Jewel White and Amanda Saab go for 15 points apiece in the win for the Ravens

BOXSCORE

BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (December 29, 2011) -- The No. 19 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University women's basketball team used a smothering defensive effort Thursday afternoon to snap a three-game losing streak with a satisfying 82-48 win over the University of the District of Columbia in the C.W. Post Holiday Tournament in Brookville, N.Y. The Ravens improved to 7-3 overall (5-3 in the Northeast-10), while UDC fell to 8-2.

Franklin Pierce scored 82 points on a solid 41 percent shooting from the floor, but it was the Ravens' defensive effort which led the way in the win. Franklin Pierce limited UDC to 25 percent shooting (18-of-71) from the floor, including just a 20 percent clip (5-of-24) from behind the three-point arc. UDC also did itself no favors in shooting just 41 percent (7-of-17) from the free throw line.

The Ravens forced UDC into 17 turnovers and scored 25 points off of those. Franklin Pierce also held the advantage on the glass by posting a 57-44 edge, including owning a 35-18 advantage in second chance points. Ten of the 11 Ravens that played in the game posted at least two rebounds, including six with at least four boards.

Three Ravens scored in double-figures, including senior center Jewel White (Worcester, Mass.) and junior forward Amanda Saab (Windham, N.H.), who each chipped in with 15 points. White, who shot 5-of-6 from the field, also tallied a double-double as she pulled down 12 rebounds. Saab pulled down eight rebounds and dished out four assists.

Senior forward Marielle Giroud (Martigny, Switzerland) dumped in 10 points for Franklin Pierce and also totaled seven rebounds, four assists, a block and a steal. Sophomore guards Kate McDonald (Fall River, Mass.) and Brittany Martelle (Brookfield, Conn.) each knocked down a pair of three-pointers and scored eight points, while graduate backcourt mate Jasmyra Saunders (Trenton, N.J.) chipped in with seven points.

Lauren Brittingham was the only UDC player to score in double-figures as she came off the bench to toss in 10 points.

Despite the lopsided final score, UDC was the team that pushed the tempo early and built a 10-2 lead just two and a half minutes into the contest. Jamilia Bonner and Janelle Junior each stroked a triple to spark the early surge. Franklin Pierce countered with a 9-0 run, capped by a three-point play from White, to go on top 11-10 minutes later and the game remained close for the next several minutes.

Denikka Brent laid in a basket to put UDC up 24-22 with 8:41 to go in the half, but that would be the last time it would threaten the rest of the game.

Franklin Pierce kicked it into high gear and reeled off the next 16 points, sparked by a trey from  Martelle, to go up 38-24 with 3:30 to go until halftime. Giroud aided the surge with four points, while White added back-to-back layups. Saab tossed in a basket of her own and sophomore guard Brooke Coderre (Woonsocket, R.I.) bomed in a three to cap the run. The Ravens eventually took a 42-29 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Franklin Pierce didn't let up in the second half and came out of the locker room at halftime  and scored 17 of the stanza's first 19 points to open up a commanding 59-31 lead with 13:13 remaining. McDonald highlighted the opening rally with a pair of triples.

Saab dropped in a triple minutes later to push the Ravens' lead out to 32 at 70-38 and Franklin Pierce would lead by as many as 35 points late in sealing the victory.

Franklin Pierce returns to action Friday when the Ravens take on C.W. Post in the tournament finale at 5 p.m. The Ravens return home to Rindge on Jan. 3 when they play host to Southern Connecticut State at 5:30 p.m. in The Fieldhouse.

For more information on Franklin Pierce women's basketball, please visit the team's page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow the program even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceAthletics).