Jackie Nared scored 27 points and Danielle Mauldin had 24 with 23 rebounds to lift Saint Mary's to a 79-78 win over No. 24 Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference opener Saturday.
Haiden Palmer, who had a career-high 31 points, had a couple missed shots in the closing seconds for Gonzaga, the nine-time defending WCC champion.
It was a wild ending to regulation with Nared hitting a 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds left to give St Mary's (11-1) a 72-71 lead. But on the inbounds play, screener Lindsay Sherbert was fouled and she made one of two free throws for Gonzaga (10-3).
Gonzaga had led since Palmer's six points fueled a 12-2 run to close the half for a 37-32 lead.
Saint Mary's pounded Gonzaga on the boards 54-31, 10 of Mauldin's career-high coming on the offensive end, and at the foul line, going 23 of 29 while Gonzaga was 6-14.
