March 28, 2008

Moraga, CA - The 2007-08 Saint Mary's women's basketball team made great strides this season, improving their RPI by 56 spots from last year, and finishing at 127. In addition to lowering their RPI, the Gaels participated in a much stronger West Coast Conference, as the WCC finished as the eighth strongest Division I conference.

The Gaels gained spots in the RPI by compiling a tough 2007-08 schedule, facing 10 teams that made the postseason, including six in the NCAA tournament and four in the WNIT. Saint Mary's posted wins against four of the 10 postseason teams, including eventual WCC tournament champions, San Diego.

Head Coach Paul Thomas did an excellent job in his second year at the helm of the program, combining a high intensity defense with a free flowing offensive. The Gaels averaged 69.7 points per game, ranking second in the WCC. Leading the way offensively was junior Jontelle Smith, averaging 16.8 points per game, while knocking down 84 three-pointers on the year. Smith's 84 three-pointers boosted her career count to 190, clinching the Saint Mary's record for three-pointers made in a career.

Smith was not all alone offensively, as three other Gaels finished the season averaging double-digits in points. Second in scoring for Saint Mary's was Louella Tomlinson, tossing in 13.0 points per game, while Lauren Shaughnessy added 10.6 points per game. Maija Lahde averaged 11.3 points per game in her first seven games, before ending the year due to injury.

Pressure defense proved to pay off, as the team totaled 254 steals on the year, including Shaughnessy's 69 swipes. The point guard totaled 31 more steals that any other Gael, while capturing the Saint Mary's career record for steals, accumulating 226 in four years.

The most impressive defensive stat of the season was achieved by freshman Louella Tomlinson, as the forward broke the NCAA Division I record for blocks in a single season, totaling 156 in her freshman campaign. In addition to topping the NCAA, the Aussie shattered the WCC single season record, while breaking every Saint Mary's block record in her debut season.

Unfortunately for the Gael squad the team loses to key players in Lauren Shaughnessy and Serena Benavente. Shaughnessy was a spark for the Gaels in every aspect of the game, finishing the year first on the team in assists (98) and steals (69), second on the team in rebounds (185), and third on the team in points (338). Benavente had her best games of the season against two ranked opponents at the Contra Coast Times Classic in Berkeley, CA. Against No. 12 California and No. 23 Vanderbilt, Benavente averaged 17.5 points, while shooting 65.2 percent from the floor.

Behind the leadership of these two seniors the Gaels earned their first WCC tournament win since the 2002 season, as they defeated the Loyola Marymount Lions, 71-67 in the first round. Smith totaled 23 points in the win, while Benavnete pulled down seven rebounds, and Shaughnessy dished out four assists. Tomlinson's 25-point effort would not be enough to give the Gaels the edge, as the fell to Gonzaga in the second round, 81-64.

The Gaels will conclude their season with an end of the year potluck in the Redwood Grove on Saint Mary's campus on Sunday, March 30 at 2:00 PM. For more information contact the Women's Basketball Office at 925-631-4712.