Box Score
MORAGA, Calif. – A banner night from beyond the arc for junior
Alexa Hardick nearly took down the Saint Mary's Gaels on Monday night at McKeon Pavilion.
Hardick, hailing from Dallas, Texas, proved to be a 3-point threat from start to finish, going 6-of-8 from long range to finish with career-high 18 points while leading the Dons' offensive output. Her sixth bomb of the game made the score 64-61 in favor of the Gaels with 1:22 to play. Saint Mary's finished the night hitting 4-of-6 from the line to narrowly escape with a 68-63 win and move to 14-5 on the season and 5-1 in West Coast Conference action.
Along with Hardick's 18 points, USF got 11 points from Zhane Dikes and 10 from
Taylor Proctor to round out the double-digit scoring outings. Denae Mary Willams led the effort on the glass for the Dons with six boards and she posted a career-high four blocks on the defensive end of the court.
The Dons entered the halftime break down 37-30 after being gashed for 17 first half points off the hand of Saint Mary's Kate Gaze. But the USF defense was in full force to start the second half as the Gaels committed four turnovers and missed its first four shots of the period. However, USF was icy on offense, experiencing a nearly five minute scoring drought to open the half.
The second half scoring got rolling with Hardick's 3-pointer with 9:36 to play ignited an 11-4 run. Her triple six feet beyond the arc with 6:47 to play cut the Saint Mary's lead to five points, before Hardick's final swish of the night brought the score within one possession with 1:22 remaining.
USF found itself down by as many as 15 points with 2:32 to play in the first, after Danielle Mauldin swished a pair from the line. With the score at 34-19 in favor of the Gaels, USF went on an 11-3 run to close the half, punctuated by both offensive and defensive intensity.
With 50 seconds remaining in the period, Williams went to work in the low post and converted her and-1 try to cut the Saint Mary's lead to 10. With nine seconds left, Hardick swished the shot from beyond the arc to close the gap to seven, and seconds later Hardick took a charge to negate a driving layup by Jackie Nared.
The Dons nearly made the late-half run 15-3 in favor of the visitors, but Hardick's halfcourt shot at the buzzer was ruled just a tick late after review.
With the loss, the Dons move to 9-12 (2-6 WCC) on the year and look forward to returning to the friendly confines of War Memorial Gym, where the team is 7-3 on the Hilltop. USF opens a three-game home stretch that kicks off against San Diego Saturday at 2 p.m.
