Leavenworth, Kan.— Behind a career high performance from Keely Barnard and a wire-to-wire effort on both ends of the floor, USM rolled past McPherson 93-52 on Saturday afternoon in Ryan Sports Center.

Barnard poured in 42 points, breaking the USM single game scoring record, on 16-of-26 shooting, including 6-of-13 from 3-point range, as the Spires methodically pulled away and never trailed. Saint Mary set the tone with a 25-9 first quarter, built a 45-24 advantage by halftime and pushed the margin to as many as 42 points in the fourth quarter in front of the home crowd.

The Spires' key stretch started early. After USM jumped out to a quick double-digit lead led by Mary Olson with 6 first quarter points and obviously accompanied by the hot-handed Barnard. Keely buried a 3-pointer with 7:43 left in the first quarter to make it 13-1 and firmly seize control. Saint Mary led 25-9 after the opening 10 minutes, holding McPherson to single digits in the quarter and forcing the visitors into difficult looks.

The Spires maintained their pressure and pace in the second quarter. Olson added another couple of buckets, Saige Grampsas—honored before tip-off for reaching an impressive 1,000 career points—adding two points of her own and Barnard connecting on another 3-pointer with 7:52 left in the half to stretch the lead to 32-11, part of a 20-point frame that sent the Spires into the break up 21. Out of halftime, the Spires' offense showed no signs of slowing down, posting 28 points in the third quarter. Barnard drilled a 3-pointer in the final minute of the third to push the margin to 73-42, effectively putting the game out of reach.

The fourth quarter brought more of the same. Saint Mary's defense clamped down again, holding McPherson to just seven points over the final 10 minutes. Addison Tower added 5 points quick into the second half with Grampsas sinking one from deep to go along with the ever-growing Spire lead. A Barnard layup with 3:25 remaining made it 89-47 and extended the lead to its largest margin of 42 points. The Spires closed the night with a balanced offensive performance, shooting 37-of-83 (44.6%) from the field and 10-of-32 (31.3%) from 3-point range.

The Spires also controlled the glass, out-rebounding McPherson 46-28. Kate Harter anchored that effort with a game-high 12 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end, while adding a block and two steals. The Spires' activity translated into a 22-assist outing as the ball moved freely around the perimeter and into driving lanes. Defensively, Saint Mary finished with 13 steals and nine blocks while forcing 17 turnovers.

With the 93-52 victory, USM showcased an explosive offense centered around Barnard's 42-point effort and a defense that dictated the tempo from the opening tip.

Up next for the USM squad is a quick trip up to Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri on Wednesday, February 11^th with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m. in the Mabee Fieldhouse. Your Spire women currently sit at fifth in the KCAC with just four regular season games left to play.