Saint Mary's was actually down four to Kalamazoo at one point in its 71-39 win Saturday.
Then, five and a half minutes into the game, the Belles (10-12, 6-8 MIAA) decided it was time to start playing.
With 14:37 left in the first half and the score tied at 8-8, Saint Mary's senior guard Alison Kessler scored two of her game-high 22 on a layup. It was the last time Kalamazoo (4-18, 1-13 MIAA) sniffed the lead.
That's because Kessler's layup began a 34-8 Saint Mary's run that sent the Belles into the locker room with a 42-15 lead.
Sophomore forward Anna Kammrath, who pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with her six points, said the Belles' success in the first half was a result of the team's laid-back style.
"We were definitely more relaxed [than in previous games], which is easier to do when everyone was clicking," Kammrath said.
In the second half, the Belles continued their dominance. The Hornets never got within 26 points, and many of Saint Mary's reserves saw the court for the latter portion of the game.
The blowout victory was a big change for the Belles, who have an average margin of victory of 6.6 points in their MIAA wins this season.
Belles junior guard Katie Rashid finished with 13 points, and classmate Erin Newsom netted 11 to go along with seven rebounds. The Belles also got a solid performance from freshman guard Liz Wade, who scored seven points, grabbed seven rebounds and had seven assists off the bench.
Kammrath said after the game that the win was a big one for the Belles, especially with the end of the MIAA season coming closer.
"[Getting this win] means we are for sure playing on Tuesday once [the] conference [tournament] starts next week," Kammrath said. "It also helps team morale, a win like this."
