Joliet, Ill. – Freshman guard Brooklynn Johnson (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) tied her career-high with 30 points, going 7-for-15 from the field, 3-for-6 from three-point range and 13-for-14 from the free-throw line, but team Saint Xavier University women's basketball team (18-10, 14-6 CCAC) dropped its regular season finale, 88-81, to University of St. Francis (Ill.) in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) action Saturday afternoon at the Sullivan Center in Joliet, Ill. Johnson added eight rebounds (three offensive), a career-best three steals and an assist. Her 13 made foul shots are tied for the second-most in single-game program history. Former NAIA All-American Alex Barone (2007-11) went 13-for-13 vs. Evangel University (Mo.) in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship Tournament on March 18, 2010. SXU Hall-of-Famer Mary Cain (2000-04) also went 13-for-14 at Indiana University South Bend on February 4, 2003.

Saint Xavier secured a spot in the upcoming CCAC Women's Basketball Tournament that beings next week, earning one of the four home games.

The Cougars got off to a slow start, falling behind 27-9 after the first quarter. Trailing by as many as 20 points in the second period, SXU chipped away and cut the deficit to 12, 43-31, when sophomore guard Maeve Egan (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley) hit a buzzer-beater to end the half. Johnson drained a three midway through the third quarter to pull Saint Xavier within four points, 54-50, with 5:46 to go. The Fighting Saints pushed its advantage back to three possessions entering the fourth period up 67-59. In the final minute of regulation, the Cougars were down only three, 84-81, after Johnson made a pair of foul shots. However, USF converted all four of their free-throws in the closing seconds to pull away for the win.

• Egan tallied a season-high 19 points, 11 coming in the fourth quarter, going 7-for-10 from the floor and 5-for-8 from deep. She added four rebounds and an assist in 26 minutes off the bench.
• Sophomore forward Veronica Bafia (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport Township) made six of her 10 shot attempts, finishing with 15 points. She also had seven rebounds, a team-best five assists, a blocked shot and a steal.
• Senior guard Jaidn Green (Evansville, Ind./Evansville North) netted 10 points with two assists and two rebounds.
• Sophomore guard Makayla Kelly (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) recorded three points, three assists, two steals, a block and a rebound.
• Freshman forward Alaina Peetz (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) chipped in three rebounds, two blocked shots and an assist.

Saint Xavier (18-10/14-6 CCAC) hosts a CCAC Tournament Quarterfinal contest on Tuesday, February 24 at 5:00 pm. Opponent is to be determined.