Purchase, NY (Jan. 13, 2018) – A back-and-forth contest between Purchase College and visiting St. Joseph's College-Brooklyn went to the Bears Saturday.

SJC-BKLYN utilized a strong finish to the third quarter and a hot start at the beginning of the fourth to pull away, 78-55.

The league victory improves SJC-BKLYN to 7-9, including 5-4 in Skyline Conference play. The loss drops Purchase to 5-7 and 3-5, respectively.

Purchase opened with a two-pointer by Amber Jones (JR/Bronx, NY), but SJC-BKLYN answered to tie the game in the opening minutes of action. The visitors reeled off a spurt to take a 6-2 advantage at the 7:30 marker.

That lead increased to 9-3 with five-plus minutes to go in the first quarter.

Jones responded with a jumper to cut the deficit to four (9-5) under five minutes.

Shortly later, Bears guard Victoria Porcasi, who would record the 1,000th point of her career later in the game, netted a conventional style three-point play to bump the score to 14-5.

Purchase fired back with baskets by Rianne John (FR/Brooklyn, NY) and Amber Yarter (JR/Albany, NY), cutting it to 16-9 at 1:28 in the first on the John score and then 19-12 on a 3-pointer by Yarter moments after. The Panthers then got another Jones jumper to close within five (19-14).

But Porcasi nailed a 3 in the closing seconds of the first to extend the lead to 22-14. She finished with 12 of the team's 22 first-quarter points. Jones netted nine in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Purchase put together a 6-0 run behind Skyline honor roll selection Nyasia Harris (JR/South Fallsburg, NY) that brought them within two, 22-20, but as had been the case throughout the first quarter and eventually the game, St. Joe's responded with a run of its own – this time a 7-0 spurt to make it 29-20.

Back-to-back baskets by Purchase's Kayla Ortiz (SR/Brooklyn, NY) trimmed it to 29-24 midway through the second quarter.

The Bears closed the half on a 7-5 run, as Alfa DeJesus (SO/Bronx, NY) helped keep Purchase keep pace in the game with a 3-pointer.

The Panthers trailed 43-34 at the break.

Purchase outscored St. Joe's 6-2 to start the third quarter. A Jones layup at around seven minutes brought the Panthers within five, 45-40.

But SJC-BKLYN quickly countered with a three-point play by Nina DiCioccio to make it 48-40.

It was 53-41 at 4:09 of the third quarter.

The Bears sealed the period on a 9-4 spurt and opened the fourth on an 8-2 run that was highlighted by Porcasi's milestone. SJC-BKLYN never looked back from there.

The Bears were paced offensively by Kelly O'Donnell, DiCioccio and Porcasi. O'Donnell finished with a team-high 20 points. DiCioccio recorded a double-double of 12 points and a game-high 17 rebounds. Porcasi netted 17 points in the victory. Reserve Taylor Raccuglia chipped in 10 off the bench.

Purchase was paced by Jones and her game-high 23 points. Harris added nine points and a team-high 14 boards in defeat. 

NOTES: First-year players Lumturja Huseinovic (JR/Brooklyn, NY), Giana Fanelli (SO/Larchmont, NY) and Dejeana Peoples (FR/New York, NY) played well in reserve action ... Purchase alumna Celestina Fleurival sang a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem prior to the game.