Offense and defense: Harry Wessels brought down seven rebounds and had a pair of blocks to go with his 15 points. / Photo by Tod Fierner for SMC Athletics
Huge Second Half Powers Gaels to 93–76 Victory Over Seattle U
In front of a raucous crowd in Moraga, Paulius Murauskas scores 30 points and earns honors as West Coast Conference Player of the Week. WCC Freshman of the Week Dillan Shaw scores 20, and Harry Wessels serves up 15.
With a huge second half on Sunday night, Saint Mary's Men’s Basketball secured a commanding 93–76 victory over Seattle U at UCU Pavilion. The Gaels physically dominated the Redhawks to the tune of a +27 rebounding advantage, +15 second chance scoring advantage, and a +14 paint scoring advantage, helping them overcome a halftime deficit to secure the 17 point victory.
Paulius Murauskas was unstoppable with 30 points and 15 rebounds, both tying his career-highs to lead the charge for the Gaels. West Coast Conference Freshman of the Week Dillan Shaw continued to play like a veteran, despite his true freshman status, scoring 20 points, sinking six 3-pointers, and adding seven rebounds, six assists, and no turnovers. Harry Wessels contributed 15 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks. Joshua Dent orchestrated the offense with prowess, delivering nine assists and never coming off the floor.
Momentum in the Second Half
Seattle U (12–5, 1–3 WCC) made it clear in the early going that defeating the Redhawks would be no easy feat. After the Gaels (15–2, 4–0 WCC) took early leads at 2–0, 4–2 and 6–4, the Redhawks drained their first three and were off and running. They would relinquish the lead just one more time in the first half, when Liam Campbell buried a three at the 5:45 mark to bring the score to 26–25 Gaels. But a quick 8–0 Redhawks run pushed them right back in front.
With two seconds remaining, Seattle U matched their largest lead at eight points, but a Dillan Shaw half court heave at the buzzer gave Saint Mary's some momentum, and meant they headed into the break down by five.
The Gaels began to chisel away at the Redhawks lead in the early parts of the second half. They took their first lead of the second frame as part of an 8–0 run, pushing out in front 61–56 with 10:53 to go. The Redhawks twice cut the deficit back to three points, but could never get back in front against the Gaels inside the raucous UCU Pavilion. Over the final 4:30 of the game, the Gaels closed things out on a 18–5 run to turn what was a five point halftime deficit into a 17 point victory.
Career Highs, Player of the Week, and that Big Win
For Paulius Murauskas, the night saw him deliver his second collegiate 30 point game and his first of the season. The Kaunas, Lithuania native also matched his career-high for rebounds with 15, marking his third double-double of the season. To close out 2025 and ring in 2026, Murauskas has led the Gaels to a trio of wins over Pepperdine, Portland, and Seattle U—and he has looked like an unstoppable offensive force in all three contests. On Monday, January 5, he was recognized with his second WCC Player of the Week honor this season, and his third overall. He is the first Gael since Logan Johnson, in the 2021–22 campaign, to win the award twice in the same season.
Murauskas led the Gaels in scoring in all three contests, and got better by the game, starting with a 19 point outpouring on the road at Pepperdine. He matched a then season-high eight made field goals against the Waves, before scoring nine field goals in the Gaels conference home opener against Portland, en route to a 24 point, seven rebound and five assists performance against the Pilots. His final act of the three game weekend, however, was certainly the most impressive. In his final tally for the week, Murauskas averaged 24.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per contest, while shooting 54% from the field. He continues to lead the conference in scoring, while ranking third in the nation in total points scored, second in free throw attempts and first in free throw makes.
For Dillan Shaw, the 20 point night against Seattle was also a career-high, as were his six assists. Joshua Dent set a personal best with his nine assists.
The Gaels shot over 50% from the field for the third time in four games. They also scored 50 points in the paint—a season-best. Saint Mary’s remains undefeated in WCC play—one of only three teams to hold that distinction in the conference. This was the Gaels’ first win this season when trailing at halftime.
Up Next: Gaels vs. Washington State
The Gaels face Washington State at University Credit Union Pavilion in Moraga on Saturday, January 10, with a 2 p.m. tip-off. Get tickets and watch the game on CBS Sports Network.
Story updated January 5, 2026, at 2:40 p.m. Pacific.
