DAVENPORT, Iowa - Forward Jordan Pyle (JR/Traralgon, Australia) scored a career-high 21 points in leading three University of St. Francis women's basketball players in double-figure scoring as the nationally 12th-ranked Saints extended their current winning streak to six by topping St. Ambrose, 66-52, in non-conference action this Saturday (Dec. 19) afternoon at SAU's Lee Lohman Arena.
Forward Andriana Acosta (SR/Crest Hill, Ill.) joined Pyle in double digits with 11 points as did guard-forward Justene Charlesworth (JR/Wanatah, Ind.), who contributed 10 points for USF, which improved its season record to 8-1 overall.
St. Ambrose led 15-14 after the first quarter, but the Saints would outscore the hosts 11-5 in quarter two to lead 25-20 at halftime.
A 7-2 SAU scoring run to start the third quarter pulled the teams into a 27-all tie and then again at 29 apiece with 7:26 remaining in the quarter. USF proceeded to reel off five straight points to go ahead 34-29 at the 5:29 mark. The Bees managed to draw within three points (39-36) with 1:23 left on the clock only to have the Saints bounce back with five unanswered points and lead 44-38 after three quarters of play.
SAU was able to cut an eight-point deficit down to five points twice in the first 2:20 minutes of the fourth quarter, but would be unable to get any closer. The Saints, who drained six-of-eight treys in the final frame, would outscore the Bees, 12-2, over a four-minute span to take a 15-point advantage (61-46) with 3:38 left in the game. USF would record its largest lead of the contest at 17 points (66-49) with just over a minute remaining on a three-point field goal by Acosta.
USF, which made 25-of-59 shots for 42.4 percent and hit on eight-of-19 from the three-point line for a 42.1 percent clip in the contest, would finish with a 31-28 rebounding disadvantage. Acosta's nine rebounds paced USF, which also featured eight caroms by Pyle. At the charity stripe, the Saints converted eight-of-11 attempts for a 72.7 percent success mark. USF's defense forced the Bees into 20 turnovers compared to just seven miscues of their own.
Jamie Martens and Maddy Cash led St. Ambrose with 13 points apiece. SAU, which drops to 3-2 overall with the loss, received a game-high 11 rebounds performance from Jaynee Prestegaard. The Bees wrapped up the game shooting 45.2 percent (19-42) from the field, 50 percent (7-14) from behind the three-point arc, and were seven-for-10 in free throws for 70 percent.
The Saints finished the outing with 14 team assists as guard Kalyn Sias-Chaney (JR/Milwaukee, Wis.)'s six helpers led the way. Charlesworth dished out four assists. Sias-Chaney and Acosta also recorded a game-most four steals apiece in the contest.
The USF bench turned in a dominating effort, outscoring the Bees' reserves 31-9. The Saints also claimed a 16-5 advantage in points off turnovers and a 14-8 points edge in second-chance scoring.
The non-league matchup represented the Saints' sixth consecutive game to date against a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) member school.
Next Up
USF is now idle until after the 2021 New Year when the Saints are scheduled to visit the Judson Eagles on Saturday, Jan. 9, at 1 p.m. (CT) in their CCAC opener.
