ST. MARY’S CITY — The defending United East champions wiped out a nine-point halftime deficit and led in the fourth quarter Monday night, but St. Mary’s College of Maryland could not finish the comeback and opened the 2026-27 women’s basketball season with a 52-47 loss to Marymount University.
Junior point guard Saffiyah Gibson of Fort Washington did most of the damage for the Seahawks (0-1) at the Michael P. O’Brien Athletics and Recreation Center Arena. She scored a game-high 17 points for St. Mary’s and came up with seven steals, more than half of the team’s 13, to go with two assists.
Marymount (1-1) controlled the first half. The Saints scored inside to take a 16-11 lead after one quarter, then stretched it to 26-17 at the break even though St. Mary’s held them to 10 points in the second. The Seahawks managed only six in that quarter.
The third quarter belonged to the home team. St. Mary’s outscored Marymount 16-8, pulled even at 30-30 midway through the period and went in front 34-30. The Saints answered late in the quarter and carried a one-point lead into the fourth.
The teams traded baskets from there. St. Mary’s led 39-37 before Marymount put together the run that decided it, building a six-point cushion and making its free throws in the closing minutes.
By the numbers
- Saffiyah Gibson, Jr., Fort Washington: 17 points, seven steals, two assists
- Marley Saunders, Sr., Catonsville: 11 points, three 3-pointers
- London Best, So., Arnold: nine rebounds, five points, three steals, one block
- Skylar Woodyard, So., Edgewater: six points off the bench
- India Watkins, So., Baltimore: six points off the bench
- Rayna Miller, Sr., Westminster: five rebounds, two points
Shooting was the difference in a game where both teams made 10 free throws. St. Mary’s shot 36.2% from the field and 16.7% from 3-point range. Marymount hit 40% overall despite making only 11.8% of its 3-point tries.
Two of the Seahawks’ key contributors are Anne Arundel County products: Best played at Broadneck High School and Woodyard at South River.
St. Mary’s is coming off the best season in program history. The Seahawks went unbeaten in conference play, won the United East championship in March and reached the NCAA Division III Tournament, where they lost in the first round.
Up next: The Seahawks go on the road Wednesday, Nov. 11, to face Rutgers-Camden.
