MORAGA, Calif. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined by missed opportunities and a frantic final sequence, Abigail Shoff’s stepback jumper with one second remaining lifted Saint Mary’s to a 53-51 victory over Pepperdine in a West Coast Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at McKeon Pavilion.

The game’s decisive moment capped a chaotic final five seconds that saw the lead change hands twice. With the Gaels trailing by one, Pepperdine’s Ivory Finley connected on a deep 3-pointer with six seconds left, silencing the crowd of 424 and putting the Waves ahead 51-51. Saint Mary’s called timeout to advance the ball.

On the ensuing inbounds play, Mauriana Hashemian-Orr found Shoff near the top of the key. The sophomore from Redding, California, created space with a dribble and sank the 18-foot shot, her only field goal of the second half, to secure the win for the Gaels.

The dramatic finish overshadowed a game characterized by grit over grace. Both teams struggled offensively, with Pepperdine committing 16 turnovers and Saint Mary’s shooting just 2 of 4 from beyond the arc. The Gaels’ slight advantages in assists, steals, and free-throw efficiency ultimately proved the difference.

Pepperdine, which had defeated Saint Mary’s 60-52 in Malibu earlier this month, controlled the early tempo. The Waves led 13-11 after a first quarter where both teams shot under 40% from the field. Saint Mary’s found a rhythm in the second period, using a 16-12 quarter to take a 27-25 lead into halftime.

The third quarter was a mirror image of the first, with Pepperdine edging Saint Mary’s 16-11 to reclaim a narrow 41-38 advantage. The Waves’ defense held the Gaels to just 11 points in the frame, but their own offensive inconsistencies prevented them from building a larger cushion.

The fourth quarter was a tense, possession-by-possession battle. Saint Mary’s methodically chipped away, tying the game at 45 on an Edie Clarke turnaround jumper with 4:13 remaining. Clarke, a 6-foot-4 center from Melbourne, Australia, led all scorers with 16 points and added two assists.

Pepperdine’s Seleh Harmon kept the Waves in contention with her perimeter shooting. The guard from Norman, Oklahoma, scored a team-high 15 points, all from 3-point range, going 5 for 11 from deep. Her final triple with 3:18 left gave Pepperdine a 48-47 lead, setting the stage for the final-minute drama.

After Clarke put Saint Mary’s back up 49-48 with a layup at the 3:09 mark, both teams endured a scoring drought of over two minutes, plagued by turnovers and contested shots. Pepperdine had a chance to extend or reclaim the lead but committed a shot-clock violation with 40 seconds left, giving the ball back to Saint Mary’s with a one-point lead.

The Gaels’ Hashemian-Orr then drove for a layup to push the lead to 51-48 with 29 seconds remaining, setting up Finley’s seeming game-winner before Shoff’s heroics.

Saint Mary’s improved to 12-9 overall and evened its conference record. The Gaels were led by Clarke’s efficient 16 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Addi Wedin added nine points, and Hashemian-Orr facilitated the offense with five assists and two critical steals.

Pepperdine fell to 11-9. Beyond Harmon’s 15, Lina Falk of Wolfsburg, Germany, contributed eight points. The Waves shot a respectable 42% from the field but were hampered by the turnover disparity and managed only three free-throw attempts, making all three.

Saint Mary’s next travels to face Seattle on Saturday. Pepperdine returns home to host Portland on Saturday.