Late Run Lifts Belles Over Scots

Box Score

ALMA, Mich. - The Saint Mary's basketball team used an 11-0 run late in the second half to earn a 69-61 win over Alma on the road on Saturday evening.

The Belles sprinted out of the gate to take a 9-1 lead on buckets by Kelley Murphy, Shanlynn Bias, Maggie Ronan, and Patsy Mahoney. The Scots chipped away at the deficit as they would throughout the evening before taking their first lead of the game at 18-17 with 9:40 left in the first half. Saint Mary's regained the lead and pushed their advantage to nine points on a 7-0 spurt with less than four minutes to go, but Alma then responded with seven consecutive points to make the score 31-29 in favor of Saint Mary's with 1:11 to go before halftime. Jessica Centa completed the three-point play with 27 seconds left in the half to give Saint Mary's the 34-29 edge at the half.

Saint Mary's started off the second half with six straight points to take their largest lead of the game of eleven points at 40-29. Once again, the Scots chipped away at the Belles' lead before taking a 53-51 lead with 6:40 remaining in the contest. Patsy Mahoney nailed a three-pointer on the very next possession to quickly erase the deficit. After a pair of free throws by the Scots put Alma up by one point with 5:23 to go, the Belles went on an 11-0 run by scoring on six of their next seven possessions for a 65-55 lead with just 1:24 left on the clock. Saint Mary's would lead by at least seven over the final minute-and-a-half for the 69-61 win.

Kelley Murphy led all players in the game with 18 points. Shanlynn Bias matched her career-high for points with 14 and notched a new career-high with four assists. Patsy Mahoney added 14 points and Jessica Centa had 12 to round out the Belles' double-digit scorers in the win.

The Belles (8-10, 4-5 MIAA) return home for a key MIAA contest against in-state rival Trine on Wednesday, January 25, beginning at 7:30 p.m.