<
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          22GonzagaBulldogsGONZ
          19-3, 8-1 Conf
          75
          Final
          12T
          GONZ413475
          SMC264470
          70
          Saint Mary'sGaelsSMC
          16-7, 7-3 Conf

          Taelor Karr clutch in last minutes as Gonzaga escapes

          Jan 28, 2012
          • Associated Press

          MORAGA, Calif. -- Taelor Karr made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2 minutes left then added three free throws in the final 31 seconds to help Gonzaga (No. 20 ESPN/USA Today, No. 22 AP) beat Saint Mary's 75-70 on Saturday.

          Katelan Redmon had 14 points and 11 rebounds, Kayla Standish scored 18 points and Haiden Palmer added 16 for the Bulldogs (19-3, 8-1 West Coast Conference).

          Two weeks after the Zags had their 34-game conference winning streak snapped with a 66-63 loss to the Gaels in Spokane, Gonzaga blew a 15-point halftime lead and needed a late rally after Saint Mary's surged in front.

          Danielle Mauldin, who scored six points as part of a 17-4 run coming out of halftime, scored on a putback shot to give the Gaels a 63-59 lead.

          After Standish made two free throws, Karr and Smith exchanged 3-pointers before Karr's second consecutive shot from beyond the arc put the Bulldogs in front for good.

          Jasmine Smith had 20 points for Saint Mary's but committed a critical backcourt violation with 15 seconds left and the Gaels (16-7, 7-3) down by three.

          Mauldin had season highs of 18 points and 15 rebounds while Alex Carbonel scored 17 points for Saint Mary's.

          The Zags struggled offensively in the earlier meeting between the two teams, but didn't have much problem getting going in the rematch.

          Gonzaga went on a 12-0 run to erase an early Saint Mary's lead then scored the final 17 points of the first half to take a 41-26 advantage heading into the break.

          Redmon scored eight of her 10 first-half points during the 17-0 run while Palmer added seven, including a follow of her own missed shot after driving around three Gaels' defenders.

          Former Saint Mary's men's player Patty Mills, currently with the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, was among those in attendance crowd at McKeon Pavilion.