The St. Mary’s College of Maryland women’s basketball team fought until the final buzzer in the United East Conference championship game, but their season came to a heartbreaking end in overtime. In a thrilling title matchup against third-seeded Gallaudet University, the top-seeded Seahawks fell by a single point, 71-70, in front of an energetic home crowd.
The loss closes an impressive season for St. Mary’s College, which finished with 20 wins for the first time since the 1999-2000 campaign. Despite coming up just short in the championship game, the Seahawks demonstrated resilience, battling through a back-and-forth contest that featured 14 ties and 12 lead changes.
Gallaudet entered the fourth quarter trailing by four but went on a 13-6 run over a four-minute stretch to take a 63-60 lead with just 10 seconds left in regulation. St. Mary’s sophomore guard Ji-Young Hartman delivered a clutch moment, sinking a three-pointer with five seconds remaining to force overtime.
The extra period remained a tense exchange of baskets, with neither team able to pull away. St. Mary’s trailed until the final moments, when sophomore forward Rayna Miller stepped to the free-throw line and hit the second of two shots, giving the Seahawks a 70-69 advantage with three seconds left.
Gallaudet used a timeout to advance the ball, setting up a final play. A contested jumper by Hannah Puent missed, but the Bison’s Rajena Guettler secured the offensive rebound and put it back up as time expired, sealing the game with a buzzer-beating layup.
The game started as a tightly contested battle, with both teams locked at 13-all after the first quarter. Gallaudet built its largest lead of 11 points late in the second quarter, but St. Mary’s responded with a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 28-23 at halftime.
The Seahawks stormed back in the third quarter, erasing a seven-point deficit to claim a 41-35 lead with just over three minutes remaining in the period. They entered the fourth quarter holding a slim 45-43 advantage, setting the stage for the dramatic finish.
Statistically, St. Mary’s edged Gallaudet in rebounding, finishing with a 48-46 advantage. First-year forward Keira Mason played a key role on the boards, collecting 11 rebounds to go along with her 10 points for her 10th double-double of the season.
The Seahawks struggled from the free-throw line, converting just 15 of 28 attempts, while shooting 35.7 percent from the field. They connected on only five of 20 three-point attempts but made critical shots to keep the game close. Gallaudet finished the game shooting 40.3 percent, including an impressive 52.6 percent in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Sophomore captain Olivia Liszt led St. Mary’s with 18 points while adding six rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Mason and sophomore guard Saffiyah Gibson each chipped in 10 points, with Gibson pulling down a career-high seven rebounds.
Gallaudet’s Guettler, who was named the tournament’s MVP, finished with 24 points, including the game-winner, while Puent contributed 14 points.
Though the season ends in disappointment, St. Mary’s College delivered a memorable campaign, reaching the conference championship game and securing a 20-win season for the first time in 25 years. The Seahawks showcased their potential throughout the year and will look to build on this success in the future.
