NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Behind four double-digit scorers, including a team-high 25 points from Jakara Murray-Leach (Norwalk, Conn.), the Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team knocked off Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) foe Saint Joseph's College of Maine by a final score of 73-68 on Saturday afternoon inside "The Nest". 

Along with her 25 points, Murray-Leach finished with seven boards, four steals, two assists, and a block. Fellow teammate Natasha Rivera (Ansonia, Conn.) pitched in with 16 points, while Amanda Zdru (Stratford, Conn.) and Diamond White (Hamden, Conn.) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 15 and 11 points, respectively.          

THE BASICS
Final: Albertus Magnus 73 | Saint Joseph's College of Maine 68     
Records: Albertus Magnus (17-1, 12-0 GNAC) | Saint Joseph's College of Maine (13-4, 8-1 GNAC)
Box Score

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Albertus and Saint Joseph's (ME) battled back and forth for the lead until a layup from White at 5:51 ignited a 6-0 spurt that put the Falcons ahead 11-6.
• Shortly after, the Monks battled back to within three, 11-8, but back-to-back baskets from Murray-Leach gave the Falcons a seven-point cushion with 3:02 left in the first stanza. 
• The Monks roared back with a 5-0 push to make it a two-point game, 15-13, but a 7-0 explosion from the Falcons over the final two minutes of the first, including five points from White, gave the hosts the 22-13 lead heading into the second.
• Saint Joseph's (ME) opened the following quarter with a 6-2 run, bringing the visitors within five, 24-19, three minutes in. 
• The next six minutes saw both teams tighten up defensively until a three from Saint Joseph's (ME) Angelica Hurley evened the game at 28-all, but free throws from Rivera and Caitlyn Scott (White Plains, N.Y.) gave the Falcons a two-point cushion at the half, 30-28. 
• The Monks put together a quick 4-0 run out of the break to take the 32-30 lead before Zdru tied the game up at 32-all on a made lay-up. 
• Saint Joseph's (ME) responded with a 9-4 run to take the 41-36 lead, but Murray-Leach nailed the three-point jumper at the 3:49 mark to cut the deficit to two, 41-39. 
• Following a basket from Monks' Elizabeth Staplefield, Murray-Leach struck three-point paydirt again, swishing a shot from the outside corner to make it a one-point game, 43-42. 
• The Monks took control of the remainder of the stanza, putting together a 10-0 run to take a 53-42 lead into the fourth and final quarter. 
• The Falcons stormed back early in the fourth with a 12-0 surge to take the one-point lead, 54-53, with 7:39 left in regulation.
• Zdru and Murray-Leach each scored five points on made three-pointers, while Murray-Leach added a jumper, and Zdru drained a pair of free throws. 
• The Monks responded with a 4-0 push to take a 57-54 lead before Murray-Leach unleashed another swooshing shot from beyond the arc to tie the game at 57-all. 
• Saint Joseph's (ME) Hurley gave the Monks the 60-57 advantage at the 4:27 mark with a made three-pointer, but Murray-Leach took the lead away with a retaliatory three-pointer to tie the game at 60.  
• The teams continued to trade baskets and remained tied at 65-65 heading into the final two minutes. 
• A deep trey from White put AMC up 68-65 until a Monk's foul sent Scott to the charity stripe, where she nailed both free shots to push the Falcon's lead to five, 70-65. 
• Despite trading baskets for the final minute, the Monks could not complete the comeback, and the Falcons emerged victorious over their northern division rivals by a final score of 73-68. 

TEAM STATS
Albertus: 41.7% FG | 41.7% 3PT | 68.4% FT
SJC: 47.1% FG | 30.0% 3PT | 82.4% FT 

PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS

Albertus:
Jakara Murray-Leach- 25 points (9-18 FG, 5-9 3PT, 2-3 FT) | 7 rebounds | 2 assists | 4 steals | 1 block
Natasha Rivera- 16 points (6-12 FG, 1-2 3PT, 3-4 FT) | 5 rebounds | 1 assist | 4 steals | 3 block
Amanda Zdru- 15 points (5-7 FG, 2-4 3PT, 3-4 FT) | 5 rebounds | 3 assists | 1 steal
Diamond White- 11 points (4-8 FG, 2-5 3PT, 1-2 FT) | 1 rebound | 7 assists | 2 steals 

Saint Joseph's (ME):
Hannah Talon- 20 points (8-13 FG, 0-3 3PT, 4-6 FT) | 4 rebounds | 3 assists 
Angelica Hurley- 15 points (5-10 FG, 3-6 3PT, 2-2 FT) | 6 rebounds | 3 assists | 1 steal 
Elisabeth Stapelfeld- 11  points (4-4 FG, 3-3 FT) | 7 rebounds | 1 assist | 1 steal

NOTEWORTHY

• Tonight's victory is the first win of all-time against the Monks. 
• Murray-Leach tallied her ninth game of the season with 20+ points. 
• Murray-Leach set a season-high with five made three-pointers. 
• Rivera recorded her seventh game of the season with 10+ points. 
• White now has four straight games with multiple made three-pointers. 
• Zdru tied her season-high with 15 points.
• Scott set a season-high with eight assists. 
• White set a season-high with seven assists. 
• Rivera set a season-high with four steals.    

UP NEXT

The Falcons return to action on Tuesday, January 31st, to take on the Blue Jays of the University of Saint Joseph (CT) in a conference showdown. Tip-off is slated for 5 PM in West Hartford, Conn., inside the O'Connell Athletic Center.