PORTLAND, Ore. – Saint Mary's Women's Basketball battled back from a big halftime deficit against the Portland Pilots (17-5, 7-3) with a fantastic third quarter, but the Pilots hung on for a 73-63 win over the Gaels. The loss drops SMC to 12-11 overall and 6-6 in WCC play.
 
Taycee Wedin provided the firepower early as the Milwaukie, Ore. native had two threes in the first quarter and three in the half playing in front of a big contingent of friends and family.
 
But after trailing by just six at the end of the first quarter, the Gaels struggled to score in the second. That contributed to a 14-2 run by Portland as they went 8 for 11 from the field and had a 17-point lead at the half at 41-24.
 
The Gaels came out strong in the third quarter though, scoring the first five points of the second half on a Madeline Holland bucket and a Tayla Dalton three. That led to a time out by Portland as they could sense a run coming from Saint Mary's, but it would not slow down the Gaels.
 
A Wedin three was followed by an Ali Bamberger basket in the paint and Dalton was fouled on a three pointer. Dalton hit all three shots from the free-throw line and the deficit was down to seven with 5:53 left in the third after an 8-0 Gaels run.  
 
This time a Bamberger layup was followed by a Wedin three to cut it to a two-point game with 3:15 to go in the third. Though the Pilots would get their lead back to six at the end of the period, the Gaels flipped the script from the second quarter, after being outscored 22-11 in the second they did it right back to the Pilots in the third.
 
The Pilots got their double-digit lead back with 8:53 remaining at 56-46 and would lead by 18 with 3:39 remaining before hanging on for the 10-point win over the Gaels.
 
The Gaels slid just one spot in the standings with the loss, putting them in fifth place behind USF but ahead of Santa Clara.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Wedin scored 20 points with six more three pointers for her sixth game of 20 points or more this season. Bamberger had 17 points with 13 boards for her seventh double-double of the year and Dalton finished with 10 points. Madeline Holland finished with a season-high nine assists and three steals and Ellie Croco tied a career high with nine rebounds.
 
The Gaels were 32% from downtown but had 11 shots blocked by the Pilots.
 
UP NEXT
The Gaels return home to take on No. 20 BYU this Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Saint Mary's will hand out pink, Saint Mary's Basketball t-shirts on Saturday in support of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
 
#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