The Saint Joseph's women's basketball team secured a 66-48 victory over Columbia on Thursday morning in New York, driven by a stifling defense that held the Lions to 33.3% shooting. Gabby Casey led the Hawks with 17 points, including three 3-pointers. The win improves Saint Joseph's to 3-0 all-time against Columbia.
In a game marked by strong defensive play, the Saint Joseph's Hawks defeated the Columbia Lions 66-48. Both teams started slowly, with Columbia scoring the first basket after two and a half minutes. Saint Joseph's responded with a 9-0 run, featuring four points from Faith Stinson, to take a 15-6 lead after the first quarter, capped by a Gabby Casey assist to Jill Jekot.
The second quarter saw the Hawks extend their advantage to double figures midway through, thanks to a 5-0 run ended by Aleah Snead's drive. Columbia narrowed the gap to six points late, but Snead added five straight points to push the lead to 11. Free throws from the Lions made it 31-22 at halftime.
Casey opened the third with two 3-pointers, giving Saint Joseph's a 40-28 edge with 4:47 left. Columbia mounted a 7-0 run to close within five, but Casey and Rhian Stokes combined for a 9-0 response, leading 49-37 after a late Columbia putback.
In the fourth, after Columbia cut the lead to six, Jekot and Snead scored back-to-back baskets. The Hawks then went on a 9-0 run, scoring 11 of the final 13 points to seal the win. Saint Joseph's held Columbia to 16-for-48 from the field and 0-for-14 from 3-point range, forcing 23 turnovers while committing 22 themselves.
Casey finished with 17 points on 5-for-9 shooting, including 3-for-6 from deep, plus five rebounds and three assists—16 points in the second half. Snead added 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Stokes scored 14 points on 8-for-9 free throws with three steals. Cecilia Kay led the bench with seven points. The Hawks shot 47.8% from the floor.