MORAGA, Calif. - The Saint Mary's Women's Basketball Team returned to action after a pause in their schedule due to health and safety protocols and exploded for 82 points in their WCC opener, defeating LMU 82-63 on Tuesday night at UCU Pavilion. The win improved SMC to 7-5 overall and they start conference play 1-0.
 
FAST START
The Gaels led by four after one quarter behind a hot start from Taycee Wedin, who was honored before the game for crossing the 1,000-point mark in her career during SMC's last home game. The senior was 3 for 5 from three-point range in the first quarter alone, as Saint Mary's led 20-16 after the first and were winning the turnover battle 6-2.
 
The second quarter was a thing of beauty for the Gaels, winning the frame 21-6 by holding LMU to 2 of 10 shooting from the field in the quarter while shooting 53% themselves. It was a balanced attack for Saint Mary's with six different players scoring in the second. Tayla Dalton, Jade Kirisome, and Wedin each hit a three in the quarter, and the Gaels out rebounded the Lions 13-5.  
 
THWARTING A RALLY
But the Lions were hungry to get that first WCC win as well and wouldn't go down without a fight. They trimmed the Saint Mary's lead to eight points with 2:13 remaining in the third and had grabbed the momentum. But the Gaels were undaunted, getting the lead back to double digits by the end of the third quarter. LMU won the quarter 22-13 by matching SMC's hot shooting and winning the turnover and rebound battle.
 
But the rally would get no further for the Lions as the Gaels extended their lead to as many as 20 points with just over three minutes remaining in the game on Keyna Hadley's first career basket on a drive into the lane to make it 77-57 Saint Mary's. The Gaels were near perfect in the fourth, shooting 8 of 10 from the field, including 4 for 4 from beyond the arc and going 8 of 11 at the free throw line.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Wedin led the way for Saint Mary's with 20 points and hit six more threes to need just eight more to tie the program record for career three pointers. Dalton had a career night going 5 for 6 from downtown and scoring 19 points, both new personal highs. Ali Bamberger had 16 points and led the team in rebounding with seven, and Madeline Holland led the Gaels with seven assists to go along with her nine points and six boards.
 
It was the second time this season the Gaels scored 80 points or more, with the other occasion being their 81-69 victory over Fresno State. Saint Mary's shot 54.5% from the field for the game. It was their first time shooting 50% or higher since shooting exactly 50% in the season opener at Nevada, and they shot over 50% from three-point range (54.2%) for the first time this season. The Gaels led for all but two minutes of the contest.
 
UP NEXT
Saint Mary's will travel to Provo, Utah to take on No. 18 BYU on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
 
#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