SHEVLIN SCORES CAREER-HIGH AS SAINTS SNAP BLUE JAYS' STREAK
Feb. 17, 2011
BOSTON, Mass. - The Emmanuel Saints snapped Saint Joseph College's eight-game win streak on Thursday night with a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) 85-59 victory in the Jean Yawkey Center. The Blue Jays, who clinched their first GNAC Tournament bid since the 2005-06 season, entered the game at 17-5 on the season and 7-3 in conference play, but were no match for the 17-7 Saints, who remain undefeated in the GNAC at 11-0. Senior point guard Casey Shevlin (Medford, N.Y.) scored a career-high 17 points, collected 6 steals and dished out 4 assists to lead the Saints.
Emmanuel opened the contest with a 5-0 run. Saint Joseph's first field goal of the night was the trifecta that rookie guard Devon Diliberto (Waterbury, Conn.) needed to break the Blue Jay's single-season record for three-pointers set back in the 1999-00 season. Diliberto knocked down the three-ball from the left wing for her 55th trey of the season and Saint Joseph trailed 7-3.
Diliberto and Shevlin exchanged three-pointers at opposite ends to set the score at 17-8 with twelve minutes left in the half. The Saints opened it up to a 23-10 lead after a turn-around in the post by Fiona O'Dwyer (Stamford, Conn.) at the nine-minute mark. An and-one by freshman center Victoria Johnson (Syracuse, N.Y.) stretched the EC lead to 28-12 just a minute later.
Two hoops off offensive rebounds by Shauna Sullivan (Rocky Hill, Conn.) cut the Blue Jays' deficit to 32-16 with five minutes remaining. A hoop in the paint and a three by freshman guard Mary Hyde (Derby, Conn.) helped Saint Joseph end the half on a 10-6 run, as the hosts carried a 38-26 lead into the break at halftime.
Diliberto's eight points led all scorers at halftime. Both Shevlin and Johnson posted 7 first-half points for the Saints, while O'Dwyer added 6 points. Emmanuel shot 57.1% (16-28) from the floor and out-rebounded Saint Joseph, 20-16, in the first half.
A 7-0 Emmanuel run kicked off the second half and the Saints led, 45-26, as the Blue Jays called for a quick time-out just 90 seconds into the frame. Emmanuel's pressure defense continued to give the Blue Jay backcourt troubles in the second half, as the Saints turned turnovers into lay-ups at the opposite end.
Shevlin's third three-ball of the night gave Emmanuel a 54-36. Another trifecta on the Saints' next possession by Breanna Ockimey (Philadelphia, Pa.) stretched the Emmanuel lead over twenty points, as the Saints continued to shoot lights out from long range.
Solid shooting by Hyde helped the Blue Jays hang around, as Saint Joseph trailed 63-47 with nine minutes to go. The Saints then held the Blue Jays scoreless for almost four minutes. A runner in the lane by Chenae Earle (South Orange, N.J.) and a bucket in the paint by O'Dwyer were part of a 9-0 run by Emmanuel, as the Saints went up, 72-47 at the five-minute mark.
Senior guard Carla Andre (Medford, N.Y.) and rookie guard Darcey Sullivan (Dalton, Mass.) joined the long-range shooting exhibition, as both stuck three-balls late in the game for the Saints. All of Emmanuel's dressed players scored hoops in the contest, as the Saints came away with the 85-59 victory, to remain unbeaten in league play and continue their now nine-game win streak.
Shevlin knocked down 6 of her 8 shots from the floor and went 3 for 4 from behind the arc en route to her career-high and game-high 17 points. O'Dwyer added 16 points and Ockimey finshed with 9 points on 4 for 5 shooting for Emmanuel. Kristin LeBel (Tolland, Conn.) dished out 6 assists and Jasmine Burwell (Brentwood, N.Y.) grabbed 6 rebounds for Emmanuel. The Saints, who are ranked 7th nationally in assists, dished out 25 helpers as a team.
Hyde led the visitors with 16 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds in a solid 37-minute effort. Sullivan chipped in with 10 points and Diliberto finished with 9 for the Blue Jays.
The Saints will travel to Providence, R.I. on Saturday to take on the Wildcats of Johnson & Wales University in a 1pm start. Emmanuel will then host a GNAC Tournament Quarterfinal game on Tuesday night (2/22) at 7pm.