ADRIAN, Mich. - The Saint Mary's basketball team fell in an 81-74 final at Adrian to conclude the 2023-24 season on Saturday.

 

The two sides traded buckets with Kate Restovich hitting a layup a minute into the game. Athena Samson used a free throw a short while later to put the Belles within one at 5-4. The senior then got a shot to fall in the paint after consecutive buckets by the Bulldogs to make it a one-possession difference at 9-6. Adrian responded with seven points for a 16-6 lead with 3:25 in the first quarter. Elle Deardorff drained a trademark three-pointer, and Nicole Connolly cut the difference to five with a layup at 16-11. The Bulldogs got the last two buckets of the period to hold a 20-11 lead at the end of one.

 

Athena Samson hit two free throws, and Alyssa Matuza sunk a three-pointer early in the second to make it 20-14. After an Adrian jumper, Elle Deardorff added another three moments before Samson hit a jump shot to edge the Belles within one at 22-21. The Bulldogs went up three only to have Deardorff again make it a one-point game with a layup with 6:04 on the clock. Adrian took advantage of the shots going just off the mark for Saint Mary's over the next two-and-a-half minutes to gain a 33-23 lead. The Belles battled right back into the mix with a Mary Kate Gareau layup, an Athena Samson layup, and two free throws by Kate Restovich to make it a four-point difference. The Bulldogs hit a three-pointer on their next possession, but Deardorff again sunk a three to make it a 36-32 score. The Belles got a defensive stop, and Samson connected on a late free throw for a 36-33 halftime score as Saint Mary's outscored Adrian 22-16 in the period.

 

Saint Mary's continued to battle throughout the third quarter. Adrian pulled ahead by nine points just over three minutes into the period. The Belles responded with a three-pointer by Nicole Connolly, two free throws by Athena Samson, and a three-pointer by Elle Deardorff to make it a one-point game yet again at 48-47. Adrian broke up the run with a layup, but Connolly hit a layup of her own to make it a 50-49 score. The Bulldogs used a three-point play and a three-pointer to go up 56-49. Connolly connected on another jumper, and Avery Schiesser and Kate Restovich each used a free throw to get the Belles within three at 56-53 heading into the fourth.

 

Five quick points by the Bulldogs put Adrian ahead eight points. The Belles again came right back with layups by Elle Deardorff and Nicole Connolly to stay within striking distance at 61-57 a minute into the quarter. Both teams had a scoreless stretch over the next minute before Adrian got a jumper to fall. Deardorff had the near-immediate response with a three-pointer the other way to again make it a one-possession game. The two sides kept going back-and-forth with the scoring. Caroline Roecker had a second-chance layup to make it a 66-62 game, and Deardorff hit another three to make it 68-65 with just over five minutes left in the fourth. The Bulldogs expanded their lead to eight, but Kate Restovich connected on a pair of free throws with 3:47 to play. Adrian, however, was able to get their shots to fall over the next minute and a half while the Belles could not get the bounces to go their way as the Bulldogs gained a 79-67 lead with 2:13 to go. Mary Kate Gareau, Athena Samson, and Caroline Roecker all posted points down the stretch, but the comeback came up short in the 81-74 final.

 

Adrian made 32-of-64 (50.0 percent) of their shots from the floor and 7-of-14 (50.0 percent) of their shots in the game. Saint Mary's hit 24-of-81 (29.6 percent) of the attempts from the floor and 8-of-34 (23.5 percent) of their three-point attempts in the game. The Belles had advantages over the Bulldogs in made free throws (18-10), rebounds (47-40), and second-chance points (28-15).

 

Elle Deardorff led all players with 26 points with six made three-pointers, five rebounds, and an assist. Athena Samson collected her twelfth double-double of the season with 17 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. The senior post player also dished out four assists in the contest. Nicole Connolly put up 11 points with eight rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Kate Restovich added seven points and two steals, and Mary Kate Gareau posted five points and five rebounds. Caroline Roecker (four points), Alyssa Matuza (three points), and Avery Schiesser (one point) rounded out the scoring for the Belles. 

 

Deardorff finished her career with the second-most three-pointers in a Saint Mary's uniform with 135 career threes. The senior also posted the second-most made threes in a single season with 62 during the 2023-24 season. Annie Restovich concluded the year with the third-highest total of made three-pointers in a season with 56. Samson set a new program record for rebounds in a season with 297 boards. 

 

The Belles end the year 5-20 overall and 2-14 in MIAA play.