MORAGA, Calif. – The Gaels offense erupted in the second quarter and Saint Mary's got big performances from Ali Bamberger, Taycee Wedin, and Madeline Holland on their way to a 79-71 victory over the San Jose State Spartans on Tuesday night at UCU Pavilion to improve to 4-3 on the season.
 
THREE-HEADED MONSTER
The Gaels jumped out to a six-point lead but the Spartans fought back to tie it at 9-9 midway through the first and the teams traded baskets from there. The game would be tied at 16-16 after the first quarter, but the Gaels big three of Bamberger, Wedin, and Holland had already found their footing, scoring 14 of Saint Mary's 16 first-quarter points on their way to leading the team in scoring in the game.
 
DEFENSE LEADS TO OFFENSE
Wedin powered the Gaels offense in the second quarter as well by scoring eight points in the second frame. She hit the first two buckets of the quarter, but the opportunities came about because of the Gaels defense, with Bamberger pulling down a board before the first bucket and a Leia Hanafin steal leading to a Wedin three.
 
The Gaels twin towers of Bamberger and Amy West each blocked a shot in the second quarter as well. But the Gaels got scoring from all directions in the second, with Jade Kirisome and Hannah Rapp scoring five points and four points respectively in the quarter. Saint Mary's would outscore San Jose State 24-13 in the second and take a 40-29 lead into the half after shooting 53% from the field in the quarter.
 
KEEPING THE SPARTANS AT ARM'S LENGTH
While the Spartans would win the third quarter 19-18 and the fourth 23-21, the Gaels explosion in the second quarter gave them enough of a buffer to keep the Spartans at arm's length. The Spartans best runs of the night – including a 9-2 burst to start the fourth – could only cut the Gaels lead to one with four minutes left in the quarter.
 
The Spartans caught fire from downtown as they went 5 of 9 from three-point range and did a good job of playing the passing lanes and disrupting the Gaels offense. But they could only slow the Gaels down rather than shut them down. And even when the Spartans cut the lead to one, it was the big three again that steadied the ship for Saint Mary's, as baskets by Bamberger and Holland, and free throws by Wedin stretched the Gaels lead back to seven with 3:39 remaining.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
It was a monster night from Bamberger as she scored 22 points and hauled down 20 rebounds, both career highs for the Walnut Creek, Calif. native. It was already her fourth double-double of the season and she's had two games scoring in double figures with nine rebounds to narrowly miss having two more double-doubles. Bamberger was 7 of 16 from the field (7 of 13 on two pointers) and 8 of 10 from the free throw line.
 
Holland also had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds and led all players with six assists and had two steals, and Wedin led all scorers with 23 points. Saint Mary's shot 42.6% from the floor and out rebounded San Jose State 50-28 and committed just one more turnover than the Spartans.

UP NEXT
The Gaels will take on Fresno State at UCU Pavilion on Saturday, December 4 at 1:00 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