Playmaker: Joshua Dent led the Gaels with five assists. / Photo Courtesy Seattle University Athletics
Gaels Remain Composed Under Pressure, Defeat Redhawks 72–70
Mikey Lewis scores 22 points, including the layup that puts Saint Mary’s ahead for the win. Paulius Murauskas and Andrew McKeever each add 15, with 14 rebounds between them.
A resilient Saint Mary’s Men’s Basketball team overcame a late deficit on Wednesday evening at Climate Pledge Arena by finishing out its matchup with Seattle U on a 7–3 run en route to a 72–70 road victory. It was the Gaels’ first single possession victory of the season, and they showed grit and determination in every second of the hard fought win.
Mikey Lewis put together a masterpiece of a game with 22 points to lead the Gaels. The sophomore went 8–16 from the field and also ripped down five rebounds, one shy of his season-high. Paulius Murauskas and Andrew McKeever each added 15 points, shooting a combined 11–19 from the field. Murauskas also brought down nine rebounds and McKeever pulled down five. Joshua Dent finished with a team-high five assists, while Dillan Shaw recorded two blocked shots, making life tough on the Redhawks inside.
Mikey Lewis Layup for the Lead
Saint Mary’s (24–4, 13–2 West Coast Conference) stifling defense neutralized the Redhawks’ attack throughout most of the first half, limiting Seattle U (16–12, 5–10 WCC) to just 34.5% shooting from the field and 30.8% shooting from beyond the arc. The Gaels took a 35–28 lead into the break.
Offensively in the first half, the Gaels demonstrated their physicality, turning five offensive rebounds into eight second chance points and drawing nine fouls, turning those into 13 points on 15 free throw attempts. Paulius Murauskas was the lone player on either side to score in double figures in the opening half, scoring 11 and ripping down six rebounds, both team-high marks.
The Redhawks continued to push the Gaels in the second half, but the Gaels weathered the storm to the tune of a 7–3 run over the final 1:50 to earn the 72–70 win. Paulius Murauskas fouled out with just over six minutes to go, and it was Mikey Lewis and Andrew McKeever who carried the Gaels across the finish line in the second: Lewis dropped 15, while McKeever did not miss from the field en route to 11. It was poetic that it was Lewis who hit the go-ahead layup with 66 seconds remaining, giving the Gaels a lead they would not relinquish.
A First for Randy Bennett
Wednesday night’s matchup was the Gaels’ first game in the Emerald City since 1997. Head Coach Randy Bennett has helmed the Gaels for 25 years now. So this marks his first win with Saint Mary’s in the city of Seattle. On January 4, the Gaels bested the Redhawks in Moraga, 93–76.
For Mikey Lewis, it was his first 20+ point outing since the Gaels’ January 10 win over Washington State. Andrew McKeever’s 15 points put him just one point shy of his career-high.
Along with having a 24 home game winning streak, Saint Mary’s now boasts a 31–5 record in true road games dating back to the 2022–23 season—the second best true road record in DI college basketball. For this season, in terms of the NET Rankings—the primary sorting tool in DI basketball—the Gaels’ record earns them a spot at No. 27 in the country.
Up Next: Gaels vs. WSU Cougars
The Gaels head east across the Evergreen State to Pullman for a Saturday night clash with the Washington State Cougars. Tipoff on February 21 is at 7 p.m. Watch the game live on ESPN2.
