MORAGA, Calif. --- Portland's Holly Blades buried six three-pointers and scored a game-high 20 points, but the Saint Mary's Gaels used a big third quarter to pull away and claim a 92-76 win over the Pilots on Thursday night at McKeon Pavilion. Blades just missed matching a program single-game record of seven three-pointers, which she accomplished earlier this year.
 
Portland (3-13, 1-4 WCC) senior Hannah Mattson added 11 points, while fellow senior Kaylie Van Loo finished with eight points and nine assists, which match a career-high. Junior forward Ashley Gray led the Pilots on the glass with a game-high 10 rebounds.
 
The game was close throughout the first half and the Pilots were still within six points early in the third quarter. After trailing early, sophomore Jojuan Carrington tied the score at 12-12 midway through the first, and Darian Slaga followed with a three-pointer to hand the visitors the lead. The Pilots were still on top when Gray converted a lay-up down low moments later, but the Gaels took a 27-21 edge into the second period.
 
After the Gaels (8-8, 3-2 WCC) pushed their lead to 46-36 at the break, Blades opened the second half with back-to-back three-pointers to help cut the deficit to six. That's when Saint Mary's went on a 15-5 run to surge ahead by 16 points, and their lead would grow to 22 points en route to the win.
 
Earlier this season Blades matched a program record with seven three's in a game, matching Jennifer Wassom as the only two Pilots to ever accomplish that feat. That game Blades, a senior, scored a career-high 21 points.
 
Stella Beck and Carly Turner each scored 19 points to lead five Gaels in double figures.
 
Portland shot 38.0 percent on the game, and the 11 three-pointers are a season high. The Pilots went 11-for-14 at the foul line. Saint Mary's combined to shoot a blistering 53.1 percent, went 19-for-26 on free throws and hit five three-pointers.
 
On Saturday the Pilots will be in Los Angeles, Calif., to face the Loyola Marymount Lions at 2 p.m. at Gersten Pavilion.