MONMOUTH, OR — Saint Martin's Women's Basketball (14-8, 7-7 GNAC) faced the Western Oregon Wolves in a GNAC road contest this past Saturday.

The Saints would jump out to a first-period lead after Kiana Rios started to get the offense rolling, generating a lot of pressure toward the basket in her effort. She would put up 29 points throughout the game, just one shy of her 30-point career-high performance earlier this season. As Rios continued to put up points, Jada Travis would be the leader on the floor as the primary distributor, racking up four assists while also recording nine rebounds and eight points in a well-rounded performance. She would be helped by Keeli Jade Smith, who would score nine points and record three blocks, proving to be a dominant force near the hoop, helping the Saints outscore the Wolves 32-24 in the paint. This trio would lead the Saints through the first half, pulling away to a 37-25 lead at halftime in a dominant first-half showing.

The second half would be much tighter of a contest than the first, with the Wolves quickly working to close the double-digit gap between themselves and SMU. The Saints would be able to keep their distance, but would only hold onto a lead of just a couple possessions through the final 20 minutes of play. Sarah Lamet would be a huge help on on both offense and defense, putting up 10 points while grabbing three boards, two blocks, and an assist off the bench. Avery Oaster would be the only other scorer in the contest for Saint Martin's, putting up six points, grabbing three rebounds, and two blocks while Madelyn Brown and Kasey Booster would provide immense support through tough defense and rebounding. The combined team efforts would help the Saints keep their distance from the Wolves, and while the game would stay close, SMU would be able to end the contest on top, winning 62-55.

SMU Women's Basketball will be back in action on Thursday, February 20th in Nampa, Idaho. You can get tickets here.