COLCHESTER, Vt. (February 3, 2018) – Franklin Pierce University women's basketball senior guard Jemma Thacker (Nairne, South Australia) dropped a game-high 20 points in a 75-63 setback to Northeast-10 Conference opponent Saint Michael's College Saturday afternoon at the Ross Sports Center. With the victory, the Purple Knights charge ahead to 8-13, 5-11 NE10 while the Ravens lost their 15th conference showdown.

This was the second time this season the two teams have done battle on the court with the Ravens taking the first meeting 65-53 in Rindge back on Tuesday, November 21, 2017.

Thacker did most of her damage from long range as she converted five three-pointers. She grabbed four boards and dished out a team-best four helpers. Freshman forward Claudia Tucci (Trumbull, Conn.) joined Thacker in double-figures with a career-high 16 points in 19 minutes off the bench. Tucci shot at a high percentage knocking down 6-of-9 (66.7%) of her attempts. Classmate and guard Demi Akins (Cambridge, Mass.) added 10 points and three boards as well.

Like the Ravens, three players scored in double figures for the Purple Knights as Brianna Purcell led the way with 19 points, five boards, three assists and three steals Senior guard Leah Spencer tallied 15 markers and Emily Ferreri was two boards shy of a double-double with 14 points, eight assists, five caroms and five thefts.

Purcell pushed the hosts ahead 2-0 early by driving left to the rack for a lay-in. She upped the score to 4-0 following a steal and a perfect trip at the line after a hard foul on the fast break. Thacker got three points immediately back for the Ravens via a catch and shoot attempt from the top of the key. The Ravens continued to add on when Thacker buried her second long-range conversion of the quarter, this time from the right wing to give the Ravens their first lead at 8-6. Saint Michael's rattled off six straight points before Mya Mosley (Worcester, Mass.) stopped the mini-spurt by hitting a left-wing three-pointer to cut the Raven deficit to 12-11.

The Purple Knights moved ahead by three when Ferreri knocked down two freebies. A few possessions later, Akins anticipated a pass, picked the ball off and went uncontested to the hoop for a lay-in. On the next trip down the court, Spencer collected a pass off a second chance and made the Ravens pay by manufacturing a trey to increase the host lead to four, 19-15. The bank was open late Saturday for Thacker when she kissed her third three-pointer of the quarter off the glass to cut the score to 19-18. Taylor Miller concluded the quarter with two markers as the Ravens trailed 21-18 after one.

The Purple Knights dropped three points over the opening 2:30 of the second stanza via a Spencer free throw and a Ferreri steal and fast break bucket. Freya Cooney (Woodbridge, England) finally broke the Raven scoring drought at the 5:57 mark by punching in a running jumper from the left block to make it a two-possession game at 25-20. Cassandra Falone added onto the hosts advantage when she drained a long-range attempt to up the score to 28-20. A Cooney jumper and a Thacker layup brought the deficit to four, 28-24. Miller responded using a post spin to up the edge to six, but the Ravens tallied the final six points of the quarter via a Tucci left baseline jumper, drive, and an Akins mid-range connection to head into the intermission knotted at 30 all.

In the first half, the Crimson and Grey shot a high percentage from the floor (56.5%, 13-of-23) and were 4-of-8 (50.0%) behind the three-point line, however, they made no trips to the charity stripe. The Ravens hot stroke did not carry over to the second half.

SMC began the third period notching seven straight markers capped off by Purcell hoop and harm to lead 37-30. Franklin Pierce's first trip to the line came with 8:16 in the third, but both attempts were off the mark. The hosts scorching hot second stanza shooting continued as Purcell drove the lane for a scoop and score which gave the Purple Knights a 13 point, 46-33 advantage. Tucci tallied the next four markers via the line and down on the low block to bring the game back to single figures at 50-41. The hosts outscored the Ravens 10-5 over the final minutes of the quarter to lead 60-46 following 30 minutes of play.  

In the fourth, Thacker's fifth downtown connection of the contest brought the deficit to a quarter low 13, at 62-49. SMC continued to tack on points as their lead grew to a high of 16 points.

The Ravens remain away from campus on Wednesday when they head to NE10 opponent Merrimack College for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens ), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce women's basketball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).