MORAGA, Calif. (Interstat) — Candy Edokpaigbe scored 28 points to lead San Francisco to a 61-60 overtime victory over Saint Mary’s in a West Coast Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at McKeon Pavilion. The Dons, who avenged a loss to the Gaels from two weeks prior, overcame a 10-point halftime deficit. San Francisco outscored Saint Mary’s 19-10 in the fourth quarter to force overtime, where Aina Cargol’s 3-pointer proved decisive. Abigail Shoff led Saint Mary’s with 19 points. Both teams committed 20 turnovers in a sloppy contest witnessed by 639 fans. San Francisco improved to 16-11, while Saint Mary’s fell to 15-14.

MORAGA, Calif. (Interstat) — In a tense, defensive struggle that required an extra period to decide, the San Francisco Dons avenged a loss from two weeks prior by edging the Saint Mary’s Gaels 61-60 in overtime in a West Coast Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at McKeon Pavilion. The game, played before an announced crowd of 639, was a stark contrast to the teams’ previous meeting on Feb. 7, which Saint Mary’s won handily by 17 points. This rematch was defined by grit, missed opportunities, and a singular dominant performance that ultimately tipped the scales. San Francisco guard Candy Edokpaigbe, a native of Naples, Italy, delivered a career-defining effort, pouring in 28 points while playing 43 of a possible 45 minutes. Her relentless drives to the basket provided the primary offensive engine for a Dons team that otherwise struggled mightily from the field. San Francisco shot just 36.7% overall and a frigid 18.5% from three-point range. Edokpaigbe’s scoring, coupled with 11 points and five assists from guard Mara Neira of Baiona, Spain, proved just enough. The Gaels were led by Abigail Shoff of Redding, California, who scored 19 points, and Jada Hunter of Vallejo, California, who added 12. Saint Mary’s shot a slightly better 42.6% from the floor but was hampered by a stark disparity in free throw attempts and makes. The Gaels attempted only five free throws, making three, while the Dons went to the line 22 times, converting 12. Saint Mary’s controlled the first half, using a 16-6 first-quarter advantage to build a 32-18 lead at halftime. The Dons’ offense was stagnant, managing only 18 points over the first 20 minutes. The momentum shifted decisively in the third quarter, as San Francisco came out of the locker room with renewed aggression. The Dons erupted for a 19-point quarter, cutting the deficit to 46-37 heading into the final period. The fourth quarter saw San Francisco complete its methodical comeback. A key sequence began with just over five minutes remaining when Neira stole the ball and found Edokpaigbe for a layup. On the ensuing possession, Neira stole another pass and assisted Noelia Mourino Freiria for another basket, pulling the Dons within two. Edokpaigbe then gave San Francisco its first lead since the opening minute with a driving layup, making it 52-50 with 4:10 left. The final minutes of regulation were a frantic exchange. With San Francisco clinging to a 55-53 lead, Saint Mary’s executed a crucial play out of a timeout with just four seconds left. Amy Kurkowski inbounded the ball to Shoff, who drained a clutch three-pointer from the wing to put the Gaels ahead 56-55. After a San Francisco timeout, the Dons’ final attempt, a driving layup by Edokpaigbe, was blocked by Edie Clarke of Melbourne, Australia, sending the game to overtime tied at 56. The extra period was a microcosm of the entire game: a defensive battle with scarce scoring. Both teams combined for just nine points in the five-minute frame. The decisive blow came with 15 seconds remaining in overtime. Trailing 60-58, San Francisco’s Aina Cargol of Olot, Spain, received a pass from Edokpaigbe and sank a critical three-pointer from the top of the key to put the Dons ahead 61-60. Saint Mary’s had two final chances. After a timeout, Jada Hunter’s floating jumper in the lane missed, and Clarke’s offensive rebound putback attempt as time expired was off the mark, securing the dramatic one-point victory for San Francisco. Statistically, the game was remarkably even. Both teams committed 20 turnovers, and Saint Mary’s held a slight edge in assists (14-13) and steals (14-13). San Francisco won the battle on the offensive glass 12-11 and scored 20 points off turnovers compared to Saint Mary’s 11. The Dons’ ability to generate more shot attempts, 78 possessions to 72, and their persistence in attacking the paint for 32 points were subtle but critical factors. With the win, San Francisco improves to 16-11 overall. Saint Mary’s falls to 15-14. Both teams continue WCC play on Thursday, with San Francisco hosting Loyola Marymount and Saint Mary’s traveling to face Gonzaga.

MORAGA, Calif. (Interstat) — A pivotal West Coast Conference women’s basketball matchup with postseason implications is set for Saturday when the San Francisco Dons visit the Saint Mary’s Gaels at McKeon Pavilion. Both teams enter the contest with identical 15-win records, but are looking to halt recent slides. San Francisco (15-11) is coming off a 73-51 road loss to Pacific on Thursday. Saint Mary’s (15-13) seeks to rebound from a 63-55 defeat at Santa Clara, also on Thursday. The Gaels will hold the psychological edge, having handily defeated the Dons 72-55 in San Francisco just two weeks ago on Feb. 7. That result is part of a challenging stretch for the Dons, who have lost four of their last six games. Their recent victories include an 81-70 home win over Pepperdine on Feb. 14 and a 76-67 road win at Seattle on Feb. 5. Saint Mary’s has experienced similar inconsistency, alternating wins and losses over its past six contests. The Gaels’ most impressive recent performance was an 86-59 home rout of Seattle on Feb. 16, but that was followed by a narrow 56-53 home loss to Pacific. The rematch offers San Francisco a chance for immediate redemption and to even the season series. For Saint Mary’s, protecting home court is crucial as both teams jockey for position in the conference standings ahead of the upcoming tournament. Following this game, San Francisco will host Loyola Marymount on Feb. 26 before visiting Santa Clara on Feb. 28. Saint Mary’s faces a tough road trip, traveling to face Gonzaga on Feb. 26 and Washington State on Feb. 28. Tipoff is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, at McKeon Pavilion.