DAYTON, Ohio - The St. Francis University women's basketball team knocked off host Wright State, 98-81, in the consolation game of the Wright State Invitational Tournament Friday.
Alli Williams posted a season-high 27 points and collected 12 rebounds to lead the Red Flash (5-5, 0-0) to their first win since Nov. 28.
Alexa Hayward matched a career-high with 23 points on 6-of-11 shooting from behind the 3-point arc. The Raiders (5-6, 0-0) fought hard and got 45 points from their bench, led by 33 from KC Elkins but could not complete a strong second half comeback.
"It was a fun game to be a part of, it is always fun when you shoot the ball well," St, Francis coach Joe Haigh said. "We had a great shooting day but the main thing is we overcame adversity in a tough stretch in the second half when Wright State cut the lead to six. We really needed to have a game like this where we fought through such a tough stretch and came together to get the win."
St. Francis dominated the early parts of the second half and pushed its lead to 21 points, but Wright State refused to quit and trimmed the SFU advantage to just six before the Flash regained control and cruised to the win.
The Red Flash racked up a season-high 53 second-half points to outscore the Raiders in the second frame as WSU racked up 44 points in the second stanza. Williams scored 15 of her 27 in the second half as the junior picked up her sixth double-double of the season, (12 rebounds) on her way to all-tournament honors.
Hayward racked up 15 of her 23 in the second half as the sophomore connected on four second-half 3-pointers. Wright State launched 40 3-pointers in the game, a season high for an SFU opponent, prior to Friday no team had attempted more than 27 against the Red Flash.
The Red Flash stormed out of the gate in the first half and hit six of their first eight shots and jumped out to a 14-4 advantage. Hayward powered the early run connecting on her first two 3-point attempts. The Raiders responded with a 16-6 run to even the game at 20. The Flash continued to be hot from the field and posted their highest scoring first half of the season en route to a 45-37 halftime advantage.
The Red Flash head into a 10-day break for the Christmas holiday before returning to action on New Year's Eve against back-to-back national semifinalist Notre Dame.
ST. FRANCIS (5-5): Williams 11-18 4-4 27, Hayward 8-14 1-2 23, Lilley 3-4 1-2 9, Fleming 2-3 0-1 3, Taylor 2-4 1-2 7, Keegan 3-4 1-3 7, Phillips 2-3 0-0 5, Watts 1-1 0-0 2, Carangelo 0-0 1-2 1, Brock 0-0 0-0 0, Sparks 0-1 0-0 0, Doogan 0-2 0-0 0. Totals - 36-63 14-24 98.
WRIGHT STATE (5-6): Demmings 3-10 3-3 10, LaMotte 3-7 1-1 9, James 3-8 1-2 8, Stucke 2-8 2-2 7, McCune 1-1 0-0 2, Elkins 10-19 6-10 33, Jump 2-7 0-2 6, Innocent 1-1 4-4 6. Totals - 25-61 17-24 81.
Halftime-St. Francis, 45-37. 3-point goals-St. Francis 12-23 (Hayward 6-11, Lilley 2-2, Taylor 2-4, Phillips 1-1, Williams 1-3, Doogan 0-2); Wright State 14-40 (Elkins 7-13, LaMotte 2-3, Jump 2-7, Demmings 1-6, James 1-5, Stucke 1-6). Assists-St. Francis 30 (Lilley 7); Wright State 12 (Demmings, Elkins, 5 each). Rebounds-St. Francis 42 (Williams 12); Wright State 31 (Stucke 9).
