NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's basketball team could not get shots to fall while visiting Alma hit over 50 percent of their three-point shot attempts in the opening period in an 85-57 conference setback for the Belles on Wednesday night.

 

Alma used back-to-back three-pointers in the opening two-plus minutes of play to gain a 6-1 lead before Nikki Murphy hit a three-pointer of her own to make it a 6-4 game with 6:32 on the clock. The Scots countered with two more triples to push the score to 12-4 as the Belles called a timeout. The two teams went scoreless over the next 1:56 of play before Jasmyne Townsend sunk a three-pointer to cut the deficit to five. Alma, however, put the next seven points on the scoreboard. Jasmyne Townsend converted a pair of free throw attempts, and Julia Schutz added two free throws of her own. The success behind the arc continued down the stretch for the Scots as Alma hit a three-pointer just before the buzzer to take a 25-11 lead at the end of ten minutes of play.  

 

The two teams traded three-point buckets to start the second quarter with Julia Schutz connecting from long range for the Belles. Alma put the next nine points on the scoreboard to push their advantage to 37-14 four minutes into the period. Anne Goralczyk got into the scoring column with a free throw, and Jasmyne Townsend hit a jumper and a three before a Mary Kate Gareau fastbreak bucket made it 40-22. Townsend added another jump shot, and Goralczyk connected on a tough shot in the lane to cut the deficit to 16 at 42-26 late. Elle Deardorff then capitalized on a late turnover by Alma with a late layup as the score stood at 44-28 at halftime.

 

Julia Schutz and Jasmyne Townsend combined for five points early in the third quarter as the Belles edged within 13 points at 46-33. A three-pointer by the Scots, however, put a stop to a potential scoring run by Saint Mary's. The Belles were unable to pull within closer than 16 over the final 14:20 of play.

 

The fourth period saw Saint Mary's get scoring contributions from Jasmyne Townsend, Mary Kate Gareau, Julia Schutz, Nikki Murphy, Nicole Connolly, and Lauren Gumma as the Belles posted their best shooting quarter of the game by hitting 40 percent of their attempts. Alma, however, also had their best shooting quarter of the contest and connected on 58.3 percent of their shot attempts from the floor to keep the sizable lead down the stretch in the 85-57 final. 

 

Alma went 13-of-29 (44.8 percent) from behind the arc and was 30-of-60 overall in the contest. Saint Mary's was 6-of-19 (31.6 percent) from three-point range and was limited to 20-of-65 shooting from the floor. The Belles held a 20-11 scoring advantage in points off of turnovers on the night. The Scots out-rebounded Saint Mary's 46-33 with a 40-25 edge in defensive rebounds.

 

Jasmyne Townsend led the Belles with a career-high 22 points on an 8-of-14 shooting night from the floor. Julia Schutz added 12 points and four rebounds with a pair of steals, a blocked shot, and an assist. Anne Goralcyzk had five points and led the team with six rebounds. Nikki Murphy tallied five points, five rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Mary Kate Gareau chipped in five points with four rebounds. Lauren Gumma posted four points with two steals on the night.

 

The Belles (6-13, 3-7 MIAA) are back on the road on Saturday as they travel to Adrian for a 3:00 p.m. conference game.