University of St. Francis (III.)

JOLIET, Ill. -- Baylei Johnson authored her sixth career double-double and Coryn Fromm and Symone Harrell combined to score 24 points, but the University of St. Francis women's basketball team still came up eight points short in a 63-55 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference setback to Viterbo University (Wis.) on Wednesday night at the Pat Sullivan Center.

Viterbo (4-3, 1-0 CCAC) used 16-point second and fourth quarters to fend off the Fighting Saints.  After jumping out to a 16-8 lead after the first quarter, the Saints went scoreless from the floor (0-for-9) while connecting for nine free throws in the second, to aid Viterbo in cutting its deficit to just one point (25-24) heading into the halftime break.

The contest saw its most offensive action in the third quarter with the two teams combining to score 18 of the 41 total baskets in the game.  After trailing by as many as seven points earlier in the stanza, a deep three-pointer from Johnson capped a five-point USF swing to tie the game at 45-45, but a late layup at the buzzer would give Viterbo the two-point edge (47-45) to start the final period. 

The Saints would never get closer the rest of the night as a poor shooting performance from the floor in the last ten minutes (2-for-14) allowed Viterbo to widen its lead to as many as 14 points in the final stanza before finalizing the score at 63-55.

Aside from USF's shaky shooting (15-of-49, 30.6 pct.), the V-Hawks also took advantage of St. Francis' 19 turnovers on the night, turning them into 18 points off miscues.  In second chance scoring opportunities, the guests also bested the hosts with a 14 to 7 scoring differential.  The Saints were able to stay in the game, however, from the charity stripe with its 20-of-27 (74.1 pct.) showing, compared to Viterbo's 5-of-9 (55.6 pct.) mark.

Johnson's double-double was created by her 15 points and career-high 16 rebounds.  Harrell was one rebound shy of a double-double (10 points, nine rebounds), while Fromm added one assist to her 14-point night.

Nora Tucker and Carly Drew were the lone V-Hawks to score in double figures.  Both players netted 12 points apiece on a combined 10-of-21 shooting.

Up Next
The Saints will be at home to face Holy Cross College (Ind.) in a 1 pm CCAC contest on Saturday (Nov. 14).

You can keep up with everything happening around USF Athletics on X @USFSaints.