Purchase, NY (Feb. 3, 2018) – The Purchase College women's basketball team stayed in the playoff hunt Saturday at home, downing St. Joseph's College-LI, 97-78.

A blazing start against SJC-LI helped the Panthers avenge a three-point road loss to the Golden Eagles in late January, while also keeping them in the thick of things in the conference standings.

Amber Jones (JR/Bronx, NY) fueled the victory. The Panther guard torched SJC-LI to the tune of 42 points. She scored 32 points in the non-conference win over York College (NY) Thursday and has been on a roll of late.

Behind Jones's theatrics, Purchase improved to 8-11 overall, including 5-9 in the Skyline. The loss dropped SJC-LI 5-15, including 4-8.

Purchase raced out to a 6-3 mark in the opening minutes. The lead swelled to 15-5 on a Kayla Ortiz (SR/Brooklyn, NY) score and then 18-5 moments later for the running-and-gunning hosts. This time, another Ortiz score pushed the lead to 13 and prompted a timeout for the Golden Eagles.

Purchase seized a 21-5 advantage on a 3-pointer from Dejeana Peoples (FR/New York, NY) with under four minutes to go in the first quarter. Rianne John (FR/Brooklyn, NY) pushed that lead to 23-5 right after on a jumper.  

St. Joseph's battled back and put together a 9-4 run, but Purchase still led 29-14 at the end of the first quarter. That building block loomed large for the Panthers.

The Panthers regrouped and went on 6-3 spurt to kick start the second quarter.

An Ortiz floater in the lane made it 37-20 two-plus minutes into the second stanza.

Purchase took off from there, outscoring SJC-LI 19-17 the rest of the period, culminating with a Jones fastbreak to Nyasia Harris (JR/South Fallsburg, NY). The Harris score was the final hoop for Purchase in a 56-37 first half.

Ortiz and Jones scored 18 and 16 points in the first half, respectively. Andrea Iavarone netted 19 points and eight rebounds for the Golden Eagles over the first two quarters.

SJC-LI changed the lineup to start the third quarter, making an adjustment. The Golden Eagles reeled off eight straight to get back in the game. They trailed 56-45 four minutes into the third. 

But a Jones fastbreak score got Purchase back on track and ended the visitors' run. 

Despite the Golden Eagles' comeback efforts, Purchase regrouped once more. Her fastbreak score foreshadowed a huge second half. Jones connected on a 3-pointer to extended the lead to 63-50 under four minutes in the period.

Her jumper in the final minutes of the third made it 70-55. She would then score back-to-back on another fastbreak to make it 72-55.

The Panthers maintained their double-digit advantage the rest of the way. Purchase led 75-55 heading into the fourth.

A Jones jumper with three-plus minutes remaining handed Purchase a 20-point lead (81-61). Her steal and score just under five made it 86-66.

Harris, who has been a beast on the boards, scored and then connected on a free-throw in the closing minutes. Her conventional style three-point play made it 93-74 with a little over two minutes left, sealing the victory.

Jones totaled 42 points, seven assists, eight rebounds and eight steals in a terrific all-around effort. Ortiz added 21 points and a game-high eight assists, while Harris went for a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Iavarone finished with a double-double of her own in the loss (25 points, 16 rebounds). Jami Cardenas chipped in 17 off the bench.