Pilots women’s basketball won a 66-58 thriller Jan. 30 against the St. Mary’s College Gaels to bolster their second-place standing in the West Coast Conference (WCC). The Pilots were led in scoring by senior guard Maisie Burnham with 25 points.
The game was a special match for graduate student guard Emme Shearer, who played her 144th game as a Pilot, breaking a university record for women’s basketball.
“Someone told me a few days ago that I was breaking the record and I was like, ‘Damn, that’s when you know you’re old,’” Shearer said.
Graduate student guard Emme Shearer looks to pass in a game against Saint Mary's College. Shearer played her 144th game as a Pilot, breaking a university record for women’s basketball. Photo courtesy of Pilot Athletics.
Shearer filled up the stat sheet as well, accumulating 10 assists, two blocks and six steals — all personal season highs that came together to ward off a comeback against the Gaels who were dangerously close in the standings.
“We knew us and St Mary's were tied for second on the leaderboard,” Shearer said. “This was going to be a huge win for us and one we really needed to get to help separate us and put us in a good spot.”
Burnham opened the game with three three-pointers, which in addition to three turnovers from the Gaels led to a St. Mary’s timeout after a 9-2 Pilots run to start the game.
Despite both teams struggling with turnovers and poor shooting, the Pilots were dominant for a majority of the game, leading by as much as 14 in the second quarter and holding a 52-44 lead by the end of the third.
However, a 10-0 St. Mary’s run in the fourth quarter caused the first tie of the game at 54-54, leading to a Portland timeout.
Coming out of the timeout, the Pilots emerged with focus. Graduate student forward Alexis Mark grabbed a crucial offensive rebound, got fouled on the successful putback and converted on the free throw to give the Pilots a three-point lead.
Mark finished the game with 11 rebounds, three blocks, three steals and hustled to provide a critical defensive spark in the final stretch of the game.
“I just know that those possessions…loose balls, those really matter in the game,” Mark said. “It may not show on the board at all, but I know that rebounds matter. They cut off their possessions.”
The entire team rallied around Mark to close out the game, squashing the Gaels’ comeback hopes and inching closer to the top-seeded Gonzaga University.
“I think we're getting better at late game stuff, and I think we proved that tonight…not only did we play great at the end, but we did in a way that they made such a big comeback, and then we were able to fight through that,” Head Coach Michael Meek said.
The Pilots look to carry the momentum into their next game at home against Pepperdine on Feb. 1.
Kaeden Souki is a sports reporter at The Beacon. He can be reached at souki28@up.edu.
