Late Surge Lifts St. Mary’s Over USD

In a contest for second-place in the West Coast Conference women’s basketball race, St. Mary’s College scored the final 11 points to down the University of San Diego, 83-64, at McKeon Pavilion.

It was a close game until St. Mary’s extended a four-point lead by outscoring the Toreras 18-3 in the last 8 minutes and 11-0 in the final 4:54.

“We just ran out of gas, pure and simple,” USD Coach Kathy Marpe said.

Anja Bordt, the two-time defending WCC player of the year, scored 16 of her game-high 24 points in the second half. She also had 14 assists and seven rebounds.

Fran Fabien added 17 points and Cheree Tappin 14. Tappin and Bordt, both seniors, are the Nos. 1 and 2 scorers in WCC history. Bordt holds 24 school records and Tappin four.

USD, which shot 50% in the first half but just 33% in the second half, was led by Molly Hunter and Lynda Jones, with 12 points each. Chris Enger added 11 and Christi English nine.

St. Mary’s, the two-time defending WCC champion, improved to 20-5, 9-2, and remained a game behind Santa Clara, which won at San Francisco. The third- place Toreras fell to 13-12, 8-4.