Sophomore center Brianne Comden scored 16 points and added 13 rebounds in just 25 minutes of action as the University of Mary Washington women's basketball team defeated St. Mary's College of Md., 58-40, on Wednesday evening at the Anderson Center. The Eagles improve to 16-4 overall, and 12-1 in CAC play.

The Eagles led, 23-12, at halftime after limiting the Seahawks to 3-34 shooting from the field in the first half. Comden led the charge, scoring eight points and grabbing eight rebounds in 12 minutes. Freshman Kendall Parker added seven of her 10 points off the bench in the first half.

UMW raced to a 9-2 lead to open the game, and pushed the lead to 14-4 with 9:12 remaining. The Eagles held the Seahawks scoreless for a seven minute stretch, and UMW led by as many as 13 before taking an 11--point lead to halftime, 23-12.

In the second half, the lead bounced back and forth between 10 and 15 points, until the Eagles used a Megan Green three pointer and a pair of Erin Drumheller free throws to swell the lead to 20 at 56-36 with 2:08 remaining. Four late free throws from St. Mary's cut the final score to 58-40.

Comden went 7-14 from the field and 2-4 from the free throw line en route to 16 points, and also grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked three shots. Parker was 4-10 from the field with a pair of three pointers.

The Eagles shot 35% for the game from the field (21-60), going 4-17 from long distance and made 12-22 free throws. St. Mary's went 12-64 from the field (18.8%) making 5-27 three point attempts, and went 11-20 from the line. UMW led in rebounds, 57-44.

Mary Washington will visit first-place Salisbury University on Saturday at 2:00, with a chance to move into a first-place tie in the league standings.