Jan. 24, 2009
Box Score
MORAGA, Calif. - The University of San Diego women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker to Saint Mary's College, 76-74, in double overtime Saturday afternoon in a West Coast Conference game at the McKeon Pavilion.
With the Gaels leading by two at 74-72 in the second overtime period, a Morgan Henderson jumper evened the score with :35 left. A missed jumper by the Gaels and a Sam Child defensive rebound gave USD some hope, but the Toreros turned the ball right back over to the Gaels, who in turn hit a jumper with five seconds left to give SMC the victory.
With the loss, the Toreros fall to 12-7 overall and fall to 3-1 in the WCC. With the win, the Gaels move to 7-13 overall and 3-2 in the WCC.
Senior forward Kiva Herman led all scorers with 29 points on 12-for-25 shooting from the floor. Amber Sprague recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds and Sam Child also added in a double-double of her own with 12 points and 10 rebounds. As a team, USD shot 38 percent from the floor and out rebounded the Gaels 59-55.
In the first half, the two teams were trading basket-for-basket over the first 5:30 of action. Then with the score knotted at 8-8, a pair of Louella Tomlinson free throws sparked a 8-0 SMC run to give the Gales a 16-8 lead with 10:47 remaining in the first frame.
The Toreros then responded with a 8-0 run of their own as a Herman jumper ignited the run and a Sara VanderHorst lay-up capped things off to again pull the Toreros even with the Gaels at 16-16 with 7:43 to go in the half.
SMC then went on a 16-4 run over the remainder of the half to take a 32-20 lead going into the break.
In the second half, the Gaels were able to hold on to a double-digit lead for a majority of the frame. But with the score at 53-37 with 11:44 to go, a Herman free throw then ignited a 17-4 USD run that featured five different Toreros scoring, and pulled San Diego back to within three at 57-54 with 3:17 to go.
The two teams then sea sawed back and forth over the final three minutes of action before a Herman jumper tied things up with :26 to go. The Gales were unable to score basket with their final possession which forced the Toreros into their first overtime game of the season.
In the first overtime period, the two teams traded basket-for-basket over the first several minutes of action. Then with the Gaels leading 68-64, a pair of Herman jumpers evened the scored to force a second and final over time period.
The Toreros will return to action on Thursday as they return to the friendly confines of the Jenny Craig Pavilion for a 7 p.m. tilt against the University of Portland.
