BOX SCORE

LORETTO, Pa. (Jan. 16, 2012) – Saint Francis scored the first six points of Monday's Northeast Conference matchup with Sacred Heart but the Pioneers answered with a 13-0 run as they cruised to an, 85-56, win at DeGol Arena.

The Pioneers shot 70 percent from the field in the second half and 60 percent on the night to improve to 13-4 overall and 6-0 in the NEC.  With its second consecutive home loss, the Flash fell to 6-11 and 3-3 in league play.

“Sacred Heart is a very good team, but I think we can play a lot better than we are right now,” said head coach Susan Robinson Fruchtl.  “Defensively, we have to go back to the basics.”

Robinson Fruchtl used the words “basics” and “fundamentals” a dozen times in her postgame media conference, and indicated that a more thorough approach to details could curtail her team's frustrating run as of late.

“We had a better start this evening but it was only for four minutes; we need to sustain that,” said.  “We need to go back to the basics, to the first day of practice.”

The Flash struggled with 17-of-55 shooting from the floor, included only two makes in 12 3-point attempts.  Despite cashing in on a near-season-high 20 free throws, SFU missed 15 others.

Sacred Heart freshman Gabrielle Washington led her team's three double-digit scorers with 18 points.

Nickia Gibbs (Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) and Alli Williams (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) each tossed in 15 points for the Red Flash.  Kelley Doogan (Claymont, Del./Ursuline Academy) and Allison Smith (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) each chipped in seven.

Saint Francis returns to action on Saturday when it visits Fairleigh Dickinson for a 4:30 contest.  SFU won the teams' previous meeting in Loretto, 69-56.