SPOKANE, Wash. – In a battle with the WCC's top-ranked team in No. 17 Gonzaga, Saint Mary's found themselves trailing by just two points with 8:34 remaining in the fourth quarter. However, the Bulldogs' offense shot 60 percent in the final period to outlast Saint Mary's by the final score of 74-62.

HOW IT HAPPENED
 

• QUARTER 1 | Gonzaga took an early, 8-4 lead, but the Gaels cut the deficit to one with a free throw and a layup from senior Megan McKay with 5:15 to remaining in the period. After the media timeout, McKay made her sixth point of the quarter and fifth straight for SMC with another free throw, tying the game at eight points apiece with 4:09 to play. The score was tied once again at 10-10, but a 6-3 run gave the Bulldogs a 16-13 cushion at the 2:44 mark. The Zags pulled ahead by six (20-14) with 1:02 on the clock, but McKay continued to be the Gaels' star of the opening period, responding with a jumper to cut the deficit to four points. However, GU ended the quarter with three unanswered points to lead 23-16 after the first 10 minutes of play.

 

• QUARTER 2 | Gonzaga stretched their advantage to 12 points with 8:06 to play in the second as they held SMC from scoring in the opening minutes while adding seven of their own. Two-consecutive McKay layups brought Saint Mary's within eight points with 5:49 on the clock, but the Bulldogs remained in control for the remainder of the quarter and led by eight (35-27) despite a 4-0 Gaels run to end the half.  

 

• QUARTER 3 | The Zags' lead immediately jumped to 11 points to open the third as Chandler Smith hit a trey in GU's opening possession. The Bulldogs' eight unanswered points to begin the quarter got a response when freshman Taycee Wedin made a triple with 5:49 to go, making it 43-30 Gonzaga. The Gaels turned it on late in the quarter and used a 9-5 run which was capped by a 3-pointer from freshman Sam Simons to cut the Bulldogs' lead to eight points (50-42). SMC eventually only trailed by seven at the end of the third after outscoring GU 20-19 in the period.  

 

• QUARTER 4 | Simons opened up the final period with a layup to pull the Gaels within five points to make it a two-possession game. Then, senior Carly Turner's second trey of the contest made it a 2-point game (54-52) with 8:34 to play. The Zags responded with four points of their own, but after multiple stops from both sides, McKay managed to score a layup with 5:22 remaining to pull SMC with four points (58-54) once again. While Saint Mary's continued to push, their late surge was not enough to overcome No. 17 Gonzaga and they fell by the score of 74-62.  

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW
 

• 29: A season-high in points for McKay and one point shy of tying her career-high
• 78.5: McKay's shooting percentage on the night (11-for-14)
• 54.1: The Gaels' field goal percentage in the second half
• 34/33: SMC-GU rebounding ratio as the Gaels outrebounded the Bulldogs
• 17: No. of Gael assists – two more than Gonzaga

 
COMING UP
 
Saint Mary's will wrap up a 6-game road streak on Saturday when they head to Portland to face the Pilots at 2:00 p.m.