Leading the charge: Joshua Dent scored 16, ripped down six rebounds, and dished out three assists. / Photo by Young Kwak/AP
Gaels Grind it Out, Come up Just Short at No. 6 Gonzaga, 73–65
Saint Mary’s leads at halftime but trails when the final horn sounds. Joshua Dent scores 16 points, while Paulius Murauskas chips in 15 and Dillan Shaw adds 13.
Saint Mary’s made their final trek to Spokane as West Coast Conference foes of Gonzaga on Saturday, and while the Gaels led at halftime and battled to the bitter end, they ultimately fell to the Zags, 73–65. Now with a game against sixth ranked Gonzaga under their belts, the Gaels will look to build off of the performance on the road to try and get the best of the Zags in Moraga on February 28.
The Gaels had a trio of double-digit scorers, led by Joshua Dent, who tallied 16 on 6–12 shooting. Dent also ripped down six boards and dished out a team-high three dimes. Paulius Murauskas added 15 points and four boards, while Dillan Shaw buried a pair of three pointers en route to 13.
Gaels Lead at the Half
Paulius Murauskas, the leading scorer in the WCC, gave the Gaels (19–4, 8–2 WCC) an early 2–0 lead, setting the tone for an impressive offensive first half for the junior out of Lithuania. Gonzaga (22–1, 10–0 WCC) battled back, but the Gaels never bowed out of the fight, and Saint Mary’s capitalized on a 12–2 run—capped by a pair of free throws from Liam Campbell with less than a second to go in the first half—to head into the break with a 38–34 lead.
The Gaels extended their lead out to six points, their largest, at the 16:43 mark of the second half, but the Zags were able to weather the Gael storm. Gonzaga took the lead with 11:58 to go in the contest and held onto an eight point lead when the final horn sounded.
That Fierce Rivalry
This was Joshua Dent’s first outing against Gonzaga; he has now scored in double figures five of his last six contests. For Paulius Murauskas, Saturday saw his highest scoring tally against the Zags in the four games he has faced them as a Gael. For Dillan Shaw, this was also his debut against Gonzaga; he became the second consecutive true freshman Gael to score in double figures in his first outing at the Kennel. For the Gaels overall, while they were outbattled in the paint and on the glass, it was a good night at the free throw line: Saint Mary's sunk 23, hitting 92% of the shots. It’s the 10th time this season they’ve hit 20+ and shot 90% or better from the charity stripe.
Saint Mary’s had beaten Gonzaga at the Kennel in the previous two matchups, and no question the Zags were looking to put an end to that streak. The WCC rivalry between the two teams has been fierce for years. Next season Gonzaga joins the Pac-12—so the matchup in Moraga, the last time SMC faces the Bulldogs as WCC foes—has a historic charge on it.
Up Next: Gaels vs. Toreros on February 4
The Gaels return home to host San Diego on Wednesday, February 4. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at UCU Pavilion. Get tickets and watch the game on ESPN+.
