Saint Mary’s got off to another slow start and was unable to rebound in its Hilton Concord Thanksgiving Classic, losing to undefeated Nebraska (6-0) 84-73.
The Gaels (3-3) trailed by 18 late in the first half but rallied to cut the margin to 10 on a Kate Gaze 3-pointer but could not get the deficit down to single digits as they trailed 41-26 at the half.
Saint Mary’s outscored Nebraska, which played the clock as much as the Gaels, in the second half without making a serious run.
The Gaels trailed by 23 midway through the second half and did cut the lead to nine on back-to-back 3-pointers by sisters Jontelle and Jasmine Smith with 3:54 to play, but that was Saint Mary’s last gasp.
Tourney Most Valuable Player Kelsey Griffin was virtually unstoppable for the Cornhuskers with 28 points, 13 rebounds and four steals, all game highs. Griffin was 10-of-14 from the field.
Dominique Kelley chipped in 18, including 10-of-13 from the free throw line, while all-tourney pick Cory Montgomery added 15 for Nebraska.
Louella Tomlinson, who had already recorded two triple-doubles this year, had her first double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Gaels.
Tomlinson and Ashlee Smith, who had 14 points and hit 11 of 14 shots during the tournament, made the all-tourney team for Saint Mary’s. Jasmine Smith chipped in 10.
Drake defeat Arkansas Little Rock 66-65 on Jordann Plummer’s layup with two seconds to play. Plummer and Little Rock’s Chastity Reed were also all-tourney selections.
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