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WINONA, Minn. — Wednesday's game against Gustavus started well for the Saint Mary's University women's basketball team — as Kaitlyn Keefe (Chatfield, Minn.) drained a 3-pointer for an early 3-0 SMU lead.

And it ended on a high note, as the Cardinals closed the game on a 5-0 run.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the in-between wasn't nearly as memorable, as Gustavus raced out to a 38-20 halftime advantage and never looked back in handed the Cardinals a 59-45 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback at the SMU Gym.

“Gustavus is a very tough team to play because their defense is so different from any other team we face — they really like to play in your face, they switch on all screens and their goal is to keep the ball on one side of the floor,” said SMU coach Mandy Pearson. “When you have a young team that hasn't seen that type of defense before, it's tough — they just weren't as prepared for it as they needed to be.”

Kaitlyn Keefe (Chatfield, Minn.) drained a 3-pointer in the opening minutes to give the Cardinals a quick, 3-0 lead, but by the time Courtney Euerle (Hutchinson, Minn.) scored SMU's second basket from underneath, the Gusties had scored 10 unanswered points — and the Gusties never looked back.

Thanks for a 15-for-29 performance from the field — including a trio of 3-pointers — GAC went into the locker room boasting an 18-point, 38-20 advantage.

And the 15-minute break didn't cool off the Gusties any, as GAC hit five of its first six field goal attempts in opening the second half on an 11-0 run to build a 51-20 cushion with 15:49 remaining in regulation.

Adrianna Stephens (Madison, Wis.) scored a career-high 15 points on 5 of 13 shooting — including a 3-for-6 effort from the 3-point line — to lead the way for the Cardinals, while Euerle chipped in 13 points.

Molly Geske netted a game-high 16 points to lead four Gusties in double figures, with Colleen Ruane adding 13 points and Kelsey Florian and Abby Rothenbehler scoring 11 and 10 points, respectively.

“This was really the only game this season that we haven't gone out and given ourselves a chance to win,” said Pearson. “We had a slow start and just never recovered. I was proud of the way the team kept battling right to the end, we just weren't quite ready for what (Gustavus) threw at us.”

The Cardinals (3-4 MIAC, 3-7 overall) are back in action on Saturday, traveling to Macalester for a 1p.m. conference showdown with the Scots.