The Belles held on for a close win over conference rival Adrian 64-62 Wednesday night.
Sophomore Kelley Murphy helped Saint Mary's end a four-game losing streak by hitting one out of two free throws with just seconds to go to help the Belles (11-9, 6-6 MIAA) hold on to the lead en route to a conference win.
Throughout much of the game the score remained close. Neither team could maintain a lead of five points throughout the game. Every time the Bulldogs (9-10, 5-6 MIAA) came close to a large lead, Saint Mary's managed to remain within striking distance. This allowed them to retain their confidence level and continue to compete down the stretch.
Sophomore Jessica Centa had a surprising game for the Belles, contributing 18 points and 10 rebounds for her first double-double. She set other career highs in the game.
No single player dominated the game, but rather a group effort led the way for the Belles.
Sophomores Patsy Mahoney and Kelley Murphy added 17 points and 14 points, respectively, to add to the team's offensive firepower.
One of the keys in the game was Saint Mary's dominance in the paint. The Belles outscored the Bulldogs 36-26 in the paint. They took advantage of their size and controlled the paint for much of the game.
Saint Mary's also benefited from Adrian's mistakes. Adrian turned the ball over 30 times which resulted in 28 points for St. Mary's.
Saint Mary's will host Kalamazoo Saturday at 3 p.m. in another MIAA conference showdown.
