NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Thomas Jefferson University women's basketball team (9-2) used a 7-0 fourth-quarter run to take the lead for good in a 62-54 triumph at Southern Connecticut State on Saturday.
 
GAMEPLAY
It was all Jefferson in the early going as the Rams scored the first 12 points of the contest over the opening four minutes. Four different players contributed to the run. The Owls came back to make it 12-4 but Jefferson responded with six in a row for its largest lead of the period (18-4). SCSU cut the deficit to 11 (20-9) at the end of the frame.
 
The Owls netted the first bucket of the second but the Rams answered with six straight points to go ahead by 15 (26-11). Jefferson held a 14-point cushion (30-16) with 1:35 to go in the half but SCSU closed the gap to seven (30-23) at the break with the final seven points of the quarter.
 
The Rams started the third with a pair of layups to increase the margin to 11 (34-23). Not to be deterred, the Owls rallied for six consecutive points to get within five (34-29) at the 7:14 mark. Jefferson led by seven (40-33) when SCSU got hot again, recording the next seven to even the score at 40. The two sides were tied at 42 entering the final stanza.
 
The Owls produced the first basket of the fourth to take their first lead of the game, 44-42. The Rams came back with three points to go in front, 45-44. A jumper gave SCSU the advantage once again before Jefferson scored the next four to lead by three (49-46). A three-pointer by the Owls brought it to a 49-49 deadlock with 5:20 to go.
 
Jefferson took control once and for all with a 7-0 surge to make it 56-49 with 1:55 remaining. Haley Meinel (three), Sam Yencha (two) and Sabria Lytes (two) all chipped in to the run. The Rams forced four SCSU turnovers during the stretch. The Owls got within four (58-54) with 23 ticks left but Jefferson went 4-for-4 at the foul line and the Owls missed three shots from beyond the arc down the stretch.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Morgan Robinson: 18 points (career high) on 6-of-11 shooting, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block
- Cassie Murphy: 12 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist
- Haley Meinel: 9 points, 1 rebound, 1 block, 1 steal
- Sabria Lytes: 9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal
- Sam Yencha: 8 points, 13 rebounds (career high), 1 assist, 1 steal
 
JEFFERSON AS A TEAM
FG: 24-of-63 (38.1%)
3PT: 0-of-9 (0.0%)
FT: 14-of-20 (70.0%)
 
NOTES
- It was Jefferson's first trip to a Northeast-10 school during the regular season since November 14, 2004 (Source: Tim McCaffrey, D2EastHoops.org).
- The Rams have won five straight contests.
- Jefferson failed to make a three-pointer for the first time since November 9, 2019.
 
UP NEXT
The Rams return to action after the holiday break when they visit Chestnut Hill on Thursday, December 30 for a 1 p.m. game.