JOLIET, Ill. --- The University of St. Francis women's basketball team made gains of 30 points from its first meeting against Viterbo University back in November, but came up one point short in the end in closing out 2023 with a 73-72 setback to the V-Hawks on Thursday afternoon at the Pat Sullivan Center.

The Fighting Saints, who dropped a 65-43 decision to Viterbo on Nov. 15, rallied from 11 points down in the fourth quarter on Thursday to take a 72-71 lead with 1:34 remaining in the contest.  Emily McCurdy, however, hit two free throws 12 seconds later and the V-Hawks hung on for the win.

USF (6-6) did have three chances after McCurdy's free throws to retake the lead, but missed a layup on its first possession.  Following a Viterbo turnover, the Saints then had a missed three-pointer and a turnover following an offensive rebound in the closing ten seconds before a desperation three at the buzzer after a pair of V-Hawk missed free throws.

Viterbo (4-6) jumped out to a 9-2 lead at the outset only to have USF respond with a trio of three-pointers – two from Tykara Harrison – and a traditional three-point play from Jorja Bolton to grab its only lead of the game (14-13) until late in the contest.  Double-figure deficits would follow in the second and third quarters, the latter of which was the highest at 13 points at the 6:49 mark.

USF mounted its big charge – outscoring Viterbo 19-8 – after the seven-minute mark of the fourth quarter beginning with a layup and a three-pointer from Mia Kennelly.  Harrison netted seven points in a row down the stretch with a perfect 5-for-5 report at the free-throw line, the last of which was part of a three-point play.  Laurelei Thormeyer then put the Saints up for the first time since early in the affair with her three-pointer at the 1:34 mark.

Five of seven St. Francis players that saw court time scored in double figures, topped by Harrison's game-high 18 points off the bench.  Bolton tossed in 12 points, while Thormeyer, Kennelly and Baylei Johnson each totaled ten markers.

Marley Hughes and Emma Wagner led Viterbo with 17 points each, while McCurdy provided another 12 points.

After outscoring the Saints 22-16 in the first quarter, Viterbo shot .586 from the field (17-of-29), including .667 beyond the arc (8-of-12), over its final three quarters.  USF offset that by forcing 15 turnovers in the final 30 minutes and rang up 24 points off miscues for the game. 

The V-Hawks also held a 33-23 rebounding advantage.

The Saints finished the afternoon shooting .426 from the field (23-of-54), .286 from long range (8-of-28) and a near-perfect 18-of-19 from the charity stripe. 

Notes: Harrison has scored in double figures in five straight contests … Thormeyer tied both a personal career- and team-high for the season with her seven assists … USF's .947 free-throw mark was its best of the year … The contest was the first for the Saints in 12 days and will be followed by another 12-day layoff before a return to Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play on Jan. 3 when they host Olivet Nazarene University.  

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