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  • MBB | Gaels Use 30-0 Run to Best Broncos in Santa Clara, 67-54


    SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The nation’s leading road win streak has moved to 15, as the Saint Mary’s Gaels (19-3, 9-0 WCC) bested the Santa Clara Broncos (14-9, 6-4 WCC) 67-54 in Santa Clara this evening. The Gaels trailed by two with 3:14 in the first half before going on a 30-0 run spanning nearly 13 minutes to pull away, and while the Broncos found their stride late, it was too little, too late, as Saint Mary’s ultimately earned the double-digit victory. Now at 9-0 in the conference, the Gaels continue to hold a two game stranglehold on first place in the WCC at the halfway mark of conference play.

    Saint Mary’s defense shined in the first half, limiting the Broncos to just 10 points over the first 13 minutes of play, establishing a double digit 20-10 lead. Santa Clara, however, came storming back, stringing together solid interior scoring possessions to go on a 14-2 run to take a two point lead. The Gaels were able to curtail that Bronco momentum heading into the break, scoring the final two buckets of the half to take a two point lead into the break. Ashton Hardaway buried a couple of threes in the first half to lead the way, while Paulius Murauskas and Harry Wessels combined for nine points and 10 boards in the opening stanza. 

     


     


     

    The Gaels took their 4-0 run that ended the first half, and added 26 more to it to go ahead 52-24, holding them scoreless for the first 10 minutes of the second half to really put the game out of reach. Saint Mary’s took their foot off the gas pedal and Santa Clara started hitting contested three pointers late to make the score a bit more respectable, as things ended 67-54. Mitchell Saxen was unstoppable in the paint second frame, with nine points, while Luke Barrett buried a pair of threes to get to eight in the final 20. 

     


     


     

    Mitchell Saxen finished as the Gaels high man with 12 points. While the scoring outing wasn’t the largest of Saxen’s career, it was his defense that led the Gaels to victory, clogging up the paint and not giving the Broncos any clean inside in the second half. Luke Barrett was the only other Gael in double figures, scoring 10, but, like Saxen, it was Barrett’s defense in the second half that sparked the SMC 30-0 run. Five other Gaels scored at least eight points, with Paulius Murauskas adding 14 rebounds to his nine, and Augustas Marciulionis adding five assists to his nine. The Gaels have now beaten eight of nine WCC foes this year by double digits. 

    30-0 RUN

    Less than a week ago, the Gaels were able to outscore Washington State 23-7 over a stretch just shy of eight minutes to erase a double-digit deficit and eventually down the Cougars by five. While that run was stellar, it pales in comparison to what the Gaels were able to do tonight against Santa Clara. With 3:14 left in the first half, the Broncos took a 24-22 lead, just their second of the night. The Gaels responded by scoring the final four points of the first half…and the first 26 of the second half for a 30-0 run, holding Santa Clara scoreless for nearly 13 minutes. This run pushed the Gaels up by 28 with under 10 minutes to go, a nearly insurmountable lead for any team, but even more so with the Gaels impressive defense. Jordan Ross led that offensive surge with nine points, while Luke Barrett and Mitchell Saxen each scored seven in that stretch. A year ago, the Gaels had a similar run against the Broncos at the Leavey Center, opening the game on a 30-6 run over the opening 12 minutes of the game, as Saint Mary’s continues to demonstrate their road dominance over the past two seasons. 

    SHARING THE WEALTH

    The Gaels did not have one star scorer tonight, but rather had seven different players score between eight and 12 points. Mitchell Saxen led the way with 12, connecting on 50% of his shots from the field and going 4-6 from the stripe. Luke Barrett joined him in double figures with 10, eight coming in the second half. The quartet of Jordan Ross, Augustas Marciulionis, Ashton Hardaway and Paulius Murauskas each scored nine, with each knocking down at least one three, while Harry Wessels had an efficient eight points in just 16 minutes of play. This display of team basketball was reminiscent of the Gaels scoring distribution all season long, as they boast six scorers who average between 8.7 and 13.6 points per game, with any one of them having the ability to be the leading scorer on any given night. 

    POSTGAME CHATS

    “The run for us tonight was great, and we needed it. We talked in the locker room about needing a good start in the second half, and we did that. We got the ball moving a bit more, we took care of it better and we started getting better looks, and on the defensive end we tightened things up. We forced Santa Clara into taking tough shots and we crashed the glass every time, but there was also a stretch where it felt like we ripped down every offensive rebound as well and that was huge. I’m really proud of our guys and how they played. It was overall a great win!” – Associate Head Coach Mickey McConnell

    “It’s special to have a team where everybody is scoring and playing well within our system. We all care about winning and not about our own individual stats, so it’s all about getting whoever has the hot hand the ball, and working on getting the best shot possible on every possession.” – Ashton Hardaway

    UP NEXT

    The Big One is up next for the Gaels, as rivals Gonzaga role into town on Saturday. Tip off will be at 8 PM, join us inside UCU Pavilion or tune into ESPN to catch the action.

    DON’T MISS OUT ON HOME MEN’S BASKETBALL ACTION. TICKETS ARE ON SALE HERE. 

    #GaelsRise 

     





    In a stunning display of dominance, the Saint Mary’s Gaels used a 30-0 run to defeat the Santa Clara Broncos with a final score of 67-54. The Gaels showed off their offensive prowess and stifling defense, completely shutting down the Broncos for an extended stretch of the game.

    Led by standout performances from their key players, the Gaels were able to pull away from the Broncos and never looked back. The team’s chemistry and execution were on full display as they outplayed and outmuscled their opponents in every facet of the game.

    The Gaels’ impressive win not only solidifies their standing in the conference but also serves as a statement to the rest of the teams in the league. With this victory, the Gaels prove that they are a force to be reckoned with and are capable of taking down any opponent that stands in their way.

    As the Gaels continue their march towards the postseason, this win serves as a reminder of their potential and the level of play they are capable of achieving. With their eyes set on even greater accomplishments, the Gaels are proving that they are a team to watch out for in the coming weeks.

    Tags:

    MBB, Gaels, 30-0 run, Broncos, Santa Clara, college basketball, WCC, Saint Mary’s, victory, game recap, scoring run, dominant performance, West Coast Conference, basketball game, March Madness, tournament, sports news, college sports, Saint Mary’s College, Santa Clara University, conference matchup, college hoops, basketball highlights, game analysis

    #MBB #Gaels #Run #Broncos #Santa #Clara

  • Gonzaga Bulldogs vs Saint Mary’s Gaels Prediction, Odds and Picks


    In the biggest game the West Coast Conference will see all year, the Gonzaga Bulldogs will visit Moraga to face the Saint Mary’s Gaels. This matchup has become one of the best rivalries in all of college basketball (my personal favorite rivalry), and these teams have been evenly matched as of late. In the last 2 seasons, the Gaels and Bulldogs have split the season series (both 3-3), and this year looks to be no different. Gonzaga was able to leave Moraga with a win a year ago, and they could very well do that again this season.

    This matchup always provides a clash of styles, as Gonzaga loves to push in transition to create easy baskets, but Saint Mary’s is always looking to keep games in the halfcourt to assert their physical brand of basketball. Saint Mary’s is typically able to slow the pace down in this matchup, as all 3 meetings a year ago were played at 63 possessions or less. While this could be viewed as favorable to the Gaels, the Bulldogs are not just a transition reliant offense and can score in the halfcourt at an efficient rate. The Bulldogs rank in the just the 11th percentile in offensive possession rate in the halfcourt, but they are in the 99th percentile on a points per possession basis, per Synergy. The Bulldogs’ offensive success in the halfcourt comes from their elite post-up game, led by Graham Ike (17.3 ppg), and he can have success in this game against the 1-on-1 post up coverage of Saint Mary’s, who hasn’t necessarily been tested in that area this season.

    The offense has never been the issue for the Mark Few led Bulldogs, but the defense has been a different story this year. Gonzaga is just 54th in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom, and their inside the arc defense has been especially poor (177th in 2-point FG% defense). However, coach Few has addressed the defensive woes by switching up the rotations over the last 2 games. The addition of Tarleton State transfer Emmanuel Innocenti into the starting lineup has done wonders for Gonzaga’s point of attack defense, and in turn has taken the pressure off the lack of true rim protection the Bulldogs have. For a reference point, Gonzaga was able to hold Oregon State to a 15-34 shooting clip inside the arc (47%) in their last contest after allowing a 25-39 shooting clip (64%) against the same Beavers team in a road loss. Innocenti has made a real difference since being inserted into the starting lineup, and he will be important in this game when it comes to containing the reigning WCC player of the year in Augustas Marciulionis. Gonzaga’s 2-way rebounding ability will also be key against a Gaels team that creates much of their value in this area.

    In what should be an exciting matchup, I am looking to back the Bulldogs as a small road underdog. The talent level of Gonzaga’s perimeter, their rebounding ability, and their improved defense leads me to believe this is a great set up for the Bulldogs.

    Gonzaga vs Saint Mary’s prediction: Gonzaga +1 (-110) at time of publishing, playable at that number

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    The highly anticipated matchup between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the Saint Mary’s Gaels is set to take place this week, and fans are eager to see which team will come out on top. Both teams have had strong seasons so far, with Gonzaga ranked as one of the top teams in the nation and Saint Mary’s proving to be a tough competitor.

    In terms of predictions, Gonzaga is favored to win this game. The Bulldogs have a strong offense led by star player Drew Timme, who is averaging over 21 points per game. They also have a solid defense that has been able to shut down opponents throughout the season.

    On the other hand, Saint Mary’s has been playing well and has some key players who can make an impact on the game. However, they will need to bring their A-game in order to compete with the powerhouse that is Gonzaga.

    In terms of odds, Gonzaga is currently listed as the favorite to win this game. The Bulldogs have an impressive record and have shown that they can dominate on both ends of the court. Saint Mary’s, on the other hand, will need to put up a strong fight if they want to pull off an upset.

    As for picks, it’s hard to go against Gonzaga in this matchup. They have the talent and experience to come out on top, and it’s likely that they will be able to secure a victory against Saint Mary’s. However, anything can happen in college basketball, so fans will have to tune in to see how this exciting matchup unfolds.

    Tags:

    1. Gonzaga Bulldogs
    2. Saint Mary’s Gaels
    3. NCAA Basketball
    4. Prediction
    5. Odds
    6. Picks
    7. College Basketball
    8. Top 25 Matchup
    9. West Coast Conference
    10. Gonzaga vs Saint Mary’s

    #Gonzaga #Bulldogs #Saint #Marys #Gaels #Prediction #Odds #Picks