WBB | Gaels Comeback Twice But Drop Home Opener in OT

Saturday, November 20

Moraga, CA

7:00 PM

Saint Mary's College of California

2-2,0-0WCC

Western Michigan

2-2,0-0MAC

OT 1

Western Mich.

Saint Mary's (CA)

Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner

WBB | Gaels Comeback Twice But Drop Home Opener in OT

11/20/2021 11:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

MORAGA, Calif. - The Saint Mary's Women's Basketball team fought back from two-different deficits in their 2021-22 home opener, but ultimately fell in overtime to 76-67 to Western Michigan.

Playing in front of their home crowd for the first time since February 29 of 2020, the Gaels were down 10 after one quarter of play but went into halftime tied at 36 apiece, and trailed by six points in the fourth quarter before forcing overtime against the Broncos.

Saint Mary's would trail by as many as 13 points early in the second quarter before beginning their comeback. Taycee Wedin, Ali Bamberger, and Jade Kirisome all hit consecutive three pointers to cut it to a 25-21 deficit with just over six minutes to go in the first half only to see the Western Michigan reclaim their 10-point lead with five minutes to go in the half.

But the Gaels cut the deficit back down again, this time from inside the paint rather than from outside the arc with baskets from Bamberger and Aspen Garrison. Then Tayla Dalton hit a three pointer follow by her jumper in the paint to tie the game at 34-34 with one minute remaining in the half. Taycee Wedin would hit a pair of free throws to put the Gaels up by two for their first lead since just under the seven-minute mark of the first quarter before going into the break tied at 36-all.

The Broncos would jump out to an early five-point lead to start the second half and maintain it for most of the quarter, even extending it to as much as eight with 2:42 to go in the third. But the Gaels defense helped them trim the lead, as Ellie Croco forced a turnover that led to a basket by Kirisome and SMC forced back-to-back shot clock violations by Western Michigan as the Gaels trailed 50-47 at the end of the third.

Saint Mary's would trail by six points with just over eight minutes left, but for the third time this season the Gaels defense got stingy in the fourth quarter, holding the Broncos to 23% shooting in the fourth. Hanna Rapp would feed Bamberger cutting underneath the basket for a layup that made it just a 54-52 Broncos lead with 5:20 left to play, and Bamberger would tie the game at 54-54 with another basket in the paint with 4:27 to go.

A pair of Kirisome free throws gave the Gaels a two-point lead with 3:50 remaining, and a Bamberger layup made it 58-55 Gaels with three minutes left. But the Broncos capitalized on a Gaels turnover to tie the game at 58-58 with just 49 second remaining. Bamberger would get one more look near the right elbow for the win but missed the shot to the left. However, the Gaels would defend the Broncos inbound play with 1.1 seconds remaining to force overtime.

The extra frame would be a battle of attrition, as each side had two key players foul out, including Bamberger and Brianna Simonich for the Gaels. The Broncos built a lead of six points halfway into the overtime and the Gaels were never able to trim the lead to less than four. Saint Mary's was just 1 for 5 from the field in OT, including 0 for 3 from downtown as they fell to 2-2 on the year after the 76-67 overtime loss.

Bamberger recorded her second double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Wedin led the Gaels in scoring for the second time this year, with a season-high 20 points. Kirisome also scored in double figures with 11 points and was second on the team with six rebounds.

UP NEXT
The Gaels will host the Saint Mary's Thanksgiving classic on November 26 and 27. They'll take on the Horned Frogs of TCU on Friday, November 26 at 2:00 p.m.

#GaelsRise — 2021-22 tickets and ticket packages are on sale now! To purchase tickets, click HERE. If you have questions, contact the ticket office by email smctickets@stmarys-ca.edu or call 925-631-4689…Saint Mary's Basketball…#TogetherAgain