NEW YORK (Interstat) — The Saint Joseph’s Hawks used a dominant defensive performance and a potent offensive trio to cruise past the Columbia Lions 66-48 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Thursday afternoon at Levien Gymnasium.

The Hawks, who improved to 4-1 overall, seized control of the contest from the opening tip, holding the Lions to just six points in the first quarter while building a 15-6 lead. Saint Joseph’s never relinquished that advantage, methodically extending it throughout the game in front of a crowd of 2,511.

The story of the game was written on the defensive end and in the shooting percentages. Saint Joseph’s held Columbia to an anemic offensive performance, as the Lions managed to convert on only 16 of their 48 attempts from the floor. Columbia’s shooting woes were particularly stark from beyond the arc, where they failed to connect on any of their 14 three-point attempts. The Hawks, by contrast, were an efficient 22 for 46 from the field and hit four three-pointers.

A decisive factor was the Hawks’ ability to capitalize on their opportunities at the free-throw line. Saint Joseph’s attempted 24 free throws, making 18, while Columbia was a near-perfect 16 of 18 from the stripe but had far fewer chances to score from it.

The Hawks were led by a formidable scoring trio. Gabby Casey, a 5-foot-9 guard from Quakertown, Pennsylvania, spearheaded the attack with a game-high 17 points over 36 minutes, adding five rebounds and three assists. She was closely followed by Aleah Snead, a 5-11 forward from Philadelphia, who contributed 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists in her 36 minutes. Rounding out the leading scorers was Rhian Stokes, a 5-7 guard from Ewing, New Jersey, who chipped in 14 points and three rebounds.

Jill Jekot of Saint Joseph’s, a 5-11 guard from Enola, Pennsylvania, filled the stat sheet with six points, a team-high seven rebounds, and four assists. The Hawks’ interior presence was bolstered by Faith Stinson and Cecilia Kay, who combined for 13 points and seven rebounds.

Columbia, which fell to 2-2 on the season, was led by Susie Rafiu, a 6-1 forward from Ipswich, England, who scored 14 points. Riley Weiss, a 5-10 guard from Hewlett, New York, recorded a double-double with 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Perri Page, a 5-11 guard from Pittsburgh, added 12 points for the Lions.

Despite the lopsided score, the game was marked by sloppy ball-handling from both sides. The teams combined for 42 turnovers, with Saint Joseph’s committing 20 and Columbia giving the ball away 22 times. Both teams were able to convert those miscues into 16 points apiece. The Hawks also held a slight edge in points in the paint, 32 to 30, and on the offensive glass, pulling down seven rebounds to Columbia’s four.

The Hawks’ victory was a testament to their offensive efficiency, scoring 66 points on just 70 possessions for an offensive rating of 93.7. Columbia, stifled by the Saint Joseph’s defense, managed only 48 points on 75 possessions, resulting in a meager offensive rating of 64.4.

The win gives Saint Joseph’s momentum heading into a Philadelphia Big 5 rivalry game at Penn on Monday. The loss sends Columbia into a challenging stretch, with a game against Binghamton on Monday before traveling to Cancún, Mexico, for games against Kansas State and North Carolina. The result was an upset according to statistical projections, which had heavily favored the Lions to win.