Strong Second Half Paces University of St. Joseph (Conn.) Past Women's Basketball, 61-46

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - Elms College junior forward Denisha Parks (Fall River, Mass.) netted a team-high 16 points and junior forward JC Pickett (Chicopee, Mass.) pulled down a game-best 19 rebounds, but the University of St. Joseph (Conn.) outscored the Blazers, 34-19 in the second half to help the Blue Jays secure a 61-46 victory in Saturday afternoon's non-conference women's basketball game.  

With the loss, Elms moves to 4-6 on the season, while St. Joseph improves to 6-4 overall.

After playing to a 27-27 stalemate in the first half, St. Joseph took control of the contest in the second half highlighted by a 45.7 shooting percentage from the floor and 12 points from Heather Framski (Prospect, Conn.). 

Mary Hyde (Derby, Conn.) and Lindsey Dionne (Portland, Conn.) added eight points each in the second frame, while Devon Diliberto (Waterbury, Conn.) dished out four of her six helpers in the period. 

The Blue Jays started the second half on a 14-0 run that gave St. Joseph a 41-27 lead before freshman guard Emily Burr (East Hartford, Conn.) hit the front end of two free throws to halt the run with 13:04 to play in the contest.

Elms, which trailed by as many as 16 (45-29), chipped away at the Blue Jays' cushion using a 13-2 run that featured seven points from Burr to pull the Blazers to within five at 47-42 with 5:49 remaining in the game.

Two buckets by Hyde and one from Dionne extended St. Joseph's lead back to double figures at 53-42 with 3:52 on the clock and despite a pair of Parks free throws, Elms could get no closer as the Blue Jays secured the 61-46 victory. 

Diliberto finished with a game-high 17 points and Framski added 15 points to key St. Joseph's victory. Framski led the squad in rebounds with 11 followed by Hyde with 10 boards. 

Burr totaled 10 points behind Parks' 16-point effort, while Parks grabbed 15 rebounds to follow Pickett's impressive 19 rebounds. Pickett added nine points for the Blazers in the losing effort. 

Elms returns to New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) action on Tuesday, January 7 when it hosts Wheelock College at 7:00 p.m. at Picknelly Arena.