WASHINGTON – Sophomore Jade Edwards put up her third 20-point performance of the season on Saturday, but couldn't lift the American University women's basketball team over Saint Joseph's as the Eagles fell, 72-51, on the opening day of SJU's Hawk Classic.

American will be back at noon on Sunday to close the two-game Hawk Classic against Buffalo.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Edwards paced the Eagles with 21 points and six rebounds, followed by nine points from sophomore Emily Fisher. 
• Junior Indeya Sanders pitched in a team-high four assists and picked up four steals alongside her seven points.
• The Eagles closed shooting 34.7 percent from the floor (17-49), 22.7 percent from three (5-22), and a season-high 92.3 percent from the line (12-13).
• The Hawks were led by four double-figure performances, starting with Katie Jekot who hit 16 off 6-for-14 from the floor and 4-for-11 from the perimeter. Mary Sheehan added 13 and Claire Melia and Gabby Smalls picked up 10 each.
• Smalls also brought down a game-high 11 rebounds for the game's only double-double.
• SJU hit 45.9 percent from the floor (28-61), 45.8 percent from three-point range (11-24) and went a perfect 5-for-5 from the line.
• For the second consecutive game, the Eagles struggled defensively along the perimeter as SJU opened shooting 5 of 9 from three-point range to pick up a quick 12-point lead with just over 1:00 left in the first quarter.
• A jumper from Fisher sent the Eagles on a 5-0 run to cut the Hawks' lead back down to seven with 12 seconds left in the stanza, but SJU had the last say with a layup in the final seconds to send the teams into the break at 21-12.
• American found its footing in the second quarter, chipping away at the lead behind an eight point from Edwards, who closed the half with a dozen alongside her team-high four boards.
• A three from Sanders brought the Eagles back within three at 27-30 with 1:43 on the clock, but missed jumpers down the stretch brought AU up short as a pair of late SJU free throws sent the teams into the locker rooms at 32-27.
• AU couldn't carry that momentum into the second half, though, as missed rebounds and turnovers haunted the Eagles and the Hawks took advantage with a 27-6 run to close the stanza with a 59-33 lead.
• American cut into the gap again during the fourth quarter with an 18-13 run behind six points from Fisher.
• For the second time this season, Fisher closed with only one turnover in her 27 minutes of play. 

UP NEXT...
American will be back in Hagan Arena on Sunday at noon to face Buffalo. 

For the latest on American University Women's Basketball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_WBasketball) and Instagram (@auwbasketball).