MORAGA, Calif. – The Gaels played a hard-fought battle on Saturday against the No. 13-ranked Cal Bears in their first overtime game of the season. Emily Codding collected a number of season-high stats in the marathon matchup, but the Gaels ultimately fell 81-78.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• QUARTER 1 | The Gaels started out hot to open the first quarter with an 8-2 run highlighted by four points from senior Megan McKay. SMC pulled ahead to a 16-8 lead thanks to back-to-back triples from sophomore Codding with under five minutes to play in the quarter. Another three from junior Jasmine Forcadilla built the Gaels' advantage to eight (19-11). However, a 6-point run by the Bears cut SMC's lead to just two points (19-17). Freshman Sam Simons responded with a 3-pointer with 1:30 on the clock to make it 22-17, but a 4-3 Bears run to end the period made it 25-21 SMC. 

 

• QUARTER 2 | Cal went on an 8-4 run to open the second quarter and took their first lead of the game with 5:29 remaining in the period (31-29). However, in her first game of the season after returning from injury, senior Carly Turner returned the lead to the Gaels' side with a 3-pointer with 5:21 to play. With the score knotted at 34-34 for over two minutes, Saint Mary's went ahead by two on a Sydney Raggio layup with 2:39 to play. The Gaels remained in control for the rest of the quarter, but a quick 4-0 run by the Bears tied the contest and both sides entered the locker rooms with a tied score of 41 points apiece. 

 

• QUARTER 3 | The third quarter got started with 13-straight Gael points including a pair of 3-pointers from Codding who was 4-for-5 from beyond the arc at that point with 17 points (which tied a career-high). Took a 15-point lead (58-43) with 4:32 remaining and stretched their advantage to 17 with a Codding layup. Cal brought it within 7 with 30 seconds to play in the quarter (62-55).

 

• QUARTER 4 | The Bears cut their deficit two just two points (64-62) with 7:49 remaining, but a quick four points gave the Gaels a 6-point, 68-62 cushion with 5:59 on the clock. Both sides traded points, but SMC remained in the lead (70-66) with 2:58 to play. With just two points separating SMC and Cal with 56.4 seconds on the clock, the Bears were awarded with a pair of free throws and an opportunity to tie the game. Anigwe went 1-for-2 to make it a 1-point game. Taycee Wedin hit a layup with 10 seconds left, but Anigwe made a layup of her own with two seconds on the clock to force overtime.

 

• OVERTIME 1 | Cal started the overtime period with a 5-2 run from which SMC could not recover. The Gaels battled in the final minute, with Codding hitting a free throw and a layup to bring the game within two points but the game ended 81-78 in favor of the Bears.

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW

• 26: Career-high in points for Codding.
• 6: Number of season-highs for Codding (26 points, 40 minutes, nine field goals, four three-pointers, four free-throws, two steals).
• 15: The Gael's biggest lead against the Bears, whose largest lead was four points.
• 27: Season-high in minutes for center Claire Ferguson.
• 34:12: Amount of time SMC held the lead over Cal.

COMING UP
Saint Mary's will have just over a week off from competition before heading to UC Davis on Monday, December 17 at 6:00 p.m.