MORAGA, Calif. – Sacramento State senior point guard Fantasia Hilliard scored a team-high 17 points and had five steals to break the career program record but Saint Mary's shot 60% and made 31 free throws in a 99-91 win on Monday night.

Hilliard, who was already the all-time program leader in career assists, surpassed the program steals record of 223 set last season by Alle Moreno. The Hornets had 13 steals as a team, made a season-high 19 three-pointers, and forced 31 turnovers but sent the Gaels to free throw line 34 times on 30 personal fouls.

Saint Mary's (2-1) shot 33-of-55 (60%) from the field and made 31-of-34 free throws. The Gaels also had a 54-20 rebounding edge with 13 offensive rebounds and limited the Hornets to 10 offensive rebounds and eight second chance point. Sacramento State (1-4) had six players score in double figures but couldn't overcome 56 Saint Mary's points in the paint and the heavy free throw discrepancy.

The Hornets started both halves very well, jumping to a quick 13-4 lead after hitting three 3-pointers in the first four minutes of the game. A 9-0 Saint Mary's run put the home team up and the game remained close with five ties and nine lead changes in the first half.

The score was tied at 29-29 with seven minutes left in the first half before the Gaels had a 13-3 run to go up by 10 and hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lead 52-39 at the half. Sacramento State shot 42.9% in the second half and hit 11 three-pointers but could go no closer than an eight point deficit.

The home team went up by as many as 16 points in the second half. The Gaels were limited to 53.6% shooting in the half after shooting 66.7% in the first period but continued to maintain a lead. The 19th Hornet three of the game by junior Adella Randle-El in the final seconds brought the final margin to eight.

Randle-El and sophomore Hallie Gennett, who hit five 3-pointers, each finished with 15 points while Andrea Chenier and Brianna Burgos had 11 points apiece and Takara Burse had 10. Hilliard had a game-high seven assists and Burse had five. Eight different Hornets made a 3-pointer in the game.

Hayley Hendrickson led the Gaels with 24 points and 11 rebounds while Lauren Nicholson scored 22 and Stella Beck had 13 points and 14 rebounds. The Gaels went 17-of-17 at the free throw line in the second half and outscored the Hornets 56-18 in the paint for the game.

The contest opened a five-game road trip for the Hornets, who will play eight of their next nine games on the road leading into Big Sky Conference play. The Hornets are 0-3 on the road this season but two of those losses were by single-digits.

After Thanksgiving the Hornets play the first of four consecutive Pac-12 opponents taking on No. 14 Cal on Dec. 3 at 11:00 a.m.