23) and earning Hawkeye Challenge All-Tournament Team honors, the the Springfield, Pa., native has thrived in a larger role this season. Gillespie, who averaged 21 points per game at the Hawkeye Challenge, more than doubled her entire scoring (44) and rebounding (21) totals from last season, as she enters Saturday's game with 119 points and 50 rebounds.

SO NICE THEY NAMED HER IT TWICE
Having already earned MVP honors at the Brown Basketball Classic after leading SJU to the title, senior guard Amy Wold again earned some hardware, earning MVP accolades at the Hilton Philadelphia Hawk Classic. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa native scored a team-high 17 points and had five assists and six rebounds in SJU's title-game win over No. 15 Auburn. Wold averaged 12.5 points, 6.0, assists and 5.0 rebounds per game in helping the Hawks to their second in-season title of the year. Over the four-game span, the senior averaged 14 points and 5.25 assists per game.

SAINT JOSEPH'S VERSUS THE POLLS
Topping No. 15 Auburn in the title game of the Hilton Philadelphia Hawk Classic, Saint Joseph's improved to 31-104 all-time versus ranked opponents and 1-2 on the season. The Hawks previously lost to No. 5/6 Rutgers, 56-50, November 28 and to No. 21/22 Wyoming, 66-64, on December 8. The Hawk last win over a ranked team prior to Saturday came on March 4, 2007 as SJU topped No. 8/9 George Washington, 57-55. For a complete list of the SJU's results versus ranked opponents, please see page 138 of the Saint Joseph's media guide.

POST MANEUVERS
With several Hawks having a larger role this season compared to last, there is no arguing the transformation of SJU's sophomore forward Ashley Logue. Playing limited time in just seven games a year ago, Logue has excelled this year, playing in all 18 games, including 11 starts. Scoring only two points and adding six rebounds as a rookie, Logue eclipsed nearly all her career-highs in the opener at Lehigh (6 points and six rebounds). To date, Logue has scored 94 points (5.2 ppg) and added 67 boards (3.7 rpg).

THE FINAL FIVE
Getting to the line 13.6 times per game on average, more than a third of Saint Joseph's trip to the charity stripe have come within the final five minutes of games. The Hawks, who are 187-of-272 from the line overall, are 74-of-102 at the stripe in crunch time and shooting higher (72.5 percent) in the final minutes than during the first 35 (66.5 percent).

WOLD NAMED BIG 5 CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Coming off MVP honors at for the Hilton Philadelphia Hawk Classic, Saint Joseph's senior guard Amy Wold was honored for her stellar play at the tournament with Big 5 Co-Player of the Week honors. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native earned the first SJU City Series weekly honor after helping the Hawks to the Hilton Philadelphia Hawk Classic title. In the championship game versus No. 15 Auburn, Wold tallied a team-high 17 points and five assists, and finished the two-game tournament with a 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists per contest.

SJU CLAIMS HILTON PHILADELPHIA HAWK CLASSIC TITLE
The Hilton Philadelphia Hawk Classic championship trophy returned to Saint Joseph's as the Hawks topped NO. 15 Auburn, 71-69, in the title game (recap on page 18). The Hawks earned the title, the sixth in 17 years, backed by MVP Amy Wold and All-Tournament Team member Sarah Acker's 17 and 16 points, respectively. Saint Joseph's previously won the Hawk Classic in 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001. The Hawks topped NJIT, 68-59, in the opening round as senior guard Timisha Gomez paced SJU with 16 points.

WOLD AND GOMEZ LEADS SJU TO BROWN CLASSIC CHAMPIONSHIP
The Hawks captured their 14th in-season title in program history as SJU topped Manhattan (65-58) and Brown (65-54) to claim the Brown Basketball Classic title. Saint Joseph's senior Amy Wold earned MVP honors after posting a career-high 20 points and seven assists in the title game. Classmate Timisha Gomez was named to the All-Tournament Team as she led SJU with a game-high 17 points in the opener versus the Jaspers.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Hawks return to Big 5 play when SJU travels to city-rival Temple on Wednesday, January 30. The game, scheduled for 7 p.m., will be aired live on www.sjuhawks.com.