WHITING, Ind. --- The University of St. Francis women's basketball team regained the coveted No. 8 spot in the league standings with its 83-42 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference victory over Calumet College of St. Joseph on Wednesday night.

With one game left in the regular season, the Fighting Saints claimed the edge over St. Ambrose University, which has an identical 6-13 league record, on a tie-breaker for the final spot in the postseason.  USF earned that advantage by defeating a higher-ranked team (Olivet Nazarene) during the regular season.

Head coach John McGinty's club needs a victory at home on Saturday (1 pm) against Saint Xavier University or a loss by St. Ambrose University at Trinity Christian College on the same day to earn a bid to next week's CCAC Tournament.

On Wednesday, the Saints (10-17) took care of business using an unanswered run of 13 points in the first quarter to open a 12-point lead at the stop.  They then outscored Calumet St. Joseph (2-24, 0-19)  31-6 in the second quarter to put the game out of reach.

USF hit a season-high 14 three-pointers on the night, including five each from Tykara Harrison and Laurelei Thormeyer.  Harrison captured game-high scoring honors (23), while also contributing six rebounds and three assists.  Thormeyer put up 17 points, five rebounds and four assists.

They were two of four Saints to score in double figures.  The others were Jorja Bolton (16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) and Keijah Gray (11 points, 6 rebounds).

Also contributing were Mia Kennelly (9 rebounds, 7 points, 4 steals, 3 assists) and Ryann Houbolt (7 rebounds).

In the 31-point second quarter, St. Francis went 12-for-17 from the field (70.6 pct.), 5-of-8 on three-pointers (62.5 pct.) and made a pair of free throws in as many attempts. 

Calumet St. Joseph, which was held to 27.6 percent shooting from the field (16-of-58), was led by Sidney Elijah's 16 points.

Notes: Both CCSJ's 27.6 field goal shooting percentage and its 42 total points were the best numbers recorded by USF's defense on the season in each of those categories … The Saints also outrebounded the hosts 51-38 with the 51 boards being the second-highest total this season … St. Francis' six turnovers marked a season low … Houbolt's seven rebounds were a season high, while Hannah Cholke scored her first points (four) as a Saint … Kennelly fell one rebound short of making it four games in a row producing ten caroms … Harrison's 20-plus point performance was her eighth during her 20-game double-figure scoring streak.       

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