Feb. 2, 2008

AMHERST, MA - The Saint Joseph's women's basketball team will try to snap its three-game losing skid as the Hawks travel to Massachusetts for a Sunday matchup. Coming off back-to-back losses in the final moments to Dayton and Temple, the Hawks will try to move back to .500 in the Atlantic 10.

• Click here for Saint Joseph's game notes.

Game Stories...
• Despite holding a 40-8 edge in the all-time series, Saint Joseph's hasn't topped Massachusetts at the Mullins Center since the 2003-04 season.
• After starting out 2-0 in the Atlantic 10, the Hawks have dropped three straight, with two games coming down to the final possession (Dayton, Temple).
• Coming off a career-high 21 point at Temple, SJU senior guard Amy Wold has been stellar in A-10 play for the Hawks, averaging 8.6 points and ranking first in assists (24) and steals (nine) and second in rebounding (5.6 rpg).
• Sophomore forward Brittany Ford is coming off a season-high 19 points for the Hawks at Temple on Wednesday.
• Saint Joseph's is 7-3 all-time on Super Bowl Sunday, going 6-2 in years the AFC wins and 1-1 when the NFC is victorious.

LAST TIME OUT
Trying to keep its hopes alive for a share of the Big 5 title, Saint Joseph's led Temple, 65-64, with 44 seconds remaining, but unfortunately for the Hawks, Temple outscored SJU 6-3 in the final seconds to knock off the Hawks, 70-67.

OF NOTE
Freshman center Sarah Acker's 58.9 field goal percentage currently ranks third all-time among SJU's single-season leaders and she enters Sunday's game one block shy of 10th place in single-season rankings.

FOR STARTERS
Through the first 20 games of the 2007-08 slate, the Hawks have used seven combinations of starters. The following is a breakdown of the starting five and Saint Joseph's records in those contests. Starters - W-L
Logue/Acker/McDade/Loschiavo/Gomez - 3-2
Logue/Wold/McDade/Gillespie/Gomez - 1-0
Logue/Acker/Wold/McDade/Gomez - 3-2
Logue/Acker/Wold/McDade/Loschiavo - 0-1
Acker/Gillespie/McDade/Loschiavo/Gomez - 0-3
Ford/Acker/Wold/McDade/Gomez - 3-1
Ford/Acker/Gillespie/McDade/Gomez - 0-1

INJURY REPORT
Freshman Laren Robinson is doubtful for Sunday with a knee injury.

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 (.375), 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 (347).

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 16.6 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game.

ACK ATTACK
Having played in just 20 collegiate games, Saint Joseph's freshman Sarah Acker has already made an impact for the Hawks. Saint Joseph's leader in scoring (11.9 ppg), the Nanticoke, Pa., native currently is eighth in the Atlantic 10 in rebounding (7.6 rpg) and is fifth in blocks (29), with her team-leading 58.9 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 sixth in the Atlantic 10, and first on SJU, the Philadelphia native has dished out 80 assists over the first 20 games (4.00), well above her career average (1.67 apg). Also, McDade has become a bigger scoring threat this season, averaging 3.2 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 (11.2 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 12 times. Gomez, who has played in 113 of a potential 114 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 fourth in scoring (7.5 ppg), second in three pointers (29) 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 Sunday's game with 143 points and 57 rebounds. She is also one of only two Hawks to register 20-point games twice this season.

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.

FORD TOUGH
Averaging 13 points and 6.8 rebounds per game en route to Atlantic 10 All-Tournament honors last March, forward Brittany Ford was expecting a stellar start to the 2007-08 season. That didn't occur as planned as the Wilmington, DE native missed the opening 10 games with a minor knee injury. Returning to the lineup at Seton Hall, Ford is still shaking off the rust, but has still posted solid numbers for SJU, averaging 8.6 points, 3.0 rebounds per game and six blocks. At Temple, Ford posted a season-high with 19 points and added five rebounds.

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 20games, including 12 starts. Scoring only two points and adding six rebounds as a rookie, Logue eclipsed nearly all her career-highs in the opener at Lehigh (16 points and six rebounds). To date, Logue has scored 102 points (5.1 ppg) and added 71 boards (3.6rpg).

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.

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 home to host Saint Louis on Wednesday, February 6, at 7 p.m. The game will be aired live on www.sjuhawks.com.