WESTON, Mass. – Junior forward Jordan Ouellette (Bristol, Conn.) had a career day as the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's basketball team used a big third quarter to defeat Regis College (Regis) on the road, 56-50, during Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action Saturday afternoon at Higgins Court in Weston, Mass. Ouellette finished with 20 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. The Blue Jays increased their winning streak to three games with the victory. The victory also snapped a five-game losing streak to Regis as USJ picked up its first win over the Pride since 1999.

GAME INFORMATION 
Score: USJ 56, Regis 50
Records: USJ (9-4, 5-1 GNAC), Regis (3-8, 3-2 GNAC)
Location: Higgins Court (Weston, Mass.)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Ouellette got the Blue Jays going early, giving the visitors the lead, 2-0, after knocking down an easy jumper at the 8:42 mark. Ouellette would continue to pace the USJ offense, giving the Blue Jays a 6-3 edge after back-to-back buckets with 5:31 remaining. However, the Pride answered back with a 7-0 stretch, taking a 10-6 edge. Ouellette snapped Regis's momentum with another easy jumper inside, forcing the Pride to call a timeout, up 10-8, at the 3:45 mark. 

Regis reestablished its four-point advantage out of the break, but junior guard Taylor Verboven (Columbia, Conn.) quickly cut the deficit back to two, 12-10, at the 2:41 mark after a mid-range jumper. The Pride quickly fired back though, finishing the first quarter on a 4-0 run to hold a 16-10 lead after the first quarter.

Regis wasted little time in the second quarter to extend the gap to eight, scoring eight seconds into the quarter. USJ would answer back just as quick, using a 5-0 run, featuring buckets from Ouellette and sophomore forward Janai Oliver (Hartford, Conn.) to pull back within three, 18-15 at the 8:09 mark. Regis would jump back out to a five-point lead as the Pride held a 22-17 edge with 4:10 remaining in the half. However, the Blue Jays would come alive late, as a 5-2 run to cap the half, led by four points from Oliver, cut the deficit to two, 24-22, heading into the halftime break.

The Blue Jays started the second half firing on all cylinders, utilizing an 8-0 run, fueled by four points from sophomore guard Maya Slisz (New Britain, Conn.), to give USJ a 30-24 led, two minutes into the half. USJ continued to roll, increasing the stretch to 14-0, keeping the Pride scoreless as the Blue Jays led, 36-24, at the 5:11 mark. Slisz would make another bucket at the 4:27 mark, increasing the lead to 14, 38-24, but Regis snapped USJ's scoring streak, getting their first points of the quarter with 3:34 left in the stanza to cut the gap to 38-26. However, Ouellette immediately responded with a bucket of her own, forcing Regis into calling a timeout, trailing 40-26 with 2:59 left in the third. 

Senior guard Amanda Fudge (Middletown, Conn.) increased the USJ lead to 16, 44-28, but a 6-0 Regis stretch brought the Pride back within 10, 44-34, with 54 seconds left in the quarter. Junior forward Olivia Heslin (Plainville, Conn.) put an end to the run with a baseline jumper to close the third as USJ entered the fourth quarter leading 46-34. 

USJ and Regis would trade buckets to begin the fourth quarter as the hosts brought the score back within 10, 48-38, at the 7:23 mark. Ouellette would break the gap back open to 12 after a putback layup, 50-38, forcing Regis into calling a timeout at the 5:32 mark. The Pride gained momentum out of the timeout, using a 6-0 stretch to cut the deficit to six, 50-44, with 3:42 left in the game. Regis would not go away easily, continuing to trade baskets with USJ, trailing by six, 54-48, with 1:18 remaining. However, the Pride would not get any closer as Fudge iced the game out at the free throw line and the Blue Jays held on for the 56-50 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Ouellette paced the Blue Jays offense, dropping 20 points.
• She has scored in double figures in all 13 games this season.
• Oliver and Slisz joined Ouellette in double digits, dropping 13 and 11 points, respectively.
• Oliver set a new career-high in scoring with her outing.
• Ouellete also led the team in rebound with a career-high 16 boards.
• She recorded her fourth double-double of the year with the outing.
• Fudge and Verboven were the primary playmakers, dishing out six assists each.
• USJ held the advantage on the glass, outrebounding Regis, 44-36.
• The Blue Jays outshot the Pride, 41.7 percent (25 of 60) to 33.9 percent (20 of 59).
• The Blue Jays snapped a five-game losing streak against the Pride.
• USJ cut the gap in the all-time series to 2-5.
• The win over Regis was the first for the Blue Jays since 1999, when the two schools met for the first time.

UP NEXT

Women's basketball wraps up its two-game road trip with a visit to in-state rival Albertus Magnus on Wednesday, Jan. 11 for a GNAC matchup. Tipoff from the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center in New Haven, Conn., is set for 5:30 p.m.

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