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.
New Steam, Same Saints – In 2021, the Saints' broadcast of home games can be found on the SMUSaints YouTube channel. Links can be found on smusaints.com.
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 – Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, public attendance will not be permitted at any Saints' home games this season.
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.
Potential Starting Lineup –
Tierney DeDonatis (7.6 PPG, 1.8 REB, 4.2 AST)
Janealle Sutterlict (9.6 PPG, 2.4 REB, 2.4 AST)
Lauryn Morris (6.8 PPG, 3.8 REB, 1.8 AST)
Claire Dingus (14.6 PPG, 11.6 REB, 3.2 AST)
Emily Nelson (5.2 PPG, 2.2 REB, 0.7 BPG)
Claire Dingus' Monster Performance Leads Saints In Historic Win – There was no stopping
Claire Dingus on Friday night. The junior led the Saints' fourth quarter comeback over Northwest Nazarene with 25 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists.
For the first time since 2005, the Saints (2-2) went to Nampa, and defeated Northwest Nazarene (1-4). It took a herculean 27-point fourth quarter surge to erase a 13-point lead. Eighteen of Dingus' 25 points came in the second half, and the Saints' rallied around a 20-to-6 run in the fourth quarter to stun the Nighthawks.
Dingus Scores a Career High 28 Points In Loss To Northwest Nazarene – The Nighthawks never found an answer for
Claire Dingus, as the junior set a career-high in points with 28. However, Northwest Nazarene managed to stave off the Saints' comeback attempt and secure an 85-to-69 victory.
Dingus, fresh off a 25-point, 16-rebound, 5-assist performance on Friday, double-down and put up 28 points, and six rebounds. Saint Martin's (2-3) trimmed a 21-point lead for Northwest Nazarene (2-4) down to just seven in the fourth quarter, looking for an encore after their double-digit comeback the previous night. The Nighthawks responded with an 8-to-0 run to pull back out and cruise to the victory.
NCAA Leaders –
Claire Dingus ranks fourth in the NCAA Division-II with 5.4 offensive rebounds per game. Her 11.6 rebounds is 13th best.
Mallory Vivola's 3 3-pointers per game is 15th, and her 45.5 percent from deep is 22nd.
Regional Ranked – The Saints enter the week ranked 6th in the West Region in the D2SIDA Media poll. Their ranking in late January marked the first in the
Christy Martin era.
Claire Dingus Named GNAC Player of the Week – Dingus was unstoppable at Northwest Nazarene, averaging 26.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. She set career-highs in scoring (28) and rebounding (16).
Sharpshooter – To start the year, Vivola not only is second on the team in scoring at 12.2 points per game, she is shooting 15-for-33 from beyond the arc.
Monster On The Glass – Neither Seattle U or Seattle Pacific found a way to stop
Claire Dingus from dominating on the glass. After her 15 boards against Seattle U, Dingus went for nine and 12 against Seattle Pacific. She also managed three steals in both games against SPU. It all came together for her against Northwest Nazarene, as she set a career-high with 16 rebounds.
Lock Down The Perimeter – The Saints' defense has closed in on opposing offense's attempting to shoot from deep in 2021. On the year, the Saints had limited opponents to 30-for-95 or 31.6 percent beyond the arc.
Historic Win – For the first time in 2005, the Saints went on the road, knocking off Northwest Nazarene. SMU scored 27 fourth quarter points to erase a double-digit deficit to pull off the comeback.
All-Focus on All-Conference Claire Dingus – Dingus enters 2020 as the center of the team. Coming off a second team All-Conference selection in 2019, Dingus is the returning leading scorer (12.2) and rebounder (8.9) on the team. She also managed eight double-doubles last year, bringing her career total to 12.
Setting Career-Highs – Against Division-I opponent Seattle U,
Claire Dingus dominated the boards, grabbing a career-high 15 rebounds. She later broke that with 16 against Northwest Nazarene. Dingus also managed a career-high in points with 28 against the Nighthawks the night after.
Top Five Returner –
Tierney DeDonatis wrapped up last season 10th in conference in assists per game at 2.7. She enters 2021 as the fourth highest returning player. DeDonatis ranked eighth in 3-point percentage (37.9) at the end of the year, and enters the year as the third highest returner.
Threat from Deep – Freshman standout
Janealle Sutterlict finished her rookie campaign ninth in conference in 3-pointers made (46) and ninth in 3-point percentage (37.7).
Defending Home Court – For the first time since 2013-14, the Saints reached double-digits in wins at Marcus Pavilion. SMU tied the 2013-14 mark with 11 wins.
Pack The Pavilion – Over 6,800 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 fourth time in the last sixth years, the Saints will face a Division-I. In 2015, the Saints faced Eastern Washington, then Idaho in 2018, and Seattle U in 2019 and 2020.
From Spain to the Saints – SMU welcomes one of the furthest recruits in program history in 2021 in center
Laia Currius.
Meet the new Saints –
5
Leah Sopak G 5-7 FR Orinda, CA / Miramonte HS
20
Iternite Reed F 5-10 FR Gardena, CA / Santa Monica HS
22
Rian Clear F 5-10 FR Pullman, WA / Walla Walla HS
23
Ta'Keria Legette G 5-8 JR Latta, SC / Spartanburg Methodist College
25
Maryn Budiman G 5-9 JR Vancouver, WA / California Baptist
31
Laia Currius C 6-1 FR Taradell, Spain / Institut Taradell
