SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. – The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College women's basketball team suffered a 74-54 loss at home to Shawnee State in a River States Conference game at the Knoerle Center on Thursday evening (Jan. 30). Despite a strong fourth-quarter surge, the Pomeroys were unable to overcome an early deficit and fell to 11-9 on the season.

Shawnee State (17-4) was strong from the start, holding a 20-10 lead at the end of the first quarter and extending their advantage to 39-21 by halftime. The Bears shot 48.3% from the field, including 34.8% from three-point range, while SMWC struggled, shooting 40.0% overall and just 27.8% from beyond the arc.

Leading the way for SMWC was senior guard Madison Fueger, who played 35 minutes and finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Irye Gomez added 8 points and 4 rebounds, including 2 three-pointers, while Brooklynn Jones contributed 7 points and 9 rebounds in a team-high 36 minutes of play.

However, Shawnee State's offensive firepower was too much for the Pomeroys to handle. Emily Maynard led the Bears with 18 points, shooting 6-of-17 from the field, while Cianna Gloster added 16 points and 12 rebounds in a double-double performance. Shawnee State capitalized on its inside presence, outscoring SMWC 32-26 in the paint, and also forced 18 turnovers, leading to 14 points off turnovers.

Despite the large deficit, SMWC fought back in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Bears 22-15. Destiny Thomas provided a spark off the bench for the Pomeroys, scoring 10 points in just 26 minutes of play.

The Pomeroys will look to bounce back on Saturday, February 1, when they host the University of Rio Grande (Ohio) at 3 p.m. ET inside the Knoerle Center. SMWC will aim for a strong showing in front of their home crowd to kick off the month of February.