Gary, Ind. -- The Indiana University Northwest women's basketball team dropped a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference game to the No. 8 team in the country, University of St. Francis (Ill.) Saturday. The Fighting Saints (20-3, 15-0 CCAC) defeated the RedHawks (7-15, 4-10 CCAC), 70-40, at the Savannah Center Saturday.

USF had total control of the game for the first three quarters which allowed them to pull away with the victory.

The Fighting Saints went up 9-0 early in the contest before Alexis Vieck (Bicknell, Ind.) hit a basket to end the IUN drought. USF scored the next nine points before Ashley O'Malley (Crown Point, Ind.) converted an and-one to make it 18-5 as the period was coming to a close.

USF built on that lead in the second quarter as the Fighting Saints went up 40-13 at the break. The third quarter was pretty much the same as USF went up 65-22 after the third quarter.

IUN did however outscore USF in the final period, 18-5. The Fighting Saints opened up the quarter with a three pointer but the RedHawks went 18-2 the rest of the way.

Sarah Martin (Demotte, Ind./Kankakee Valley) knocked down a trifecta then back-to-back baskets by Lauren Smolen (Crown Point, Ind./Lake Central) and Jessy Siems (Cedar Lake, Ind./Hanover Central) allowed the RedHawks to score some points. USF came out on top 70-40.

Siems led the RedHawks in scoring as the junior had 11 points.

IUN returns to action Wednesday, January 29 as the RedHawks host No. 20 Indiana South Bend starting at 5:30 p.m. inside the Savannah Center.