Leavenworth, Kan.— USM women's basketball rode a blistering day from beyond the arc and a dominant effort on the glass to an 85-75 win over the Bethel College Threshers on Saturday afternoon the Ryan Sports Center in Leavenworth, Kansas. The Spires set the tone early with a double-digit first-quarter lead and never trailed again, using timely 3-point shooting and relentless rebounding to keep the Threshers at arm's length in the fourth quarter.

The Spires' balance was on full display, with Abby Wendte and Keely Barnard sharing top-scoring honors at 18 points apiece. Saint Mary finished 29-for-69 from the field and a sharp 11-of-26 from 3-point range (42.3 percent) while overwhelming Bethel 48-26 on the boards. Cady Huffman had a huge night anchoring the interior with a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double, helping USM turn extra opportunities into a steady cushion that held up against Bethel's late push.

The Spires tone-setting run came right away in the opening quarter. Wendte got her squad rolling with an early 3-pointer, and Barnard followed with another triple off a Saige Grampsas assist to push the margin to 13-6. A'Myah Bankston's late layup in the final minute of the frame made it 23-14 after one, giving USM a confident early platform in front of the home crowd. Bethel fought back in the second, trimming the deficit behind a 3-pointer from Karlee Locke to pull within 28-24. But the Spires answered with another surge from the perimeter, as Addison Tower drilled a 3-pointer off a kick-out from Wendte to restore a double-digit advantage at 37-25. Saint Mary took a 39-30 edge into halftime and continued to win the effort categories, already building a decisive edge on the glass and from deep while holding Bethel to just 2-of-17 from long range for the game.

The Threshers' guard, Kendall Locke's mid-range jumper early in the third quarter cut the margin to 39-36 and gave Bethel a burst of momentum. Saint Mary calmly responded, with Grampsas knocking down a key 3-pointer to stretch the lead back to 46-38, and Huffman converting a driving layup in the final seconds of the third to send the Spires into the fourth up 56-46. From there, the Spires combination of poise and depth carried the afternoon to finish. Huffman opened the fourth quarter with another strong finish in the paint, and Tower soon followed with a 3-pointer off a feed from Jaylee Levario to push the margin to 61-50. Bethel continued to attack behind Locke and Madyson McKinzie, who finished with 21 points on 10-of-19 shooting, but the Spires had an answer every time. Barnard's 4-of-8 shooting from deep and 5 rebounds, along with Wendte's 18 points, 4 assists and 2-of-3 mark from distance, repeatedly blunted any comeback attempt. Even as Bethel poured in 29 fourth-quarter points, Saint Mary stayed composed down the stretch.The Spires closed the game out with strong rebounding, a 16-of-25 performance at the free-throw line and late-game execution, punctuated by Bankston's layup in the final seconds to make it 85-73 effectively ending the evening. With multiple athletes stepping up and the USM controlling both the 3-point line and the boards, delivered another statement home KCAC win.

Up next, the Spires continue their home streak with another evening at the Ryan Sports Center when they host the York University Panthers on Wednesday, January 14^th at 5:00 p.m.