The second tier did their best to claw forward to make noise among the top tier of Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball standings on Wednesday.
In Philadelphia, an 18-point performance by Erin Nelson aided the St. Louis Billikens to a big road victory, 69-65 over St. Joseph's. It was the second league victory for St. Louis, improving to 2-5, 7-13. The upset loss stung the Hawks, who fell to 5-3 in the A-10, 16-5 overall. This will prove to be one of those "bad" losses people like to talk about come NCAA Tournament time.
Erin Shields, Sarah Fairbanks and Natasha Cloud all had 15 points for St. Joseph's.
Also in the City of Brotherly Love, a senior and a freshman rose to the occasion for the Richmond Spiders, reeling after the news that leading scorer Olivia Healy was lost for the season after a knee injury a week earlier, came into Tom Gola Arena and defeated the one-time first place La Salle Explorers, 56-39.
Hubbard, the freshman, led the Spiders with 18 points. King, the senior, added 17 as well as six rebounds. Defense was key for Richmond, holding the Explorers to a 24.5 percent performance from the floor. They missed all eleven three-point shot attempts. Jasmine Alston and Alicia Cropper each scored 11 for La Salle, now 5-3, 10-10. The Spiders are 4-4 in league play and 10-11 overall.
The one team to keep it going in the upper tier during the Wednesday night tripleheader was league leader Duquesne, who forced 26 George Mason turnovers en route to a 64-45 win in Fairfax.
The Patriots, still looking for their first-ever league victory, started two freshman, trying to find a rhythm, a formula for that elusive "W". It started well as George Mason took an early lead, but the Dukes punched back with a 10-0 run for a 14-10 lead eight minutes in. The lead by halftime was 33-25.
It wasn't a strong shooting night for the Dukes, shooting 35 percent from the field on the night. But hitting 17-of-23 free throws helped, as did 13 assists and less than half of Mason's 26 turnovers. The Dukes committed 12.
Wumi Abunbiade led Duquesne with 16 points, Raegan Moore had 15 and Olivia Bresnahan added 12. Janaa Pickard led George Mason with 12 points, the only Patriot in double figures. Credit Duquesne for good work defensively on Sandra Ngoie, held to only four points and three rebounds while saddled in foul trouble.
The Dukes are now 7-1 in A-10 play, 15-6 overall, while George Mason is at 0-8, 6-15.
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