(Portions Courtesy of University of the Sciences Sports Information)

PHILADELPHIA, PA- The University of the Sciences women's basketball team won their third straight game, 83-54, over Georgian Court University Tuesday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

With the win, the Devils improve to 14-8 overall and 10-4 in Central Atlantic Coleegiate conference games.  Georgian Court drops to 5-18 overall and 4-12 in league play.  Sciences move into a tie with Goldey-Beacom College for third place in the CACC South Divisdion standings and clinch a spot in the conference playoffs with the win.

Sarah Hickman (Wilmnington Christian School/Newark, Del.) connected on seven of eight shots from the field (1 three-pointer) and made a pair of free throws enroute to her career high 17 points.  Brianne Traub (Eastern Christian HS/Wayne, N.J.) also had a 17-point night, and fell one rebound shy of a double-double with nine.  Elsebeth Birman (St. John College HS/Silver Spring, Md.) added 15 points (7-8 FG) and Becca Ruggear (Oxford Area HS/Oxford, Pa.) had 10 points (5-7 FG) and six rebounds.  Traub, Jessica Sylvester (Nazareth Academy/Trevose, Pa.) and Isabella Ross (Central HS/Philadelphia, Pa.) led the Devils with four assists apiece. 

A close game in the opening minutes, five lead changes highlighted the first five minutes before the Devils took the lead for good on a Hickman triple at the 15:35 mark.  Four minutes later Sciences exploded with a 19-2 spurt to turn a three point lead into a 20-point advantage 38-18 with 4:36 left in the period. Traub later added a pair of free throws to put the lead at 24, 44-20 before setting in for a 38-25 lead at the break.

The Devils scored the first 19 points of the second half to make this one a blowout, taking a 67-25 lead at the 11:28 mark, extending the run to 23-1 to take their biggest lead, 71-26, before the Lions got their first field goal of the second half, a Tahira Mathews layup at the 8:39 mark.  The Devils still led by 41, 79-38, with 5:33 left when both teams emptied their bench.  Georgian Court finished the game with a 16-4 run, making the final margin 29 points, 83-54.

Sciences' shooting effort was again strong, like it was in the first meeting between these two teams.   The Devils finished the game shooting 60.7% (34-56) while the Lions made just 27.4% (17-62) from the field.   GCU did outrebuond the Devils 39-36 and finished with more offensive rebounds (21) then defensive (18).  The Lions were also slightly better from the free throw line (19-24 to 11-15) while the Devils made three more shots from beyond the arc  and had the better assist/turnover ratio (22/20 to 10/22).

GCU's Evelyn Josbena enjoyed her best game as a Lion, collecting her first career double-double with a team-high 13 points and 10 rebounds. Shauneia McPhearson contributed 12 points of her own.

Georgian Court next travels to Bloomfield College this Saturday for another CACC contest. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 PM.