Liam Campbell Leads the Gaels’ Charge in a 30-Point Victory Over the Ohio Bobcats

The high-octane start for the Saint Mary’s Gaels (3–0) continued on Tuesday night with a 90–60 victory over the Ohio Bobcats (1–2). After scoring over 80 points in each of their first two contests, the Gaels took it up a notch, reaching the 90-point mark for the first time this season. The SMC offense continued to operate at a highly efficient level, shooting 50% from the field and from the three, en route to the 30-point win.

Entering the game with a career-high tally of four points, redshirt freshman Liam Campbell got to show off his strong scoring ability in front of the hometown crowd in Moraga, dropping 20 on an extremely efficient 8–10 from the field and 3–5 from three. During his senior year at Owyhee High School in Meridian, Idaho, Campbell averaged nearly 17 points per game. Tuesday was his first chance to demonstrate his bucket-getting skills at the collegiate level. 

Paulius Murauskas and Mikey Lewis each scored 14 points, a tick below both of their respective season averages, but both contributed as playmakers, combining for nine assists and just two turnovers. Add in four assists each from Joshua Dent and Andrew McKeever, and the Gaels finished with a pair of season highs in assists—22—as well as turnovers, a meagre 9. 

Meet the Gaels’ Bench

Ohio came out of the gates hot, opening the game on a 9–4 run, handing the Gaels their first two-possession deficit of the season. Any momentum built up by the Bobcats was, however, quickly curtailed by an 11–0 Gaels run, sparked by five straight points from Kevin Gad, his first baskets of the season. That 11-point run set the tone for the rest of the half, as Saint Mary’s carried a commanding 45–27 lead into the break. 

The most impressive number of the first half: The Gaels’ bench scored as many points as the Bobcats scored in total. The driving force behind that was Liam Campbell, who broke out for 17 points on 7–9 shooting (2–4 from three) to lead all scorers. Saint Mary’s also took care of the ball, turning it over just three times in the first half, while forcing eight turnovers and converting those into nine points. While it was a quiet scoring half from the starters, the trio of Paulius Murauskas, Joshua Dent, and Mikey Lewis combined for 10 of the Gaels’ 12 first-half assists. 

SMC Dominant on the Glass

The Gaels opened the second half on a 7–0 run to extend their lead out to 25, and they never led by fewer than 20 for the remainder of the contest. SMC finished out the game on an 11–4 run en route to their first 90-point scoring output of the season—and their first 30-point victory this fall. 

It was a well-balanced scoring attack in half number two for Saint Mary's: Paulius Murauskas scored 10, six of which came from the stripe. Mikey Lewis added nine, going a perfect 3–3 from three in the second half, while Tony Duckett dropped eight. Lewis and Joshua Dent platooned at point guard in the second half, each recording three assists. After being just +1 on the glass in the first half, the Gaels were +10 in the second half, with Andrew McKeever and Dillan Shaw each ripping down five in the final 20 minutes. 

Demonstration of Depth

The Gaels had 48 of their 90 points come from their bench—the most since the 2023–24 opener, when the Gaels had 57 of their 107 points against Stanislaus State come from non-starters. Liam Campbell led the way with 20 of those 48 on Tuesday night, but he was far from the only contributor. 

Dillan Shaw and Tony Duckett each added eight, Shaw in 17 minutes of action, and Duckett in 13. Harry Wessels returned from a one-game absence and scored five with a pair of offensive boards, while Rory Hawke and Cade Bennett added four and three, respectively, with neither missing from the field. The reserves for the Gaels finished a combined 18–30 from the field, compared to a 13–32 clip from the starters, and were responsible for six of the Gaels’ 11 made threes. It was an incredible demonstration of the depth that this Saint Mary’s squad boasts. 

Back-to-Back Fifty-Fifty

For the third straight game, the Gaels shot 50% or better from the field, while shooting 50% or better from beyond the arc for the second straight contest. Liam Campbell, Kevin Gad, and Cade Bennett all shot 50% or better from the field and from three, while Harry Wessels and Rory Hawke each shot 50% or better from the field without taking a three. Mikey Lewis and Tony Duckett both shot sub-50% from the field, but both were able to knock it down efficiently from beyond the arc, at 4–7 and 1–2, respectively. 

For a little historical perspective: The Gaels have not shot 50% or better in three straight contests since December 2020, when they did it in three straight wins over Texas Southern, University of Texas at El Paso, and San Jose State. To find the last time the Gaels shot 50% from three in back-to-back contests, you’d have to go back to December 2019, when they defeated Cal and Arizona State.

Up Next: Saint Mary’s Hosts North Texas

The Gaels will get the North Texas Mean Green—who are unbeaten, and will take on Oregon State tomorrow before they arrive in Moraga for a Friday Night Showdown. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on November 14. Purchase tickets here—and watch the game on ESPN+. For the Saint Mary’s community, it’s Alumni Night at UCU Plaza and Pavilion, featuring a pregame party with music and refreshments for alumni and families—and plenty of Gael energy guaranteed.