Jo. Leedham double-double leads the way as Ravens win fourth straight

MANCHESTER, N.H. (February 9, 2008) – Franklin Pierce University, ranked 23rd in this week’s USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II poll and third in the Northeast Region, opened a 19-point lead by halftime and were never seriously threatened the rest of way in posting a 64-47 victory over Saint Anselm College in Northeast-10 Conference women’s basketball action at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium this afternoon.

With the victory, Franklin Pierce moves within one of the 20-win mark, often considered the barrier for assuring an NCAA Tournament berth. The Ravens also remain a half game behind first place and 16th-ranked Stonehill College (14-3) in second place and a half game ahead of third-place Assumption College (13-4). The Ravens, who hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with Assumption, are also within a win of clinching a first round bye in the upcoming NE-10 Tournament.

Sophomore All-American Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)) led Franklin Pierce with her sixth double-double of the season (16th career), as she led all scorers with 25 points (17 first half) to go with ten rebounds, four steals and two assists. She made 7-of-14 shots from the field, including 4-of-7 three-pointers, and converted 7-of-8 free-throw attempts in becoming just the second player in program history to score 500 points in multiple and back-to-back seasons. With her 509 points, Leedham joins Shelia Lindsay, who netted 500-plus points all four of her seasons at Franklin Pierce from 1984-88.

Sophomore Jess McPherson (Croydon, Australia) joined Leedham in double-figures with ten points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field. Junior Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)) and freshman Tori Ahrens (East Greenwich, R.I./East Greenwich) each chipped in seven points, while Leedham added five rebounds and Ahrens posted four (three offensive).

Freshman Jennifer Gureckis (Nashua, N.H./New Hampton School) was the lone Saint Anselm player in double-figures with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field, including 3-7 from three-point range, to go with four rebounds. Junior Meredith Amyot (Ashford, Conn./E.O. Smith) added eight points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals, while senior Cassaundra Thorpe (Portsmouth, N.H./PCA) chipped in eight points off the bench.

Franklin Pierce shot 41.2-percent (21-for-51) from the field, including 45.8% (11-24) in the first half. The Ravens buried 6-of-14 (42.9%) three-pointers in the first half and enjoyed a 28-5 scoring advantage in points off turnovers. Franklin Pierce held its seventh-straight opponent under 40-percent shooting and fourth-straight under 35-percent as Saint Anselm made just 32.7% (16-for-49) of its shots from the field, including 25% (4-16) from beyond the arc.

Franklin Pierce led by four (20-16) with 8:09 to play in the first half, when it posted a 13-1 run to take a 16-point lead (33-17) after a Johannah Leedham three-pointer with 2:30 left in the frame. She netted six points in all during the run and the Ravens would carry a 19-point lead into halftime (39-20) thanks to another Leedham three. Franklin Pierce extended its lead to 21 points (43-22) after a Jennifer Leedham lay-up early in the second half and Saint Anselm would never seriously threaten the rest of the way, drawing within 12, but with just two minutes to play.

Franklin Pierce (19-4, 14-4 NE-10) is back in action next Saturday when it hosts Merrimack College at 1:30 p.m. Saint Anselm (6-17, 3-15 NE-10) hosts The College of Saint Rose on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.