Dec. 19, 2003

Box Score

Missoula, MT - The Saint Mary's women's basketball team fell to the Montana Grizzlies by a final score of 74-49 on Friday night in front of 3,004 fans at the Dahlberg Arena in Missoula, MT. The Gaels trailed by two points at the half, but the combination of Montana's strong defense and hot outside shooting helped the Grizzlies pull away. With the loss Saint Mary's drops to 5-4 on the season, while Montana improved to 7-2.

Montana came in holding opponents to 55.1 points per game, 24th in the nation, and held the Gaels to their lowest point total of the season. Saint Mary's came in holding its opponents to 57.8 points per game, and gave up their second highest total of the season.

Saint Mary's was led by Monica Mertle who scored 12 points, Triola Jackson added 10 points and Lauren Shaughnessy and Evynn Van Burger each added eight points.

In the opening 10 minutes of the second half, the Grizzlies went on a 24-0 run to open up a 53-27 lead with 9:44 remaining in the game before the Gaels called their third timeout of the half.

Saint Mary's got on the scoreboard in the second half when Mertle hit a 3-pointer with 9:25 remaining in the game, to break a 24-0 run by the Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies opened the game with a 10-2 run, with all 10 points coming between the combination of Julie Deming and Hollie Tyler, with 15:36 remaining in the first half.

The Gaels cut into Montana's run, with back-to-back baskets by Van Burger and Mertle, putting Montana up 10-6 with 14:46 remaining in the half.

After two free throws by Jackson, the Grizzlies went on a 6-0 run to push the lead to 19-8 at the 9:26 mark, before calling a timeout.

Saint Mary's next nine points came from 3-pointers, as Mertle, Serena Benavente and Shaughnessy each hit 3-pointers to cut Montana's lead to 25-17 with 3:59 left in the half.

The Gaels ended the first half with a 10-4 run, which included a 3-pointer by Van Burger and a half court buzzer-beater by Shaughnessy. After Montana's Deming hit a jumper with 8.4 seconds left in the first half, Shaughnessy dribbled the ball up the court and pulled up from just inside the half court line and hit a 3-pointer as time expired cutting Montana's halftime lead to 29-27.

In the first half the Gaels were led by Mertle who had seven points, Shaughnessy and Jackson each had six points, Van Burger had five points and Eghosa Obaiza had five rebounds.