WBB Team
Ron Smith

Playoff Implications On The Line As Saints Return For Final Homestand

2/17/2020 1:07:00 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 27th 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       (8.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.5 apg)
G         Tierney DeDonatis      (11.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.9 apg)
G         Mallory Vivola             (5.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.9 apg)
F          Claire Dingus               (13.0 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.6 spg)
F          Bria Thames                (14.9 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 1.3 spg)
 
Saints Crash The Boards In Road Win Over Concordia - After a historic win at home against Western Washington last week, the Saints kept the momentum rolling with a strong defensive outing, 60-48, against Concordia on the road.
 
Claire Dingus led the Saints effort with another double-double, ending with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Janealle Sutterlict continued her strong offensive roll with an 14-point, seven rebound outing. Bria Thames and Jayla Russ each added eight points, while Thames finished with a game-high 13 rebounds. The highlight for the team came in the third quarter as Saint Martin's nearly held Concordia without a field goal for the entire ten minutes.
 
Thames Lifts Saints To Road Victory Over Western Oregon, Extends Win Streak - Bria Thames has been an unstoppable force all season, and the senior stepped up with another GNAC Player of the Year performance against Western Oregon.
 
Scoring nearly half of the Saints' points, finishing with a 25-point, 10-rebound double-double on a 10-for-19 shooting night, Thames carried the Saints' (12-11, 7-9 GNAC) to the 62-59 victory. Western Oregon (5-18, 2-14) hung with the Saints all night, but was unable to convert on a game-tying shot at the buzzer to force overtime. Saint Martin's extended their winning streak to three games, and continues to stay in the middle of the fight for the final GNAC Championships playoff seed.
 
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 19 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, ninth in field goal percentage. Claire Dingus currently sits second in rebounding. Tierney DeDonatis is fourth the GNAC in 3-point shooting percentage, and ninth in assists, and Janealle Sutterlict is fifth in 3-point field goal percentage.
 
Sparkplug From ArizonaTierney DeDonatis has taken over as the Saints' primary ball handler this season, providing veteran leadership and stability to the backcourt. The junior is averaging nearly 12 points per game, and is one of the top 3-point shooters in the GNAC at 40 percent.
 
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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