SAN FRANCISCO – Saint Mary's Women's Basketball won a nail biter at USF on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Dons 67-63 on their best shooting performance of the season.
 
OFFENSIVE JUGGERNAUTS
Both teams came out on fire offensively with the Gaels going 10 for 11 from the floor in the first quarter and 16 of 21 in the first half, including 6 of 8 on threes. But USF made up for it in volume to stay close to the Gaels in a back-and-forth affair that featured 16 lead changes.
 
The third quarter was more of the same, but the Gaels transition defense began to pick up after struggling in the first half, with the improvement attributed to communicating better according to coach Allyson Fasnacht.
 
That improved defense led to the last lead change of the night occurring just two and half minutes into the third quarter, when Ali Bamberger scored inside. Though the Gaels would never trail after that, the game would be far from decided.
 
Saint Mary's would get out to their largest leads of the night of seven points on a Taycee Wedin basket inside and a beautiful step-back jumper from Leia Hanafin to make it 55-48 Gaels with 3:11 to go in the third.
 
GETTING DEFENSIVE
USF would manage to make it a four-point game going into the fourth quarter, which was a different story for each team offensively, with just five combined field goals made between the two squads.
 
SMC would never lead by more than five in the fourth, and it would be another jumper from Hanafin behind a smart, subtle screen from Bamberger to put the Gaels up 61-57 with 3:03 remaining.
 
That Hanafin basket would be critical, because USF would get an offensive rebound and hit a three pointer on their next possession to cut it back to one. But the Gaels would keep USF scoreless over their next two possessions and Jade Kirisome would hit a pair of free throws as would Bamberger to make it 65-60 SMC with just 12 seconds left.
 
The Dons would hit a quick three pointer again to cut it to 65-62 with just seven seconds remaining in the fourth.
 
Though the Gaels would miss a pair of free throws, Hanafin would come up big again by grabbing the offensive rebounds before calling a time out. Saint Mary's got the inbound to sharp shooter Taycee Wedin, who would nail a pair of free throws to make it a two-possession game, sealing the win with just two seconds to play.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Bamberger recorded her fifth double-double of the season on a perfect 9 for 9 shooting from the field, including 1 for 1 on threes to go with 11 rebounds.
 
Kirisome also scored in double figures with 10 points, and went 2 for 3 from deep. Wedin had eight points and pulled down a season-high six rebounds, in the same gym where she set her career-high of 11 in last year's season finale.
 
Hanafin narrowly missed a double-double herself, finishing with seven points and nine rebounds.
 
The Gaels finished at 56.8% shooting overall, topping their previous season-high of 53.4% at Cal Baptist, making them 2-0 when they shoot over 50%.
 
After USF went 9 of 15 from the floor in the first quarter, SMC kept them to just 34.9% shooting for the game after limiting them to 24.2% in the second half.
 
Saint Mary's dominated on the boards with 34 rebounds to San Francisco's 19, bringing them to 10-2 when they win the rebounding battle.
 
UP NEXT
The Gaels return home to take on Portland on Thursday, January 19 at 6:30 p.m.