Saint Vincent 75, Franciscan 28

Franciscan Starters 
Sophie LaRose, Chiara MacGillivray, Jazzlyn Melnyk, Lauren Arena, Madison Doan  

Saint Vincent Starters
Weber, Thompson, Marconi, Cavacini, Mosten

How It Happened 
    The Franciscan Barons were overwhelmed by the Saint Vincent Bearcats in a 75-28 loss on the road. While the team fought through rough shooting slumps and countless turnovers, it wasn't enough to come away with the win.
    The Barons struggled at the start of the game to produce any consistent offense. The Bearcats hounded the ball, coming away with two quick steals followed by transition layups. 7 minutes into the first quarter, Chiara MacGillivray finally ended the Bearcats 8-0 run with a quick cut to the basket and an assist from Jazzlyn Melnyk. Madison Doan showed off some moves in the post, and the Barons were only down 5-10. As the second unit came in, both teams struggled to score, with the first quarter ending 5-14.
    After a catch and shoot three from Sophie LaRose, it took 6 whole minutes for the Barons to score another basket. The offense was completely stagnant. Many shots were not falling, and the Barons continued to settle for low percentage looks. Careless turnovers and numerous fouls only increased the Bearcats lead.
   The third and fourth quarter were no different. The Barons kept trying their best, holding their heads high despite the inescapable deficit. Besides a basket from Madison Doan, all the points scored in the third quarter were scored from free throws. The bench unit fought hard in the fourth, ending the game 28-75.
    Both teams shot poorly from three, with the Bearcats shooting 23% and the Barons shooting 17%. This was an unusually bad night at the perimeter, as the Barons are normally far more efficient. Because of this shooting slump, this game was decided in the interior. The Bearcats scored a staggering 44 points in the paint compared to the Baron's 8. The Barons also had 38 turnovers, removing many offensive opportunities they would have had. While the team prides itself on having a deep roster, the bench unit struggled to produce points. The Barons had 9 total points off the bench versus the Bearcat's 35.
    Despite the large loss, there were a few bright spots. The offense excelled when players passed the ball, especially in transition. Making the extra pass and creating open looks make the team more dynamic and harder to defend. Shooting will improve as the season goes on. Turnovers can be minimized. The Barons are still learning and growing stronger with each and every game.

Inside the Numbers 
-Madison Doan and Emma Clow led the Barons in scoring with 7 each
-Madison Doan added 10 rebounds to lead the Barons
-Jazzlyn Melnyk led the Barons with 3 assists
-Emma Clow led the Barons in shooting efficiency going 2-5 from the field and 2-4 from 3pt

Up Next 
Franciscan will remain in PAC play as they host Allegheny on Saturday at noon at Steubenville High School. Franciscan is 0-1 all-time against Allegheny with the lone matchup coming last season. Madison Doan had a big day for Franciscan with 26 points and 13 rebounds for Franciscan. The Barons traield by three at the break, and then a big second half would give the Gators a 80-57 win last season. 

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