Hartford, Conn. – Junior center Mackenzie Griffin (Stamford, Conn.) registered her third double-double of the season thanks to a game-high 20 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Trinity College women's basketball team past in-state rival St. Joseph, 72-58, on Thursday evening in non-conference action inside Oosting Gymnasium on Stan Ogrodnik Court. The Bantams have now won three straight out-of-league home games to improve to 6-10 on the year, while the Blue Jays dropped to 6-10 overall following the setback.

Griffin poured in 20 or more points for the fourth time this season thanks to 8-of-14 shooting from the field. Senior guard Taylor Higgins (Merrick N.Y.) netted 14 points and dished out three assists for Trinity. In the post, first-year forward Emily Llerena (New Milford, Conn.) had another strong game grabbing 11 rebounds and adding nine points. Due to foul trouble, the Bantams received strong play off the bench from junior forward Melanie Mills (Woodstock, Conn.) and senior center Emily Kauls (North Oaks, Minn.). Mills scored nine points and pulled down six rebounds, while Kauls added eight boards of her own.

St. Joseph was led offensively by senior captain Heather Framski with 20 points, six rebounds and three assists. Senior guard Brianna Ferraro added 10 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Blue Jays, while senior forward Lindsay Dionne (Portland, Conn.) added eight points off the bench.

The story of the game was the strength and size of Trinity down low, as the hosts outrebounded St. Joseph, 50-31. From beyond-the-arc, the Bantams knocked down 5-of-9 shots, while the Blue Jays hit just two of their seven attempts.

St. Joseph got off to a quick start, causing a pair of turnovers and hitting their first two shots hold take a 4-0 edge just under a minute and a half into play. Trinity responded with eight unanswered points capped by a layup from Llerena to take a lead they would never surrender. The Blue Jays stayed within five or six points for the remainder of the half, before the Bantams ended the first stanza on a 7-0 run to take a 33-21 advantage into the break.

In the second half, Trinity maintained their edge and stretched their lead to as many as 18 following a trey from sophomore guard Kaitlin Lewis (Demarest, N.J.) with 3:05 left in the game.  

Trinity returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 24, with a home New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) contest versus Amherst at 3:00 p.m.