Feb. 29, 2008

PHILADELPHIA - Saint Joseph's and Rhode Island meet for the 51st time as both squads cap the 2007-08 regular season Saturday afternoon at Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse. Saint Joseph's will honor its senior class prior to today's tip off. The Hawks will recognize student-athletes Timisha Gomez, Krista Hutchison, Amy Wold and managers Kim Hartzell and Liz Ryan in a pregame ceremony.

• Click here for Saint Joseph's game notes

GAME STORIES . . .
• A victory Saturday for the Hawks would secure the 33rd winning season in the 35-year history of Division I basketball at Saint Joseph's.
• The Hawks have already locked into sixth place in next week's A-10 Tournament, but will not know their opponent in the 6-vs.-11 matchup until the final games Saturday evening.
• Senior guard Timisha Gomez's 86.7 free-throw percentage is currently seventh highest among SJU single-season marks.
• Junior Mary Kate McDade is coming off a career-high 10 points and added six rebounds as the Hawks topped La Salle 70-52 to finish their Big 5 season at 2-2.

LAST TIME OUT
Behind a career-high 10 points and game-high six assists from Mary Kate McDade and 18 points and four assists off the bench from Timisha Gomez, Saint Joseph's topped La Salle, 70-52, Wednesday night in each squad's Big 5 finale.

MCING IT HAPPEN
Serving as backup point guard her first two seasons on Hawk Hill, junior Mary Kate McDade has thrived this year as a starter. Currently sixth in the Atlantic 10, and first on SJU, the Philadelphia native has dished out 116 assists over the first 28 games (4.14), well above her career average (1.47 apg). Also, McDade has become a bigger scoring threat this season, scoring 93 points this year, compared to 75 over her first two seasons.

THREE HAWKS EARN ATLANTIC 10 AND BIG 5 WEEKLY HONORS
Both the Atlantic 10 and the Philadelphia Big 5 have recognized three Saint Joseph's players throughout the course of this season for their exceptional play on a weekly basis. Seniors Timisha Gomez (1/14) and Amy Wold (12/31) have both earned Big 5 Player of the Week accolades, while freshman Sarah Acker has been selected Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week four times (12/10, 12/31, 2/11, 2/18) and Big 5 Player of the Week once (2/11).

GO-TO GOMEZ
It has been a solid senior season for Timisha Gomez. Averaging a career-high in scoring (11.1 ppg) and boards (3.7), the Elkridge, Md., native has led the Hawks in scoring eight times and scored in double figures 17 times. Gomez, who set a career-high of 21 points three times this year, earned Brown Classic All-Tournament Team honors after helping SJU to the title.

LOSCHIAVO AMONG TOP THREE-POINT SHOOTERS IN SJU HISTORY
Arguably Saint Joseph's most consistent three-point threat, junior Jenna Loschiavo has continued to etch her name in the Hawk's record book this year. Coming off a career-high 71 three pointers as a sophomore - tying for 10th in single-season history - Loschiavo has ascended into the top-10 for both career three pointers made and attempted. Both her 143 field goals from behind the arc and 386 attempts rank seventh all-time, with her 37.0 field goal percentage currently sixth.

MORAN IMMORTALIZED
This past Sunday, Saint Joseph's honored former Hawk great - and current assistant coach - Susan Moran by retiring the 2002 graduate's #10 jersey. Helping SJU to two NCAA Tournament appearances and the 1999 A-10 Championship, Moran was a four-time A-10 All-Conference and Big 5 honoree and All-American Honorable Mention as a senior. Starting all 122 games, she is the only Hawk ever to lead her team in both scoring and rebounding all four years. The Tullamore, Ireland native still holds the all-time scoring mark, tallying 2,340 points.

ACK ATTACK
Having played in just 28 collegiate games, Saint Joseph's freshman Sarah Acker has already made an impact for the Hawks. Saint Joseph's leader in scoring (11.9 ppg), the Nanticoke, Pa., native currently is third in the Atlantic 10 in rebounding (8.8 rpg) and is fourth in blocks (44), with her team-leading 59.4 field goal percentage second in the A-10. Ackers' 44 blocks are currently tied for fourth in SJU single-season history.

GILLESPIE GOING STRONG
It has been a breakout season for sophomore guard Amy Gillespie. Tied for sixth in scoring (6.7 ppg), third in three pointers (36) and earning Hawkeye Challenge All-Tournament Team honors, the the Springfield, Pa., native has thrived in a larger role this season. Gillespie, who averaged 21 points per game at the Hawkeye Challenge, more than tripled her entire scoring (44) and rebounding (21) totals from last season, as she enters Saturday's game with 180 points and 71 rebounds. She is also one of only four Hawks to register 20-point games twice this season.

FORD TOUGH
Averaging 13 points and 6.8 rebounds per game en route to Atlantic 10 All-Tournament honors last March, forward Brittany Ford was expecting a stellar start to the 2007-08 season. That didn't occur as planned as the Wilmington, DE native missed the opening 10 games with a minor knee injury. Returning to the lineup at Seton Hall, Ford is still shaking off the rust, but has still posted solid numbers for SJU, averaging 8.3 points, 2.9 rebounds per game, to go along with 15 blocks. At Temple, Ford posted a season-high with 19 points and added five rebounds.

POST MANEUVERS
With several Hawks having a larger role this season compared to last, there is no arguing the transformation of SJU's sophomore forward Ashley Logue. Playing limited time in just seven games a year ago, Logue has excelled this year, playing in all 28 games, including 18 starts. Scoring only two points and adding six rebounds as a rookie, Logue eclipsed all her career-highs in the opener at Lehigh (16 points and six rebounds). To date, Logue has scored 151 points (5.4 ppg) and is second in rebounding with 109 boards (3.9 rpg).

SJU CLAIMS HILTON PHILADELPHIA HAWK CLASSIC TITLE
The Hilton Philadelphia Hawk Classic championship trophy returned to Saint Joseph's as the Hawks topped NO. 15 Auburn, 71-69, in the title game (recap on page 18). The Hawks earned the title, the sixth in 17 years, backed by MVP Amy Wold and All-Tournament Team member Sarah Acker's 17 and 16 points, respectively. Saint Joseph's previously won the Hawk Classic in 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001. The Hawks topped NJIT, 68-59, in the opening round as senior guard Timisha Gomez paced SJU with 16 points.

WOLD AND GOMEZ LEADS SJU TO BROWN CLASSIC CHAMPIONSHIP
The Hawks captured their 14th in-season title in program history as SJU topped Manhattan (65-58) and Brown (65-54) to claim the Brown Basketball Classic title. Saint Joseph's senior Amy Wold earned MVP honors after posting a career-high 20 points and seven assists in the title game. Classmate Timisha Gomez was named to the All-Tournament Team as she led SJU with 17 points in the opener versus the Jaspers.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Hawks open play Friday, March 7 at the Atlantic 10 Tournament.