BOX SCORE GAME HIGHLIGHTS

LORETTO, Pa. (Jan. 5, 2013) – The Saint Francis women's basketball team opened Northeast Conference play Saturday with a, 81-76, win against Bryant in DeGol Arena.
 
Alli Williams (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) posted a career-high 30 points for the Red Flash (6-6, 1-0) as SFU held off a late charge from the Bulldogs (4-7, 0-1). Bryant got a great game from Naan Ankoma-Mensa, who led the Bulldogs with 25 points and pulled down a game-high 22 rebounds. Nickia Gibbs (Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) tied a season-high with 15 points for SFU and freshman Brooklyn Taylor (Greenville, Pa./Greenville) notched a career-high 11 off the bench. Bryant trimmed an eight-point SFU advantage in the second half down to just four with seven second left in regulation, but Williams sealed the victory for SFU at the free throw line.   

Bryant started the second half on an 8-2 run as the Red Flash connected on just one of its first seven shots. The Flash continued to struggle on the offensive side of the court and Bryant battled all the way to a 64-63 lead with 5:03 remaining.  It was Brittany Lilley (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) who stepped up in SFU's time of need.  Lilley drove to the hoop and tallied a big layup to put the Flash back in front. The make by Lilley started a 9-2 run for the SFU that gave them 73-66 advantage headed in to the final minute and a half. Bryant used pressure defense to force some key turnovers and make it a four point game (80-76) with less than 10 seconds remaining, but Williams sealed the win with by splitting a pair of free throws.   
 
Both teams opened the game hot from the field going a combined 12-of-23 from the field to start the game. Bryant got the better of the fast start and ran out to an 18-12 advantage. The pace remained fast the entire first frame and both teams remained hot from the field. The Red Flash took the lead into the locker room thanks to excellent 3-point shooting. SFU connected on 7-of-12 3-point attempts as Gibbs, Alexa Hayward (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) and Brooklyn Taylor (Greenville, Pa./Greenville) all hit a pair of first half 3-pointers.
 
The Red Flash returns to action Monday as they welcome Central Connecticut State Monday for a 7 p.m. tipoff.   
  GAME NOTES
- Alli Williams (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) notched her 1,000th career point in the first half becoming just the 22nd player in program history to score 1,000 points for her career.
 
- Nickia Gibbs (Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) posted 10 first half point and finished the game, but was limited to five in the second half.  
 
- The Red Flash connected on 7-of-12 first half 3-point attempts but went just 3-for-11 in the second half.
 
-Brooklyn Taylor (Greenville, Pa./Greenville) posted a career-high 11 points against Bryant and connected on a season-high three 3-pointers.
 
- Williams moved pasted current director of basketball operations Allison Daly on the SFU's all-time rebounding chart and now sits just five rebounds from becoming the 12th player in SFU history to record 600 career rebounds.