Stella Beck drives to basket
The Saint Mary’s Gaels women’s basketball team used a big second half to defeat BYU Provo Cougars 59-49 and advance to the West Coast Conference Championship game for the first championship appearance since the 2010-11 season.
The output from the opposing two Tall Ferns in the contest was immense.
Stella Beck put together an impressive stats line for the victorious Gaels. The Gaels leading scorer this season collected 9 points, captured 7 rebounds, dished 4 assists and added 3 steals and a block in 32 minutes of non-stop action.
Senior Kalani Purcell was one of two BYU players in double figures scoring 15 points, the power forward also adding 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 assists and a block as the Cougars attempted in vain to return to the conference final.
The Gaels outscored BYU 39-22 in the second half and also out rebounded the Cougars 50-25 and kept BYU scoreless in the final period for more than the first five minutes.
Saint Mary’s will face top seeded Gonzaga in Tuesday’s conference final.
LACEY LOWDOWN 