JOLIET, Ill. --- Akyia Baker netted a game-high 22 points for the University of St. Francis women's basketball team, but that was not enough to offset two big middle quarters by University of Saint Francis (Ind.) as the Cougars came away with a 69-57 victory on the first day of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference/Crossroads League Crossover on Friday night at the Sullivan Center.

Trailing 14-11 heading into the second quarter, Saint Francis (Ind.) outscored the Fighting Saints 37-19 in the second and third quarters combined to set USF back for the first time on the season.  Taylor Fordyce came off the bench to author a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds) with Isabella Gizzi registering a team-high 19 points for Saint Francis.

Besides Baker, Le'Lani Harris produced 13 points and seven rebounds.  No other St. Francis player contributed more than six points.

Tied at 21-all midway through the second quarter, Saint Francis (4-1) went on a 12-4 run to take a 33-25 lead into the break.  Another 8-3 push that started late in the third quarter and extended into the fourth frame provided the guests with their biggest advantage at 50-33 with 9:25 remaining in the game.

From there, the Saints would get the deficit down to single digits only twice the rest of the night at 54-46 with 3:42 left and 58-49 at 2:33.

St. Francis (3-1) shot a season-low 30.6 percent for the game, while Saint Francis hit on 25 of its 53 shots (47.2 pct.).  The Cougars also converted at a 50 percent clip over the final three quarters after hitting only three of their nine first-quarter attempts.  The Saints were just 8-of-27 (29.6 percent) in the decisive middle quarters.

Notes: Eighteen of Baker's 22 points came from beyond the arc, marking a season high for any Saint in that category this year … Saint Francis (Ind.) committed just 11 turnovers, resulting in a season-low four steals for the Saints.  USF's first three opponents this year averaged 25.3 miscues per game … St. Francis' 13 turnovers were also a season low on Friday … The task gets no easier on Saturday when the Saints go up against NAIA No. 6 Marian with tip-off set for 3 pm.

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