MORAGA, Calif. — Nani Falatea and Lauren Gustin combined for 45 points in the Cougars’ 74-59 win over Saint Mary’s Thursday night.

Falatea bested her previous career-high of 24 points, set in the last meeting against the Gaels, with 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including going 4-for-5 from downtown on the night. The sophomore guard added seven assists, four steals, two rebounds and a 3-for-4 outing at the charity stripe in the win. Her four steals tied a career high.

Gustin continued her historic season with her 20th double-double in 21 games. The nation’s top rebounder finished with 20 points on an 8-for-17 clip while grabbing 20 boards for the seventh time this season. It was a third 20-20 game this year. Gustin also contributed four assists, a block and a steal to the cause in the eighth-straight win over the Gaels.

The Cougars (12-9, 7-3) forced 18 Saint Mary’s turnovers which turned into 10 points, scored 13 points in transition while shooting 44.3 percent from the field, 47.4 percent from three-point land and outrebounded the Gaels 38-30, 12-6 on the offensive glass.

BYU went on a 9-2 run midway through the opening quarter. Arielle Mackey-Williams and Falatea scored back-to-back buckets before Mackey-Williams found Gustin for a post-touch score to take a five-point lead.

On the next Cougar possession, Mackey-Williams recorded her second assist of the night, finding Smiler for three on the left wing.

The Gaels would knot the game at 12 with 2:33 to play, before a 7-0 BYU run extended the lead to 19-12 at the quarter break.

BYU opened quarter No. 2 with Emma Calvert finding Gustin in a high-low action to take a 21-12 lead with 8:29 to play in the half. The Cougars and Gaels traded baskets before Smiler pushed the lead to 10 with 3:06 left, 28-18.

In the last minutes of the half, Falatea and Gustin combined for six straight points to give BYU a 14-point advantage, its largest lead of the game, 33-19.

The Cougars led 35-21 at the break after shooting 42.4 percent and holding Saint Mary’s to a 36 percent clip. Led by Gustin’s nine rebounds, BYU won the first-half rebounding battle 21-15, with seven boards coming on the offensive glass.

The Gaels scored the first six points of the third to trim the Cougar lead to eight just two minutes in before a BYU timeout. After the timeout, a Saint Mary’s three cut it to five before Falatea found Gustin on the pick-and-roll to retake a 12-point lead, 44-32.

On the next Cougar possession, Gustin returned the favor with a screen that allowed Falatea to knock down a triple and stretch the lead back to double figures. With 5:30 to play in the third, Falatea picked off a Saint Mary’s pass and again connected with Gustin for another fast-break bucket.

BYU finished the third on an 11-3 run with six points from Falatea, and scores from Gustin, Smiler and Calvert to take a 57-39 lead into the final 10 minutes.

The Cougars expanded the lead to a game-high 19 points with 7:18 to play before a 7-0 Saint Mary’s run brought the Gaels within 12 with 4:41 left.

BYU’s defense allowed only one made field goal for Saint Mary’s in the final 4:41 with Amanda Barcello knocking down a triple with 2:15 to seal a 74-59 win.

The Cougars, who have won eight of their last nine games, take on the Pacific Tigers Saturday in Stockton. The game will tip at 2 p.m. PST and will be streamed on WCC Network.

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