Buffalo, NY -- The La Roche women's basketball team took the road on Saturday for a difficult matchup against the AMCC's top ranked team. Hilbert came into the game winners of sixth straight and were able to pick up their seventh, defeating the Redhawks 74-54.
La Roche falls to 9-10 overall and 7-5 in conference. They remain in prime playoff contention and sit in a three-way third place tie in the AMCC.
Hilbert ran out to a 22-6 lead with 1:56 left in the first quarter. The Redhawks cut the deficit to single digits outscoring Hilbert 8-0 over the next three minutes. Jenna Cole was key to the run scoring six of the Redhawks' eight points.
Hilbert stretched the gap to thirteen. Shaundrea Butler closed the half with a free throw and buzzer beater to make it a 41-31 game at intermission.
A Darrian Johnson jumper and Stephanie Thomas free throws cut the deficit to six with 8:48 left in the quarter. The Redhawks hit a cold spell and were held without a field goal until the 2:41 mark of the third. Hilbert was able to build an eleven point lead over that span and ended the quarter with a 59-44 lead.
Hilbert extended their lead to as many as twenty-two points in the fourth quarter and hung on for the 74-54 victory.
La Roche shot just 28% and 16% from three-point range. Cole (12 points) and Butler (10 points) both scored in double figures.
The Redhawks remain in a tough part of their schedule and will travel to Mt. Aloysius on Wednesday. The Mounties are 10-2 in conference but coming off a loss at Penn State Behrend.