PIPPA PASSES, Ky. – The St. Mary-of-the-Woods College women's basketball team defeated Alice Lloyd College (Ky.) 72-54 on Saturday afternoon, improving to 11-8 overall and 4-4 in River States Conference play.

The Pomeroys were led by Brooklynn Jones, who scored a team-high 20 points while grabbing 14 rebounds. Irye Gomez contributed 15 points, hitting 4-of-9 from three-point range, and Samara Douglas added 11 points in the victory.

St. Mary-of-the-Woods controlled the game after a tight first half. The Pomeroys held a 29-28 lead at halftime, thanks to strong free throw shooting, converting 8 of 12 attempts. They extended their advantage in the second half, particularly in the third quarter, when they outscored Alice Lloyd 23-19.

A key 20-point fourth quarter sealed the win for the Pomeroys, who dominated defensively in the final frame, holding Alice Lloyd to just seven points in the period.

Leading 55-47 entering the final frame, the Pomeroys quickly extended their advantage. A three-pointer from Irye Gomez on a fast break at 9:51 gave SMWC a commanding 55-47 lead. Alice Lloyd responded with a layup from Jamie Cowan, but the Pomeroys maintained control with timely scoring and solid defense.

Madison Fueger helped build the lead with a layup at 7:53, pushing the advantage to 57-47. St. Mary's continued to capitalize on free throws, including back-to-back successful attempts from Kylee Stepp at 7:00, increasing the lead to 59-49. The Eagles struggled to cut into the deficit as Cowan's tip-in at 6:39 was answered by another jumper from Samara Douglas, making it 61-51.

Strong defense by the Pomeroys, including a block from Fueger, limited Alice Lloyd's opportunities, while St. Mary's extended its lead through free-throw shooting, including a series of successful attempts from Douglas and Abby Worley. At 1:52, Douglas sank another jumper to push the advantage to 67-54.

In the final minute, St. Mary's added more cushion, with two free throws from Brooklynn Jones at 1:17 and a jumper from Fueger at 57 seconds to make it 71-54. The Pomeroys closed the game with steady defense, finishing with a 72-54 victory.

For Alice Lloyd, Jamie Cowan posted 16 points and 15 rebounds, while Bailey Stewart added 14 points. However, the Eagles struggled with their shooting throughout the game, finishing just 32.3% from the field, including a cold 0-of-5 from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter.

SMWC shot 37.3% from the field and had a strong showing at the free-throw line, converting 22-of-28 attempts (78.6%). The Pomeroys also dominated the boards, outrebounding Alice Lloyd 44-38.

The game saw six lead changes and five tied scores, but St. Mary-of-the-Woods' second-half surge ultimately gave them control of the contest.

The Pomeroys will return to action on Thursday, January 30, when they host Shawnee State at 7:30 p.m. (ET) inside Knoerle Center.