Western Kentucky’s women’s basketball team came back from a 16-point deficit to force overtime against host Saint Mary’s on Saturday, but eventually fell 80-73 at McKeon Pavilion in Moraga, Calif.

WKU dropped to 5-2 on the season, snapping a five-game winning streak with the loss. Saint Mary’s improved to 3-4 with the win.

Lady Toppers junior forward Raneem Elgedawy was one point shy of her career high with 27 points. She crashed the board for 13 rebounds, earning her fourth straight double-double and fifth of the season.

WKU’s Whitney Creech had her first 20-point game of the season and only the second of her career with 20 points. She also had a season-high seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. Her 17 steals this season lead the team.

Dee Givens added 14 points and five rebounds for the Lady Tops. Meral Abdelgawad was the fourth Lady Topper in double figures with 10 points. She also had six rebounds.

Elgedawy scored the first seven points for WKU and had 10 points in the first period. The Lady Toppers jumped out to a four-point lead before an 8-0 run by Saint Mary’s put the Gaels ahead. Elgedawy knocked down her third 3-pointer of the season to stop the bleeding for WKU at the end of the quarter.

Saint Mary’s caught fire from beyond the arc in the second quarter, connecting on six 3-pointers to outscore the Lady Toppers 24-13 in the frame. Creech took over for Elgedawy, scoring seven of those points in the quarter.

Foul trouble started to plague Saint Mary’s in the third quarter and WKU cashed in with nine made free throws in the frame. At the 6:03 mark, the Gaels took their largest lead of the game going ahead by 16. WKU turned up the intensity and outscored Saint Mary’s 37-16 from that point through the end of regulation, including an 8-0 run to end the fourth quarter and force overtime. Creech had a chance to win it for WKU before the end of regulation, but the ball rolled out as the buzzer sounded.

In overtime, Saint Mary’s came out and hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put WKU in a deficit right away. Ultimately, the Gaels would win by seven.

The Lady Toppers return home for the final nonconference home game of the season Wednesday against Oklahoma. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.{&end}