Career-high moment: First-year forward Edie Clarke had her best night all season, recording 14 points and nine rebounds off the bench. / Photo by Tod Fierner for SMC Athletics
Women’s Basketball Season Concludes for the Gaels After 50–54 Defensive Battle with Texas Southern
The Gaels made their first WNIT appearance since 2019. While Houston was the end of the road, the tight game was a showcase of skill, especially for Kennedy Johnson, Emily Foy, and first-year player Edie Clarke.
The Saint Mary's women made their first Women’s National Invitational Tournament appearance since 2019 and their 13th overall in program history on Thursday night, but ultimately saw their season come to an end in a defensive battle with Texas Southern. While the Gaels finished strong with 20-point fourth quarter, outscoring the Tigers by six, they had scored just nine points in the third and fell 50–54 in Houston.
The Gaels had three players in double figures, including Emily Foy, Kennedy Johnson, and Edie Clarke. Foy led the team with 14 points, while Johnson went for 11 points and five boards for her 23rd game in double figures this season. First-year forward Clarke had herself a career night, recording 14 points and nine rebounds off the bench—new highs in her first collegiate season.
Tug of War
In the opening quarter, both teams shot under 35% from the field. But Texas Southern did their scoring early, jumping out to an 8–0 run. Saint Mary’s successfully stanched the bleeding with a deep three-pointer from Emily Foy, finishing the quarter on an 11–3 scoring run to tie the game at eleven heading to the second.
The Gaels’ defense put in work in the second quarter, holding the Tigers to just three made field goals and forcing seven turnovers to take a 21–18 lead into the break.
Defense continued to be a trend for both teams as Texas Southern returned the favor in the third quarter, holding Saint Mary’s to only four made field goals in the period. Still, the Gaels were efficient, shooting 40% in the quarter. But the Tigers were able to shoot 53% from the field and notch a 22-point third quarter, flipping the score and taking a 10-point lead into the fourth.
Hard-Fought to the End
At the start of the fourth, Kennedy Johnson provided a spark for the Gaels with back-to-back buckets. Then an offensive putback from Edie Clarke cut the lead down to nine points, with only seven and a half minutes to play. After stringing together stops, Mauriana Hashemian-Orr converted a layup under the four-minute mark to cut the deficit to five points, bringing the Gaels closer to the possibility of erasing the double-digit deficit they started with at the beginning of the quarter.
Adding to the drama, Emily Foy swooped with a late three-pointer with just under 30 seconds remaining, bringing it to a three-point game. On the ensuing possession, the Gaels fouled and hoped for missed free throws. They got exactly that: The Tigers’ Jaida Belton missed both free throws, leaving the door open for the Gaels with 24 seconds remaining. Following a timeout from Coach Jeff Cammon, Foy got a look for three but failed to draw iron. Texas Southern secured the rebound and split their next pair of free throws, clinching the game with a 54–50 victory.
History Makers
The Saint Mary's women conclude their 2024–25 season with a 14–17 overall record, 10 wins in WCC play, and a sixth-place finish. Their 10 wins are the most in conference play since 2019, and Cammon had his best season yet in his early tenure leading the Gaels program.
The Gaels are not ending their season without recognition, either. The West Coast Conference selected Kennedy Johnson as Newcomer of the Year and Emily Foy as the Sixth Woman of the Year. This marks the first time Saint Mary’s has taken home multiple All-WCC awards since 2010.
Full results and season statistics can be found at smcgaels.com. Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
