Belles Topped by No. 2 Flying Dutch

Box Score

• Giavanna Paradiso led Saint Mary's with nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
• Delaney Rohlman added seven points.
• Megan Saunders scored three points.

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's basketball team fell by an 85-27 margin against undefeated No. 2/3 (WBCA NCAA Division III Top 25/d3hoops.com) Hope on Wednesday evening.

The visiting Flying Dutch opened the game on a 16-0 run over the opening four minutes of play to take control early. Erin Maloney drew a foul while shooting and converted both free throw attempts to put the Belles on the scoreboard with more than 5:50 left on the clock in the period. Neither side was able to get a shot to fall over the next four minutes of play. Saint Mary's ended the scoring drought with a pair of free throws by Megan Saunders with 1:49 to play in the quarter to make it 16-4. Hope tallied three free throws late in the quarter for a 19-4 lead at the first break.

The Flying Dutch quickly put five points on the scoreboard in the second quarter to take a 24-4 lead. Giavanna Paradiso sliced through the lane for a layup on the Belles' next possession. The freshman added a three-point play a minute and a half later, and Megan Saunders sunk a free throw to make it a 28-10 game with 6:43 remaining before halftime. Three consecutive buckets by Hope gave the Flying Dutch a 35-10 advantage with four-plus minutes remaining. Paradiso had an offensive rebound and put-back, and Delaney Rohlman hit a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 23 twice. The Flying Dutch, however, added a free throw late to hold a 39-15 lead at the half.

Hope hit better than 42 percent of their shots in both the third and fourth quarters on their way to posting 46 second-half points. Saint Mary's was unable to find an offensive rhythm to match the Flying Dutch while connecting on 23 percent of their shots from the floor over the final 20 minutes of play.

Giavanna Paradiso led Saint Mary's with nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Delaney Rohlman added seven points, and Megan Saunders scored three points. Erin Maloney, Gabby Diamond, Carin Kaminski, and Bern McGeever each tallied two points. Caroline Macius matched her career-high with six rebounds.

The Belles (5-11, 3-5 MIAA) have their second of three consecutive home contests on Saturday when they host Calvin at 3:00 p.m.