LORETTO, Pa. (Feb. 7, 2011) – Freshman Alexandra Williams scored a game-high-tying 14 points as the Saint Francis University women's basketball team cruised to its biggest win of the season, 68-51, against Central Connecticut State at DeGol Arena on Monday evening.

Saint Francis improves to 15-9 on the season and – with a 10-2 record in Northeast Conference play – remains tied atop the league standings with Robert Morris, setting up a pair of key clashes between the two teams next weekend.

The Flash play host to the Colonials (13-9; 10-2 NEC) on Saturday at 6 p.m. before making the trip to the Sewall Center for a 7 p.m. contest on Monday.

The Red Flash jumped on the NEC's stingiest defensive team early, opening up a 21-point advantage midway through the first half. CCSU was able to close the gap – but only slightly – by the intermission, going into the locker room on the short end of a 38-22 score.

Though the Blue Devils played Saint Francis evenly in the second half, they were unable to close the gap. CCSU shot 36.0 percent (9-for-25) from the field, while the Red Flash shot a frigid 28.6 percent (8-for-28).

Saint Francis, however, was lifted by passable free throw shooting.

Brittany Lilley (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) sank 7-of-8 attempts from the foul line to lead SFU's 64.5 percent (20-for-31) night from the line. Flash shooters converted on 14 of 23 attempts in the second half alone. Lilley finished with 13 points.

Central Connecticut was able to cut the Flash lead to 10 at the nine minute mark of the second half on a Kerrianne Dugan free throw, but could get no closer. SFU outscored the Blue Devils 16-6 over the next four minutes to all but clinch the victory.

Sophomore Shené Fleming also turned in a solid night while most of Saint Francis' usual offensive stars were quiet. Fleming scored 11 points and tied Williams for the team lead in rebounds with nine.

The Red Flash were dominant on the boards on the night. Despite facing one of the league's top rebounding teams, Saint Francis grabbed 51 rebounds to the Blue Devils' 32. An impressive 22 of SFU's boards came on the offensive glass.

Senior guard Samantha Leach (Mount Sterling, Ohio/Miami Trace) – who had scored in double figures in each contest this season – scored eight points to see her streak snapped at 23 games.

Dugan was CCSU's leading scorer with 14 points. Leanne Crockett pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds for the Blue Devils.