SAN FRANCISCO (Interstat) — The Saint Mary’s Gaels delivered a decisive road victory on Saturday, overwhelming the San Francisco Dons 72-55 in a West Coast Conference women’s basketball game at War Memorial Gymnasium.

The Gaels, improving to 14-11 overall, seized control early and never relented, stifling the Dons’ offense with persistent defensive pressure. San Francisco, which entered the contest as a heavy statistical favorite with a projected win probability nearing 80 percent, fell to 14-10 after seeing its attack falter dramatically in the final quarter.

The most critical sequence of the game unfolded in the fourth period, where Saint Mary’s transformed a competitive contest into a lopsided affair. Leading 50-48 entering the final frame, the Gaels unleashed a 22-7 run over the last ten minutes to seal the win. The Dons’ offense collapsed under the weight of Saint Mary’s defensive intensity, managing just seven points on 3-of-13 shooting while committing six turnovers in the quarter. Key plays during this stretch included a steal and a three-pointer from Edie Clarke, along with a critical block by San Francisco’s Natasa Tausova that failed to stem the Gael tide. Saint Mary’s forced San Francisco into a scoring drought of over four minutes midway through the period, extending a five-point lead to 15 and effectively ending the game as a contest.

Saint Mary’s set the tone from the opening tip, which was won by Edie Clarke, and built a 19-13 lead after the first quarter. The Gaels maintained their advantage throughout, leading 35-30 at halftime and 50-48 after three quarters before their dominant finish. The foundation of the victory was built on defense and efficiency. Saint Mary’s forced 19 San Francisco turnovers, converting them into 19 points, while committing only 11 turnovers themselves. The Gaels also dominated inside, outscoring the Dons 42-20 in the paint.

Offensively, Saint Mary’s shot 48.4% from the field (31 of 64) and 40% from three-point range (6 of 15). San Francisco struggled to find consistency, shooting 33.3% overall (18 of 54) and 28% from beyond the arc (7 of 25). The Dons also missed opportunities at the free-throw line, making just 12 of 20 attempts.

Edie Clarke, a 6-foot-4 sophomore from Melbourne, Australia, led Saint Mary’s with 11 points and three assists in 24 minutes. She was one of several contributors for a balanced Gael attack. Malia Latu of East Palo Alto, California, added 12 points, while Abigail Shoff of Redding, California, chipped in 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

San Francisco was led by the duo of Mara Neira and Candy Edokpaigbe. Neira, a guard from Baiona, Spain, scored a game-high 18 points. Edokpaigbe, a forward from Naples, Italy, finished with 17 points. Natasa Tausova of Poprad, Slovakia, provided nine points, three assists and a blocked shot for the Dons.

The game was a stark reversal of recent form for both teams. Saint Mary’s entered having lost four of its last five games, including a 75-69 home loss to Loyola Marymount just two days prior. San Francisco, meanwhile, was coming off a 76-67 road win at Seattle. The victory moves Saint Mary’s into a tie with San Francisco in the conference standings as the regular season enters its final weeks.

Saint Mary’s next hosts Pacific on Thursday. San Francisco looks to rebound at home against Pepperdine next Saturday.

The announced attendance was 219.