DUBUQUE, Iowa --- NAIA No. 13-ranked Clarke University (Iowa) continued to be the only thorn in the side of the University of St. Francis women's basketball team – ranked No.12 in the latest NAIA poll – after the Pride defeated the Fighting Saints for the second time this season 68-54 Saturday afternoon. The two losses are the only setbacks on the season for USF, which saw its nine-game winning streak snapped.
Clarke (11-1) defeated head coach Steve Brooks' team the first time back on Nov. 10, 78-72, when the Saints were ranked No.16 and Clarke was at its current positioning, No. 13.
USF (11-2) limited the hosts to just five field goals in 22 attempts (.227) in the first two quarters combined, but Clarke used an 18-12 scoring advantage in the first quarter and 12-of-14 accuracy at the free throw line in the first 20 minutes to head into the break tied at 24-all.
The Saints were also fortunate to gain the tie at halftime after trailing by the six-point margin initially. USF's defense picked things up in the second quarter by holding Clarke to just six points after yielding the 18 markers through the first stop.
Nonetheless, the guests seemed to play catch-up all afternoon long and it continued right at the start of the third quarter when Clarke tallied the first eight points of the frame and never trailed again. USF would get as close as two points twice late in the quarter and had it at 45-42 with 7:45 remaining in the contest before Clarke went on a 17-2 run to key a 28-17 fourth-quarter scoring advantage.
The Pride's 17 points during that stretch came on three treys and eight free throws, with Clarke's 39 charity shots on the day accounting for the 14-point gap in the end. The hosts went 29 of 39 at the foul line, while USF was 15 of 19. Clarke also found its shooting touch in the second half, converting at a .579 clip (11 of 19), including five three-pointers in ten attempts.
USF entered the game as the fifth-best scoring defense in the nation, allowing just 48.5 points this season. Clarke, however, for the second straight time, became the only team to tally more than 52 points against that defense this year.
Three of five starters reached double figures in scoring for both teams. Andriana Acosta (SR/Crest Hill, Ill.) led all scorers with 17 markers. Jordan Pyle (JR/Traralgon, Australia) and Shadrian McDaniel (JR/Chicago, Ill.) each supplied another ten points for the Saints.
For Clarke, Giana Michels and Makenna Haase registered 15 points each with Tina Ubl totaling 14.
The Saints return home for just the second time in the last 50 days when they host St. Ambrose University in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference matchup Wednesday (Jan. 13). Tipoff is set for 5 pm.
