The Saint Martin’s women’s basketball team erupted for 55 second-half points in an 83-43 home victory over Seattle Pacific at Marcus Pavilion on Thursday, Jan. 8 to improve to 4-1 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
Avery Oaster led the Saints with 20 points and added seven rebounds, two blocks, and two assists. Kasey Booster also scored 20 points, a career high, while shooting 7 for 10 from the field and 6 for 9 from 3-point range.
The game started slow offensively with Harper Wagner hitting a layup for the Saints to go up 4-3 halfway through the first quarter. Seattle Pacific shot just 28.6% from the field in the first stanza and turned the ball over seven times.
Saint Martin’s scored five unanswered points to start off the second quarter and had a 15-12 lead five minutes before halftime. The Saints’ Karyss Lacanlale hit a corner 3-pointer to put the Saints ahead 20-14. After Seattle Pacific responded with a basket, Lacanlale hit another 3 with 2:40 on the clock to extend the lead to 23-16. She then hit a last-second layup to put Saint Martin’s up 28-19 at halftime and led all scorers with 11 points at the break.
Lacanlale would finish with a career-best 13 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
The Saints used a 17-0 run in the third quarter that pushed their lead to 48-22 thanks to 3-pointers from Laiken Hill and Kasey Booster. Booster hit back-to-back triples to push that advantage to 54-24 with 3:02 remaining in the third.
Laiken Hill finished the game with 14 points, six rebounds, and three assists.
In the third frame, Saint Martin’s went 11 of 15 from the field and 6 for 9 from the 3-point line, outscoring the Falcons 33-14 in the frame. It was the team’s highest-scoring quarter since Nov. 19, 2021.
Heading into the fourth quarter with a 61-33 lead, it may have been easy to slow down a bit, but the Saints outscored Seattle Pacific 22-10 in the final stanza.
It was the second time this season Saint Martin's has defeated an opponent by 40 or more points. Saint Martin's is now 8-6 overall. Seattle Pacific fell to 3-10 overall.
The Saints will return to Marcus Pavilion on Jan. 10, facing Montana State Billings at 3 p.m.
