WINONA, Minn. — Jenny Gilles (Keizer, Ore.) scored a career-high 25 points and the Saint Mary's University women's basketball team raced to a 13-point halftime advantage and hung on for an 82-72 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory over St. Olaf Wednesday evening.

The Cardinals, winners of two straight, also got a season-high 16 points from Amy Burns (Winona, Minn.) and 10 points from Colleen O'Hearn (Champlin, Minn.) en route to the victory.

SMU shot a blistering 58 percent from the field (15-for-26) and hit 10 of 14 free throws in posting a 43-30 halftime advantage. The Cardinals cooled off a bit in the second half, getting outscored 42-39, but still managed to improve to 2-0 in the MIAC and 3-2 overall.

SMU returns to action Saturday, traveling to St. Peter, Minn., to take on Gustavus in a 3 p.m. conference game.