MORAGA, Calif. – Saint Mary's Women's Basketball owned the second and fourth quarters against Santa Clara on Saturday night, defeating the Broncos 89-79.
 
SECOND SHOW
Santa Clara had a four-point lead after the first quarter, but SMC erupted for a 24-12 win of the second. Saint Mary's trailed by six early in that second frame, but back-to-back threes by Taycee Wedin tied the game at 25-25 just three minutes into it.
 
The Gaels held the Broncos scoreless for three minutes and extended their lead to seven after Tayla Dalton stole a pass and took it the distance for a layup. Santa Clara would cut it to a 34-33 Gaels lead with just over three minutes to go in the half, but the SMC defense would answer the bell again.
 
Three pointers on consecutive possessions by Wedin and Jade Kirisome put the lead right back to eight at 42-34, and Ali Bamberger would block a three-point attempt at the buzzer by the Broncos to keep it that way at the half.
 
FOUL FEST
The third quarter would get very choppy, with a combined 18 fouls between the two teams, as the refs definitely called the game tighter that quarter.
 
The Gaels had their lead up to 12 just two-and-a-half minutes into the third when a Leia Hanafin layup made it 51-39 SMC. But the parade to the free-throw line would begin from there.
 
All of that action at the charity stripe allowed the Broncos to take the lead at 60-59 with 1:28 to go in the third, as they went 11 of 13 from the line compared to the Gaels' 4 of 10. But SMC kept their cool, and took the lead right back on a Taycee Wedin jumper near the free-throw line after a great screen from Hanafin and a feed from Aspen Garrison to finish the third.
 
FINAL PUSH
The teams would trade baskets early in the fourth, and Santa Clara would even take a one-point lead again at 66-65 with 8:38 remaining. But another Wedin three would put the Gaels right back on top, and a Dalton three pointer after a Bamberger rebound would put Saint Mary's back up by seven with six minutes to go.
 
The Gaels would never let the Broncos get any closer than within four with 3:47 left to play, and eventually Santa Clara would lose their cool, committing a technical foul with and minute and half remaining.
 
That would put Saint Mary's up by nine at 82-73, though Santa Clara would trim it back to six with 49 seconds to go in the fourth. But Clair Steele would push ahead and feed Bamberger for a layup, and Wedin would hit her final four free-throw attempts to seal the win for the Gaels.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Taycee Wedin led all scorers with 23 points on 6 of 12 shooting and 4 of 7 on threes, giving her 389 three pointers in her career. Ali Bamberger would finish with 21 points and 14 rebounds to lead SMC.
 
The Melbourne connection of Hannah Rapp and Leia Hanafin each finished with nine points and seven rebounds, and Hanafin led the team with five assists. SMC won the rebounding battle 42-32 and shot exactly 50% from the floor while holding Santa Clara to 39.7% shooting.
 
UP NEXT
The Gaels will head to Portland to take on the Pilots at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 16.