MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary's Women's Basketball entered Saturday's afternoon affair against the University of the Pacific Tigers in need of a jolt. The Gaels had dropped their last four games, bringing them to an even 4-4 in conference play, the same mark as the Tigers. With the offense and defense out of sync in recent weeks, it looked like the Gaels had put it together at the right time. Unfortunately, with the game coming down to the wire, it was the Tigers getting the ever-elusive fifth WCC win by beating the Gaels 68-66 in overtime.
 
SIMONS SAYS
 
The Gaels celebrated Australian Heritage Day inside University Credit Union Pavilion on Saturday, making it fitting that Sam Simons was their go-to scorer. She was on the floor for virtually the entire game, logging 43 minutes, and led the team offensively with 23 points on 10-21 from the floor. She also produced a solid line with seven rebounds, four assists, and one steal. Her best work came in the fourth quarter, where she opened up by scoring the first three buckets of the frame for the Gaels, and the assisting on a pair of Brianna Simonich buckets on the next two tries. Her 23 points tie her conference high this season, which she had done twice already against San Francisco and Pepperdine.
 
THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING US
 
The final minute of the fourth quarter was about as intense and dramatic as a regular season game could be, with the Gaels trailing by just one point with one minute remaining. After a missed three-point attempt, the Tigers came the other way and missed a layup but got a good deflection and were awarded the offensive rebound after a lengthy replay review with ten seconds remaining. The Gaels then used a barrage of fouls to get the Tigers to the line, where they only hit one free throw to make it 61-59. Wisely, the Tigers also used up their remaining fouls to bleed the clock down on the Gaels, but an inbounding foul on Taycee Wedin was the Tigers' fifth foul, sending her to the line with 1.4 seconds left. Wedin hit both free throws and the game went into bonus basketball.
 
IT ONLY TOOK ONE
 
Over four minutes elapsed in the five-minute overtime frame before a bucket was hit, courtesy of a clutch three from Wedin (16 points, 4-9 from range), giving the Gaels a 64-63 edge. The Tigers responded with a pair of free throws, but that was answered by Tyra Moe calling bank on her jumper in the paint and making it 66-65 Gaels with just 26 seconds remaining. The Tigers used up all but 11 seconds in the game and their only make in overtime was an impressive layup from Valerie Higgins in traffic to go up 67-66. After a turnover and three missed free throws by the Tigers, the Gaels had a chance to win it on a final heave by Simons, but it came up short.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Gaels are on the road to close out the month of January and to open February, with Loyola Marymount on the schedule for Thursday, January 30 in Los Angeles. Tip-off is schedule for 7:00 pm before the Gaels head to Malibu and take on Pepperdine on February 1. This marks the beginning of the second trip through the conference opponents for the Gaels.