Feb. 21, 2002

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - Freshman forward Carey Noakes tallied a career-high 23 points to lead the Saint Mary's Gaels (15-10, 9-4) in a 73-64 win over the Gonzaga University Bulldogs (11-16, 2-11) Thursday night at the Kennel.

Noakes was joined in double figures by the twin duo of Jermisha and Jerkisha Dosty who turned in double-doubles for the Gaels.

Ashley Burke tallied the first points for the Zags as both teams went scoreless in the first three minutes before the Gaels pulled ahead with a free throw point and three-pointer from Danielle Ferris to grab the Gaels first lead 4-2.

The Bulldogs did not record points for the next five minutes until Anne Bickelhaupt dropped a jumper with 12 minutes remaining. Jessica Malone would pull the Zags within striking distance with a 3-pointer with the Gaels still leading 13-7 with 11:25 left. Triana Allen gave the Bulldogs another two points before Malone would bury a three-pointer from the left wing bringing the Zags within four points 16-12. Bickelhaupt pulled them within two 14-12 with a jumper from the top of the key.

Allen gave the gave the Bulldogs their only tie of the game with a long three-point shot at 8:15 bringing the score to 17-17. The Gaels would quickly answer with an 11 point run. Shannon Mathews would sink a three-pointer to narrow the Gaels 28-20 lead with 3:33 left. Bickelhaupt and Burke put up two points each to put the Zags within four points with less than three minutes remaining, Mathews kept the pace sinking a three chipping away at the 32-27 Gaels lead. The Bulldogs came within one 32-31 before halftime.

Malone would again be pivotal in the first minutes of the second half with a jumper to keep the Zags within two 35-33. An eight point run sparked by Jerkisha Dosty at 17:00 put the Gaels up 43-33 with 15 minutes remaining. The Gaels maintained a 10-point spread through the bulk of the second half. Celeste Quitiquit drained a three with less than 10 minutes remaining to keep Zags within 10 points.

The Gaels would lead by as many as 12 second-half points.

GU would take one last lunge for the lead with three- pointers from Malone and Mathews to pull Zags within three points 60-57 with four minutes left.

The Gaels would narrowly maintain their lead to win 73-64.

Malone led the Zags with a team-high 16 points, shooting 4-for-10 from three-point range and 6-for-17 from the field while Burke and Mathews each collected 14 points for the Bulldogs. Burke also tallied a team-high seven rebounds.

Gonzaga shot 39.7 percent from the field, 47.8 from three-point range and 60 percent from the charity stripe.

The Bulldogs play their last regular season game against the University of San Francisco Saturday night at the Kennel at 7 p.m.