BOISE, Idaho – Saint Mary's Women's Basketball improved to 6-3 with an overtime victory at Boise State on Saturday, behind a big game from Ali Bamberger in her return to the lineup.
 
Bamberger returned after missing two games due to injury, only to be without Taycee Wedin and Clair Steele against the Broncos, making the return of the Gaels' center that much more important.
 
Each team struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the first quarter, but they both got going in the second, with four lead changes and two ties in the quarter. The Broncos would hit a free-throw-line jumper before the half ended to go up 27-26 at the break.
 
Boise State would get out to a seven-point lead midway through the third, before the Gaels went on a run that was sparked by their defense, which held the Broncos to 1 of 11 shooting to finish the quarter. Bamberger's second three of the game would put the SMC up 45-43 after three quarters.
 
WILD FINISH
But the fourth had four lead changes and was tied five times. Saint Mary's went up by three after back-to-back baskets from Aspen Garrison with just under five minutes to go.
 
An up-and-under move from Jade Kirisome put the Gaels up 57-55 with 2:37 left, but the Broncos tied it on a pair of free throws with just over a minute left. Boise State would block an SMC three from the corner and the Broncos had their own three rattle out on a good look from the corner which left the game tied at 57 at the end of regulation.
 
That led to the Gaels first overtime game of the season and the Broncos' second – a 55-54, neutral-site loss to Milwaukee was their first. With three minutes left in the extra frame, Makena Mastora hit a three from the wing to put Saint Mary's up by five and Hannah Rapp put it back to five with 2:23 left.
 
The Gaels made two-straight stops before a turnover led to a Broncos basket with 44 seconds left in OT to cut the SMC lead to 66-33. But for the second game in a row the Gaels forced an error on a late inbound by their opponent that all but ended the game.
 
Mastora hounded Bronco Dani Bayes who received the inbound, giving her very little room along the sideline, where she would dribble it out of bounds for the turnover.  
 
One more time Rapp put SMC back up by five with a pair of free throws with six seconds left, as the Gaels hung on for the 68-65 win.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
The win was number 299 at Saint Mary's for Head Coach Paul Thomas.
 
Bamberger finished with a career-high 26 points with a career-high three, three pointers to go along with nine rebounds and a season-high three blocks in her return to action. Rapp continued her run of good games, tying her career high of 13 points and pulling down another eight rebounds.
 
Leia Hanafin led the team with a career-high 10 rebounds and tied her career high in assists with a game high of seven.
 
UP NEXT
The Gaels remain in the Mountain Time Zone, as they'll play Montana State on Monday, December 12 at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time.