NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Saint Mary's College Basketball fell to 22nd-ranked Trine University on Wednesday, 88-40. The Belles fall 7-15 (2-11 MIAA) while the Thunder improve to 20-3 (14-0 MIAA).
Both teams had slow starts to the game before trading buckets early on. Trine used a 10-3 run midway through the first quarter to get out to an early lead and head into the first break leading, 16-10. Saint Mary's outshot Trine, 40%-31% from the field in the quarter but struggled from deep. Sophomore Ella Notaro (Crystal Lake, IL) led the team with five points in the quarter.
The Thunder got hot from the field in the second quarter, shooting 58% from the field and knocking down four three pointers. The Belles struggled to find the bottom of the net, shooting just 15% from the field in the quarter, going into the halftime break trailing 39-18. Notaro moved up to a team high seven points while senior Hannah Outlaw (Jones, MI) moved up to five on the night.
Saint Mary's continued to struggle from the field to open the half, being outshot 46%-10% in the third quarter. Notaro finished the quarter with nine points while sophomore Kate Passinault (Grand Rapids, MI) finished with eight.
The Belles knocked down their most field goals of the night in the fourth quarter, going 5-16 from the field while hitting four three pointers. But it wasn't enough as the Thunder closed out the game, 88-40.
Passinault led the team with 13 points on the night while Notaro added nine. Freshman Caroline Langworthy (Cincinnati, OH) knocked down a couple three pointers and added seven points. Senior Nicole Connolly (Mokena, IL) and junior Kate Restovich (St. Louis, MO) grabbed a team high four rebounds while freshman Liv Fry (Fort Wayne, IN) dished out five assists to lead the team.
UP NEXT FOR THE BELLES
Saint Mary's hits the road for a quick weekend matchup on Sunday as they travel to Alma College for a 1pm tipoff. The Belles return home for the final time this season on Wednesday, February 18, as they host Kalamazoo College in the home finale. The Belles close out the season on Saturday, February 21, at the University of Olivet.
