Final Stats

SALT LAKE CITY -- A pestering Utah defense and resulting turnovers troubled the Saint Mary's women's basketball team Saturday in a game they were otherwise very competitive in, as the Utes capitalized to win a battle between two streaking teams, 74-63, at the Jon M. Huntsman Center.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Gaels (5-2) committed a season-high 27 turnovers Saturday, 17 of which were via Utah (6-1) steals. Both totals were the most since SMC also had 27 turnovers at Loyola Marymount on Feb. 16 of last season thanks to 19 Lions steals. Utah turned the Gaels' turnovers into a 28-11 advantage on points off turnovers.
  
  
• Saint Mary's held Utah to just 11 points on 29.4 percent shooting in the first quarter and led 16-13 after one. The Gaels grew their lead to as much as five in the second quarter as they looked to be in control, but then the turnovers came. With SMC leading 20-15, Utah went on a 17-4 run while forcing six turnovers and holding the Gaels to 2-for-10 shooting, including seven straight missed shots. That gave Utah an eight-point lead at 32-24, and it would never trail again.
  
  
• Three more turnovers and cold shooting to start the second half gave the Utes a 9-2 spurt and their biggest lead at that point, 43-31. 14 of the Gaels' 27 turnovers came in the second and third quarters, where Utah outscored Saint Mary's a combined 45-31. But in the first and fourth quarters, it was the Gaels who held a combined 32-29 advantage, outscoring the Utes in both of those frames.
  
  
• Outside of turnovers, it was Saint Mary's who controlled the game. The Gaels outrebounded Utah 35-29, including a 25-16 advantage on the defensive end. They outshot the Utes 52.1 to 44.8 percent. Saint Mary's held Utah to just 23.1 percent shooting from beyond the 3-point arc. SMC made as many free throws (eight) as Utah did, and it scored 36 points in the paint.

• 2: Two Gaels finished with double-digit points. Megan McKay led the Gaels in scoring for the second straight game with 16 points. Sydney Raggio scored 12 points, including a career-best two 3-pointers.
• 3: SMC only scored three second-chance points off of 10 offensive boards.
• 4: Saturday was the fourth time this season Saint Mary's shot better than 50 percent from the field. However, it was their first defeat this year when doing so.
• 9: McKay led the Gaels with nine rebounds, including seven defensive boards.

• The Gaels return to McKeon Pavilion on Saturday for their final non-conference home game of the year, hosting UC Davis in a 1 p.m. tipoff
  
  
• Tickets for this and all Saint Mary's basketball home games are available for purchase on SMCGaels.com or by calling the SMC Ticket Office at (925) 631-GoTx.