MORAGA, Calif. (Interstat) — Saint Mary’s used a dominant first half and efficient shooting to defeat San Diego 87-60 in a West Coast Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at McKeon Pavilion. The Gaels built a 44-25 halftime lead and maintained control throughout, connecting on 11 of 21 3-pointers and 16 of 20 free throws. Saint Mary’s converted 16 points off turnovers and outscored San Diego 36-24 in the paint. Dillan Shaw led Saint Mary’s with 14 points. Toneari Lane scored a game-high 16 points for the Toreros, who shot just 5 of 13 from the foul line. Saint Mary’s improved to 20-4 overall, while San Diego fell to 10-15. Attendance was 3,387.

MORAGA, Calif. (Interstat) — The Saint Mary’s Gaels delivered a commanding and efficient performance, overwhelming the San Diego Toreros from the opening tip and cruising to an 87-60 victory in a West Coast Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at a sold-out McKeon Pavilion. The outcome was rarely in doubt, as the Gaels (20-4, 8-1 WCC) built a 19-point halftime lead and never allowed the Toreros (10-15, 3-6) to mount a serious challenge in the second half. The most pivotal stretch of the game came immediately after tip-off, where Saint Mary’s established a tone of defensive pressure and offensive precision from which San Diego never recovered. The Toreros opened the game with a shot clock violation on their first possession, a sign of the struggles to come. Saint Mary’s, conversely, began a 10-0 run over the first three minutes. The sequence was fueled by active defense, including a steal by Paulius Murauskas that led to a Mikey Lewis 3-pointer, and crisp ball movement that resulted in easy baskets. Joshua Dent, who orchestrated the offense with six assists, found Harry Wessels for a hook shot to open the scoring and later connected with Murauskas for a driving layup to cap the initial burst. San Diego’s Toneari Lane, who led all scorers with 16 points, briefly stopped the run with a 3-pointer. But the Gaels responded with another surge, extending their lead to 18-5 just over five minutes into the game. The Toreros were plagued by early turnovers and an inability to match Saint Mary’s physicality inside, as the Gaels dominated points in the paint 36-24 and converted 16 points off San Diego’s 10 turnovers. Saint Mary’s showcased remarkable offensive balance and efficiency, shooting 52.6% from the field and an even more impressive 52.4% from 3-point range, making 11 of 21 attempts. They shared the ball effectively, tallying nine assists to San Diego’s four, and capitalized at the free-throw line, making 16 of 20 attempts. Defensively, they matched San Diego’s turnover count but were far more disruptive, recording nine steals and two blocks. Dillan Shaw led a deep and productive Gael scoring effort with 14 points, while seven-foot-one center Andrew McKeever controlled the interior with 12 points. The Gaels’ international contingent made significant contributions, with Mantas Juzenas scoring 10 points off the bench and Murauskas adding 10 points, three assists and a block. Liam Campbell also chipped in 11 points. For San Diego, the offensive woes were comprehensive. Beyond Lane’s scoring, the Toreros shot just 40.4% from the field and a dismal 38.5% from the free-throw line, making only 5 of 13. They were out-rebounded, particularly on the offensive glass where Saint Mary’s held a 12-9 advantage, and managed only four assists for the entire game, highlighting a stagnant offensive night. The Gaels’ lead ballooned to as many as 27 points in the second half as they continued their sharp shooting. A key sequence midway through the period saw Saint Mary’s score on three consecutive possessions: a Dillan Shaw layup, a Joshua Dent layup, and a Mantas Juzenas 3-pointer, pushing the lead to 70-52 and effectively extinguishing any lingering hope for the visitors. The victory keeps Saint Mary’s firmly in the conference title chase as they prepare for a pivotal rematch with San Francisco on Saturday. The Toreros, who have lost three of their last four, will look to regroup on the road at Loyola Marymount this weekend. An announced crowd of 3,387 watched the game, which saw the total points fall just short of the over/under line of 148.

MORAGA, Calif. (Interstat) — A surging Saint Mary’s squad looks to rebound from a rare conference loss when it hosts a struggling San Diego team in a West Coast Conference men’s basketball matchup Wednesday night at McKeon Pavilion. The Gaels (19-4) enter with a dominant 11-1 home record, their only blemish a 73-65 defeat at Gonzaga last Saturday that snapped a five-game winning streak. Saint Mary’s, led by guard Joshua Dent, remains firmly in the conference title hunt. Dent has been a consistent force, averaging 16.2 points and 5.8 assists over his last six games, including a 26-point effort in a win over Washington State and a 16-point, 11-assist double-double against Oregon State. They face a San Diego team (10-14) seeking stability after losing three of its last four. The Toreros are coming off a heartbreaking 78-76 overtime loss to Oregon State at home, where Adrian McIntyre scored 21 points. McIntyre has been a bright spot, averaging 15.3 points over his last seven contests and scoring 20 or more three times in that span, including 20 points in a loss to Santa Clara. The Gaels’ defense, which has held opponents under 70 points in 15 of their 19 wins, will be tested by McIntyre and a San Diego offense that has shown flashes, putting up 92 points in an overtime win at Pepperdine last week. However, the Toreros have struggled on the road, going 3-8 away from home. Saint Mary’s has controlled the recent series, winning the last nine meetings. In their first matchup this season, the Gaels won 72-45 at Pepperdine on Dec. 30, though they have not faced San Diego yet. The game is critical for Saint Mary’s to keep pace near the top of the WCC standings, while San Diego aims to play spoiler and build momentum for the final stretch of the regular season. Following this game, Saint Mary’s will host San Francisco on Saturday, while San Diego travels to face Loyola Marymount.