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SAN FRANCISCO – In another wire-to-wire contest between USF and Saint Mary's, it was Carly Turner's jumper with 0.4 seconds left that gave the Gaels a 64-62 victory on Thursday evening at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.
The Dons (11-9, 5-4 WCC) chipped away during the second half to overcome a six-point halftime deficit when senior
Rachel Howard knocked down an off balance three-pointer with 19 seconds left in the game and hit the ensuing free throw to tie it at 62-62 before Turner connected for the game-winner on the Gaels' next possession.
Howard registered a game-high 26 points on the night by going 7-of-15 from the field and 4-of-7 from the perimeter. It was Howard's fourth consecutive game scoring at least 20 points as she passed Sarah Wanless (1995-00) for 20
th all-time among USF's career scoring leaders with 1,094 career points.
Michaela Rakova added 10 points and a team-best seven rebounds for USF.
Turner had a hand in the last meeting between these teams in Moraga on Jan. 7 when she hit the two deciding free throws with 11 seconds left. Thursday night's game carried the same back-and-forth, competitive flavor.
USF came out in control by scoring the first seven points of the game. Saint Mary's (11-9, 6-3 WCC) committed six turnovers over a four minute scoreless drought that saw USF jump out to a 14-5 lead midway through the first quarter en route to an 18-13 lead to close out the quarter.
The Gaels bounced back with a strong second quarter, going on a 14-0 run that saw the lead swing in favor of Saint Mary's, 27-20, following a pair of Turner free throws with just under four minutes in the half. USF went just 3-for-15 in the quarter as the Gaels led 33-27 at the break.
USF gradually started to regain momentum coming out of the intermission, taking advantage of a 1-for-6 start to the third quarter by SMC that allowed USF to trim the lead to 42-39 midway through the period.
Anna Pierce's jumper with 1:26 on the clock helped USF climb within two at 47-45 by the end of the quarter.
Howard stepped up big for the Dons in the fourth quarter, knocking down three of her four triples and helping keep USF within striking distance, but her effort was overshadowed by Turner's final dagger.
Similar to their previous meeting, the Gaels held a decisive advantage in the paint where they outscored USF 32-8 on the night and grabbed 16 offensive boards to post a 14-4 edge in second chance opportunities.
Shannon Mauldin led Saint Mary's with 14 points, while leading scorer Stella Beck tallied 12 points and six rebounds, and Devon Brookshire added 10 points and six rebounds for the Gaels.
The Dons stay at home to host Pacific on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Individual game tickets for all USF home games this season are available online at USFDons.com or by calling (415) 422-2USF. General admission tickets are available for as low as $10. All USFCA faculty, staff and students with a valid ID, and youth 12 and under enter free.
Parking for USF home games is typically available free of charge two hours prior to tip-off until one hour after the conclusion of the game in any campus lot, with the exception of designated green parking spots and the top of Hayes-Healy garage.
Tickets are available for USF's Hall of Fame dinner to be held on Feb. 3 at the McLaren Conference Center on campus. Former women's basketball standout Tami Adkins '93 joins Eduardo Rangel '66 (men's soccer), Patrick McGuigan '06 (baseball), James Hardy '78 (men's basketball), and Dr. Sandee Hill (special category) as the 2017 class of inductees into the Father Hubert "Hub" Flynn Hall of Fame. Click here to purchase your tickets today.
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