MORAGA, Calif. – The Saint Mary's Women's Basketball Team couldn't get over the hump against the University of San Francisco Dons in a 70-56 loss to USF on Thursday night at UCU Pavilion.
 
The Gaels (9-8, 3-3) trimmed the double-digit lead of the Dons (10-10, 4-4) to six points multiple times in the third quarter and had it down to seven in the fourth, but each time the Gaels threatened USF responded quickly and decisively to keep SMC from getting any closer.
 
Saint Mary's trailed by just four after the first quarter, but found themselves down 35-21 at the half. USF shot 48.4% from the field and 50% from three-point range in the first half compared to the Gaels 35.7% overall and 0 for 2 from downtown.
 
But the home team would not go quietly and immediately started the second half on an 8-2 run to cut the deficit to seven after a Madeline Holland put back. Holland would cut the lead to six after a hook shot in the lane and Ali Bamberger had 10 points in the third alone, but the Dons would extend the lead back to nine by the end of the quarter.
 
Saint Mary's would trim the lead down to seven in the fourth after an Ali Bamberger free throw with just over six-and-a-half minutes remaining, but that would be as close as the Gaels would get as the Dons went on an 11-0 run over the next three minutes to preserve the double-digit win.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Bamberger led the Gaels with 16 points to go along with seven rebounds and Holland finished with her third double-double of the season by scoring 12 points with 11 boards. Tayla Dalton just missed scoring in double figures with nine points on the night, while Taycee Wedin did not make a three pointer for the first time in a game this season, leaving her still one shy of the program record of 268 threes.

UP NEXT
The Gaels will head down south to take on Loyola Marymount University this Saturday at 12:00 p.m.