INSTITUTE, W.Va. — In a matchup of state runners-up from last season, Huntington Saint Joseph’s pulled away in the second half to defeat Wyoming East 80-53. The game was part of the FCA Classic at West Virginia State University.
UTC recruit Dena Jarrells led all scorers with 32 points. Marshall recruit Paige Shy added 16 points and Hannah Roberts chipped in with a dozen points to pace the Irish (4-0).
Tennessee recruit Emily Saunders led the Warriors with 17 points. Jasmine Blankenship scored 13 points and Kaytlin Daniels added 12 for Wyoming East (3-2).
The Irish led wire-to-wire after Jarrels scored five points in the opening minute of the game. Jarrells drained back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers in the second quarter to give Saint Joseph’s a 30-19 lead.
Saint Joseph’s broke the game open early in the third quarter with a 9-2 run and the held a double-digit lead for the rest of the contest.
“I think the difference was the depth and the pressure,” said Saint Joseph’s coach Shannon Lewis. “Wyoming East is going to have a phenomenal year and they will be right there at the end. But I like the way our offense and our full court pressure are working really well right now.”