LACEY, Wash. – From opening tip to the final buzzer, the Saints were in control of their 94-to-55 victory over Northwest on Friday night.
 
After winning back-to-back GNAC Player of the Week awards, Claire Dingus is well on her way to a third, scoring 20 points, 10 rebounds, five steals, and three assists in just 28 minutes of action. Rian Clear, who got into the starting lineup, added another 20 points, five rebounds, and three assists. The Saints (4-4) pulled away from the Eagles (0-2) just minutes into the first quarter, and never looked back. Their 94 points was the most since Jan. 2, 2020 against Alaska when SMU scored 96.
 
The Saints shot nearly 59 percent in the first quarter, and broke open the score with a 10-to-0 run to end the action. Within three minutes, the Saints' lead went from just two to 12, and it never dipped under double-digits again.
 
In the second quarter, the Saints' offense was firing on all cylinders, connecting on 10 of 14 shots, including five for eight beyond the arc. By halftime, the Saints' lead had grown to 51-to-34.
 
It was an all-around effort for the Saints on the offensive end, with nine players getting into the scoring column. Iternite Reed came off the bench for 12 points, and eight rebounds, while Maryn Budiman connected on four 3-pointers for 12 points as well.
 
The passing for the Saints helped set them apart, led by Tierney DeDonatis' six assists, the Saints recorded 23 assists on 34 made baskets. Saint Martin's also managed to out rebound the Eagles to a tune of 40-to-30.
 
The Saints shot 34-for-59 (57.6 percent) from the floor, 11-for-23 (47.8 percent) beyond the arc, and 15-for-20 at the line.
 
Saint Martin's and Northwest square off again tomorrow, Saturday Feb. 20 at 3:00 PM. Live stats and streaming will be available on smusaints.com.