Bowen_Sara
Ron Smith

Saints Head Down I-5 For Two Final Road GNAC Games

2/12/2020 12:32:00 PM

Live Stats/Live Video – Live Stats and Live Video of all of SMU's Basketball games will be available with links found on smusaints.com. Live stats and video will be produced by the host school.
 
Social Media – Follow the Saints on Twitter for live in-game updates (@SMUSaints_WBB) and follow SMU Athletics on Facebook (Saint Martin's Saints), Twitter (SMUSaints), Instagram (SMUSaints)
 
Ticket Information – Tickets for all Saints' home games can now be purchased online at smusaints.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate of the event for eight dollars for adults, and seven for seniors, military, and six dollars for kids 8 and up. All kids under the age of 8 are free. Tickets can be purchased with cash, or debit and credit card.
 
Warming Up With The Saints – Join us Saturday, February 8th for another Warming Up With The Saints Tailgate inside Marcus Pavilion at 3:45 p.m. Food, Drinks, and a post-game talk from head coach Christy Martin for only 15 dollars. Tickets can be purchase online at smusaintstickets.com or at the door.
 
Marcus Pavilion and TwinStar Court – All home Saints' basketball matches are played inside Marcus Pavilion, located on the campus of Saint Martin's. The Pavilion just celebrated its' 50th anniversary in 2017. The newly named TwinStar Court is located inside Marcus Pavilion.
 
Saints' Potential Starting Lineup
 
G         Janealle Sutterlict       (8.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.6 apg)
G         Tierney DeDonatis      (11.9 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 3.0 apg)
G         Mallory Vivola             (6.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.0 apg)
F          Claire Dingus               (12.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.6 spg)
F          Bria Thames                (14.7 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 1.3 spg)
 
Cold Offensive Shooting Hands Saints Loss To Simon Fraser - Saint Martin's couldn't overcome Simon Fraser's second half offensive shooting, and fell 65-55 on Thursday night.
 
Saint Martin's (9-11,4-9 GNAC) opened up the first half strong, stretching their lead to as many as nine. However, Simon Fraser's (15-8,10-3 GNAC) offense kicked into gear in the second half, shooting 64 percent from the floor and 55 percent from beyond the arc, while holding the Saints to 35 percent from the field goal range and 14 percent from the 3-point range.
 
Saints Stun Vikings In Second Half Explosion - With Saint Martin's trailing at halftime, the Saints put together a standout performance to stun Western Washington in the fourth quarter to take the home court victory 71-63 on Saturday night.
 
Coming back from a 12-point deficit, Saint Martin's (10-11, 5-9 GNAC) outscored Western Washington (16-6,10-4 GNAC) 18-9 in the final ten minutes of the game to complete their groundbreaking night. Three players for the Saints scored in double-digits, bringing Saint Martin's to their first victory over Western Washington in 12 years. Tierney DeDonatis led the Saints with an outstanding 24 points in just 25 minutes of action, followed by freshman Janealle Sutterlict with 17. Senior Bria Thames ended the night with 15 points, marking another standout performance on the year.
 
History Is MadeBria Thames broke the GNAC's single game record for rebounds against Concordia, finishing with 29. The previous record of 24 was set by Simon Fraser's Nayo Raincock-Eknuwe in 2012. At the time, Thames' 29 boards was the third most in all of the NCAA across the three divisions.
 
Streak Is Broken – For the first time in 12 years, and only the second time in program history, the Saints defeated their in-state rivals of Western Washington.
 
Bria Thames Three Time GNAC Player of the Week - Bria Thames continued her domination of opponents, averaging a double-double against Alaska, and Alaska Anchorage, and was named the GNAC Player of the Week. Nobody could stop Bria Thames from crashing the boards and shattering records. The senior averaged 24 rebounds per game, while breaking the GNAC record for most rebounds in a single game, 29, en route to her second GNAC Player of the Week award. She continued her march for GNAC Player of the Year with another week of monster numbers. For the two games, Thames averaged 30 points per game, and 11.5 rebounds per game for her third award.
 
Double-Double Machines – Forwards Bria Thames and Claire Dingus are a threat for a double-double every single night. So far on the year, the two have 17 combined double-doubles, with Thames averaging a double-double on the year.
 
Top In the GNACBria Thames enters the week leading in rebounding, fourth in scoring. Claire Dingus currently sits second in rebounding. Tierney DeDonatis is second the GNAC in 3-point shooting percentage, and ninth in assists, and Janealle Sutterlict is fourth in 3-point field goal percentage.
 
Sparkplugs From Arizona – The two transfer guards, Mallory Vivola and Tierney DeDonatis, both came to Saint Martin's from Glendale community college. They have combined for nearly 20 points per game.
 
Defending The Home Court – The Saints continue to hold strong at home, posting an 9-2 record inside Marcus Pavilion. Their losses have come against to nationally ranked Alaska Anchorage, and Simon Fraser.
 
Claire Dingus Named To GNAC Preseason All-Conference Team - The ceiling continues to be limit for the Claire Dingus. The 2018-19 GNAC Freshman of the Year, was named unanimously to the 2019-20 GNAC Preseason All-Conference team.
 
Dingus burst onto the scene in 2018, leading the Saints in scoring at 13.5 points per game, and rebounding at 7.8 boards per game. The forward shot 48.8 percent from the field, and 80.7 percent at the line. Over the year, Dingus collected four double-doubles, including a 22 point, 14 rebound performance against Central Washington. She scored 10 or more points in 23 games, and reached 20 points four times.
 
Saints Tabbed 8th In GNAC Preseason Poll - The 2018-19 GNAC freshman of the year, Claire Dingus, and All-Conference guard Makenna Schultz headline the Saints' women's basketball team, as Saint Martin's was selected eighth in the GNAC's preseason coaches' poll.
 
Entering the year as the favorite is Central Washington, who picked up five first place votes and 109 total. The Wildcats narrowly edged out Western Washington (107) and Alaska Anchorage (104) in the polling, both of which earned three first place votes respectively.
 
In the middle of the pack was Northwest Nazarene (88), Simon Fraser (78), Concordia (66), and Montana State Billings (57). Saint Martin's (42), Seattle Pacific (39), Western Oregon (23), and Alaska (15) closed out the poll.
 
Pack The Pavilion – Over 6,000 people attended SMU Basketball games last season... One of only three programs in the GNAC to reach the 6,000 mark.
 
Bring on the D-I's – For the third time in the last five years, the Saints will face a Division-I. In 2015, the Saints faced Eastern Washington, then Idaho in 2018, and Seattle U on 2019.
 
Season Preview - Entering head coach Christy Martin's third season, the Saints have a core ready to make a push in the GNAC. Led by Dingus and her 13.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, the freshman was a double-double threat last year. In 28 games, Dingus marked four double-doubles, and nearly hit the mark in almost all the games.
 
Schultz returns to add a scoring threat from the outside, averaging 11.8 points, and sinking a team leading 57 3-pointers last year. Schultz also dished out a team-leading 94 assists, and played nearly 34 minutes per game.
 
Down low, the Saints return forwards Megan Nilsson (71. ppg, 4.1 rpg), and Bria Thames (7.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg). Nilsson ended last year on a high note, scoring 23 points in the season finale. Thames found her footing in the second half of conference, scoring in double-digits the last four games, including an 18-point, 18-rebound performance against Western Oregon.
 
Also returning from last year is forward Jayla Russ, along with guards Sara Bowen, and Emma Wrede. Saint Martin's added six new players to the squad, with two transfers and four freshman. Transfers Tierney DeDonatis and Mallory Vivola come to Lacey after playing at Glendale Community College for two years. Making up the freshman class is Makenzy Porter, Janealle Sutterlict, Lauryn Morris, and Emily Nelson.
 
Saint Martin's opens the year with a preseason exhibition against Seattle U before officially opening the season at home against Pacific Lutheran.
 
Meet the new Saints
 
1          Tierney DeDonatis      G         5-6       JR         Cave Creek, AZ / Glendale CC
5          Makenzy Porter          G         5-3       FR        Portland, OR / Benson Polytechnic
13        Janealle Sutterlict       G         5-9       FR        Toppenish, WA / Wapato HS
20        Lauryn Morris             F          5-8       FR        Irvine, CA / Saint Anthony HS
21        Mallory Vivola             F          5-11     JR         Anthem, AZ / Glendale CC
30        Emily Nelson               C          6-1       FR        Mead, WA / Mt. Spokane HS
 
 
 
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