WILMINGTON, Del. – The La Salle women's basketball team trailed Sacred Heart by three points at the end of the first quarter, but a 41-point scoring effort over the next two frames gave the Explorers the advantage it needed to defeat the Pioneers 72-44 on Saturday, Dec. 18 at CHASE Fieldhouse.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Back-to-back three-pointers from Sacred Heart in the opening three minutes of play gave the Pioneers a lead it wouldn't relinquish through the remainder of the quarter, leading by as many as five two times.
• The Explorers went on a 4-0 run comprised of layups from Jaye Haynes and Claire Jacobs to take a one-point lead over the Pioneers in the first minute of the second frame. La Salle put together 16 more points in the quarter shooting 50.0% to take an 11-point lead into the half, 34-23.
• A 13-4 run put La Salle up by as many as 23, 53-30, with just over a minute remaining in the third frame. The Explorers stepped up to the charity stripe as many as seven times in the frame sinking six of their attempts (.857).
• Sacred Heart tried to mount a comeback in the final quarter shooting 5-of-16 from the field, but couldn't overcome the deficit with La Salle extending its lead by as many as 31 points in the final frame.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Gabby Crawford saw action for the first time in a La Salle uniform pacing the Explorers with a team-high 17 points in the game on 6-of-11 shooting and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe.
• Claire Jacobs and Haynes also hit double-digits with 16 points and 10 points respectively.
• The Explorers won the turnover battle with a margin of +9. The squad also out-rebounded the Pioneers 46-33.
• La Salle dominated in points from turnovers (25-10), points in the paint (30-22), second chance points (20-9) and points off the bench (40-10).

GAME NOTES:

• La Salle has won six of its last eight contests. The victory marks the Explorers largest margin of victory this season, 28 points.
• La Salle's 31-point lead in the fourth quarter, marks the largest lead the Explorers have taken in a contest this season.
• Spruill and Jordon Lewis pulled down a team-high seven rebounds apiece.
• Claire Jacobs has now scored 10-plus points in the last four consecutive contests.
• Sara Carfagno made her first appearance in a game recording a career-high three minutes and one rebound.
• Christina Kline tied her season-high 3-point field goals made with two.
• Nine of the 13 Explorers who played scored in the game. All but one person on the roster made an appearance in the contest, including two players who made their first appearance in a game this season.
• Amy Jacobs tied her career-high blocks with two.
• Lewis' seven rebounds marks a new season-high.
• La Salle is now a perfect 4-0 in the all-time series against Sacred Heart. Head coach Mountain MacGillivray is now 1-0.

UP NEXT:

• The Explorers return home on Tuesday, Dec. 21 to take on Big 5 foe Villanova at 1 p.m.