MORAGA, Calif. – Saint Mary's Women's Basketball defeated the Pepperdine Waves 70-53 on Saturday afternoon at UCU Pavilion to improve to 8-6 overall and 2-1 in WCC play.
 
TAKING THE WAVES BEST SHOT
The blowout win for the Gaels seemed unlikely early on in the game when the Waves jumped out to a 14-6 lead with 6:20 to go in the first quarter. But Tayla Dalton caught fire scoring nine points in the quarter and Madeline Holland scored six points in the opening frame which led to Saint Mary's trailing by just one point after the first at 23-22.
 
GOING FOR SECONDS
The Gaels would have another stellar second quarter just as they did against LMU. Saint Mary's would tie the game at 28-28 on a layup by Hannah Rapp, take the lead on their next basket as Leia Hanafin hit a jumper in the lane with 1:22 left in the half, and go up by five at the break after a Hanafin three pointer.
 
From there SMC would never trail again, clamping down on the Pepperdine shooters who started the game hot. The Waves shot just 2 of 17 in the second quarter and just 1 for 11 from three-point range after going 4 for 7 from downtown in the 1^st quarter, as the Gaels did a much better job of contesting shots in the second.  
 
The third quarter would be Saint Mary's most balanced frame of the game. Six different Gaels scored and they shot 8 of 11 from the field while keeping Pepperdine to just 3 of 16 shooting to outscore the Waves 20-7 in the third. Saint Mary's led by 18 after the third and would stretch their lead to as large 23 after a Madeline Holland layup in the fourth quarter.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Dalton led the Gaels in scoring with 17 points and was a perfect 7 for 7 from the field and 1 for 1 from beyond the arc. Holland scored 14 points and was tied for the team lead in rebounds with Makena Mastora as both pulled down seven boards. Ali Bamberger also finished in double figures with 12 points and Hanafin tied her career high in points in a game with 10.
 
UP NEXT
Saint Mary's will head down to San Diego to take on the Toreros on Thursday, January 20 at 6:00 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