WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Mount Ida College matched University of Saint Joseph through each of the first two quarters, but the Blue Jays outscored them by 13 points in the third quarter to hand the Mustangs a 70-56 defeat on Saturday in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's basketball action at the O'Connell Center.
USJ improved to 3-19 overall and 2-7 in the GNAC; Mount Ida dropped to 5-18 overall and 3-7 in the conference.
Angelique Martinez (Taunton, Mass.) recorded a double-double for Mount Ida with 14 points, 13 rebounds and a team-high five assists. Katlyn Jesse (Marshfield, Mass.) scored 15 points for the Mustangs and Trish Liotta (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) scored 12.
USJ sophomore Kayla Guest (Newington, Conn.) had career-highs of 31 points, 18 rebounds and six blocked shots.
The teams played two very even quarters to start the game. Jesse had six points for Mount Ida in the opening 10 minutes, which ended 12-12 and Rajeen Mayo (Middletown, Conn.) scored all nine of her points for USJ in the first half, which was deadlocked, 32-all.
Guest dominated play in the second half. After shooting 3-for-10 in the first half, she went 11-for-15 after the break with 24 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in the second half. She scored all 14 USJ points in the fourth quarter. Stephanie DeJesus (Meriden, Conn.) and Carlee Putnam scored 13 points each for USJ. Elisha Pertillar (Windsor, Conn.) had nine rebounds for the Blue Jays and Mayo had nine points, six rebounds and five steals.
DeJesus made a jump shot and a layup in the opening minute of the second half to give USJ the lead and the Blue Jays would not trail in the final 20 minutes. A DeJesus three-pointer gave USJ its biggest lead of the game at 56-39 in the final minute of the third quarter, which ended with USJ ahead 56-43.
A three-pointer by Jesse got the Mustangs within 58-48 with 8:34 to play, but they would get no closer as Guest shot 6-for-7, pulled down five more rebounds and blocked another two shots in the fourth.
Mount Ida is at Pine Manor Tuesday in a 6 p.m. non-conference game.
USJ hosts Suffolk Tuesday, Feb. 16 in a 7 p.m. GNAC game.