WBB Hosts Block Party In Win Over Mustangs

SAN ANTONIO – Playing at home for the first time in five weeks, the St. Mary's Women's Basketball team won its second-straight inside Bill Greehey Arena, defeating Western New Mexico on Saturday afternoon, 59-47.
 
The post presence was big for the Rattlers (2-15, 1-5 Lone Star Conference) as the four post players combined for 39 points and the team scored 32 points in the paint. Senior Hannah Wilson (Fredericksburg, Texas) continued to pace the team with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore Michaela Kucera (Schwäbisch Hall, Germany) scored a career-high 10 points and freshman Faith Phillips (San Marcos, Texas) grabbed a career-best 13 rebounds and scored seven. Junior Natalia Ryng (Gdynia, Poland) chipped in eight points.
 
Wilson also blocked six shots in the game, a career-high and tied for the second-most in a single game in school history. The Rattlers combined to swat 11 Mustang (4-10, 0-6 LSC) shots, breaking the single game school record of 10 done four previous times.
 
Kucera had a perfect shooting day, going 2-for-2 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free throw line in just 10 minutes.
 
All nine players had multiple rebounds as the Rattlers won the battle of the boards, 51-to-49. For just the second time in 11 games the club had fewer than 20 turnovers in the game – and the other was the win over Texas A&M Kingsville on Dec. 20. 
 
The Rattlers have a quick turnaround as they host Cameron on Monday in one of the Covid protocol rescheduled games. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.
 
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER & TEAM NOTES

• The 11 blocked shots by the Rattlers in the game establish a new school single game record. On four previous occasions, the team blocked 10, most recently by the 2001 team against Drury on Feb. 15.
• Hannah Wilson had six of the team's 11 blocks, establishing a new career-high for the fifth-year senior. Earlier this season Wilson swatted five at UT Permian Basin.
• The 22 free throws made for StMU is a season-high. The previous high was 18 at Angelo State on Dec. 13.
• Freshman Faith Phillips grabbed a career-best 13 rebounds, leading the game and getting double figures in that category for the second time this season.
• Sophomore Michaela Kucera scored a career-high 10 points on a perfect shooting day. She was 2-for-2 from the floor and 6-for-6 at the charity stripe. She betters her previous high of seven, scored twice before.