Basketball player Liam Campbell drives against Pepperdine in December 2025

On a run: Liam Campbell contributed to a Gaels scoring streak that put them up by 12 in the first half. / Photo by Alex Ahedo

Gaels Put on Defensive Clinic in 72–45 Win at Pepperdine

Paulius Murauskas leads the way with 19 points. The Gaels are now 13–2. And they’re off to the best start to a season in more than five years.

by Ryan Barnett, Assistant Athletic Director for Communication | December 30, 2025

The Saint Mary's Men's Basketball team powered to a commanding 72–45 win over Pepperdine on Tuesday night at Firestone Fieldhouse. The Gaels showcased their muscle, outscoring the Waves 42–28 in the paint and finishing +10 on the glass, contributing to a solid defensive performance.

Paulius Murauskas led the way with 19 points, hitting eight of his 15 shots and grabbing five rebounds. Joshua Dent added 11 points and three assists. Andrew McKeever contributed with eight points on 4-4 shooting, and he pulled down 10 rebounds along with three assists and two steals. West Coast Conference Freshman of the Week Dillan Shaw also impressed defensively with seven points, three steals, and a block.

Cruising to Victory

Saint Mary's (13–2, 2–0 WCC) launched into the first half with a quick 7–1 run, with all seven scored by Mikey Lewis. That lead would balloon to as large as 12 on a 7–0 run generated by Joshua Dent and Liam Campbell, but the Waves (5–10, 0–2 WCC) were able to whittle it down to single digits with three minutes to play in the half. Dillan Shaw knocked down a triple on the Gaels’ final possession of the half, ensuring they took a 34–25 lead into the break.

The defense shined even brighter in the second half for the Gaels, limiting Pepperdine to just 20 second half points. A 9–0 run starting at the 14 minute mark gave the Gaels a double-digit lead that they would not relinquish throughout the remainder of the contest, and they cruised to a 72–45 win.

Digging into the numbers a bit: Paulius Murauskas scored his 19 points on 8–15 shooting. He has scoring in double figures in 14 of 15 games and has shot 50% or better in eight games. Saint Mary's posted a flawless 10–10 from the free-throw line, a first since their perfect 6–6 performance at Firestone Fieldhouse in the 2022–23 campaign.

The 45 points the Gaels allowed is the lowest a Division I opponent has scored against them this year. It was a season low points scored for the Waves; Pepperdine also had its toughest night of the season when it came to 3-point percentage (17.4%), free throw attempts (4), and rebounds (25).

The Gaels are off to their best start since 2019–20, with a 13–2 opening to the season.