Women's Basketball | Dominant Third Quarter Leads to Win Over Fresno State
The Saint Mary's Women's Basketball Team took complete control of the third quarter against Fresno State on the way to an 81-69 victory over the Bulldogs at UCU Pavilion on Saturday afternoon. The Gaels concluded their five-game home stand going 3-2 and improve to 5-3 overall on the season.
THIRD QUARTER'S A CHARM
The game was tied 20-20 after the first quarter and the Gaels trailed by four points at the half, but they dominated the third after their defense sparked the offense in a quarter they won 25-7. Back-to-back steals by Tayla Dalton and Taycee Wedin led to baskets by Dalton and Ali Bamberger to start the quarter. The Gaels would take a lead they would never relinquish with 7:34 to go in the third when Wedin hit a three pointer on a fast break set up by Dalton to make it 44-41 SMC.
Stop after stop on the defensive end led to a 16-0 run for Saint Mary's that concluded with a pair of Dalton free throws to put the Gaels up 53-41 with 4:09 remaining in the third. The Gaels would finish the quarter up 60-46 after a put back by Bamberger who again doubled-doubled in the game. Fresno State was kept to just 23% shooting by Saint Mary's in the third quarter and were 0-4 from downtown while the Gaels shot 53% in the third and were 2 of 6 from deep, along with going 5 of 6 from the free throw line.
NEVER A DOUBT
Saint Mary's reached their largest lead at 16 points with just under seven minutes remaining in the game after a pair of Bamberger free throws. The game would never get closer than eight points at 70-62 and by then there was less than two minutes left to play. A major reason the Gaels kept the game from getting any closer was converting their free throws, as they went 12 of 18 at the charity stripe in the fourth quarter. They also kept the Bulldogs to 30% shooting in the fourth.
TOP PERFORMERS
Bamberger again had a monster night, which should make her the favorite for WCC Player of the Week. She scored 25 points and hauled down 19 rebounds to lead the Gaels and register her fifth double-double of the season. The Walnut Creek, Calif. native shot 7 of 17 from the field and was 11 of 15 from the free throw line.
Wedin finished with 20 points going 7-9 from the field and 6 of 8 from three-point range. Dalton finished with 11 points and led the Gaels with two steals and a block. Jade Kirisome also finished with 11 points and went 7 of 10 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter alone to help the Gaels seal the win. Madeline Holland again led the Gaels in assists with four.
Saint Mary's out rebounded Fresno State 53-27 in the game while shooting 40% from outside the arc and 71.4% at the free throw line.
UP NEXT
The Gaels will take to the road to begin a trip to the Carolinas, starting with a match up against #3 NC State on Sunday, December 12 at 11 a.m. Pacific Time.
#GaelsRise — 2021-22 tickets and ticket packages are on sale now! To purchase tickets, click HERE. If you have questions, contact the ticket office by email smctickets@stmarys-ca.edu or call 925-631-4689…Saint Mary's Basketball…#TogetherAgain