SAN FRANCISCO – Unbeaten streaks had been on the road Thursday evening as Saint Mary’s and USF delivered a thriller inside Conflict Memorial Health club.
The Gaels entered 10-0 in West Coast Convention motion, and the Dons owned a 14-0 report on their dwelling courtroom. Solely USF saved its streak alive, rallying from an 11-point deficit to prevail 65-64.
Saint Mary’s (20-4, 10-1) had gained 15 consecutive street video games — the nation’s longest lively streak – and 10 straight general video games.
The Gaels had an opportunity to drag out a street win simply as they did Saturday evening at Gonzaga. However as soon as Mikey Lewis’ 3-point try failed to seek out the online within the ultimate seconds, the second-place Dons (19-6, 9-3) owned an enormous WCC victory.
It was becoming that Saint Mary’s ultimate shot was a missed 3-pointer. The Gaels had been simply 3-of-23 from 3-point vary, though Paulius Murauskas made good from there with 13 seconds remaining to drag Saint Mary’s inside 65-64.
Augustus Marciulionis, the reigning WCC participant of the 12 months, scored 21 factors, however he struggled mightily from 3-point vary. He was 2-of-12 from 3-point vary.
USF had 4 gamers rating in double figures: Marcus Williams (16 factors), Ryan Beasley (12), Malik Thomas (11) and Carlton Kinguard (11).
Williams capped his scoring with a turnaround jumper – after a Marciulionis miss – to provide the Dons a 63-59 lead. After Marciulionis’ ultimate miss from atop the important thing, Murauskas sank two free throws to make it 63-61 with 45 seconds left.
Air balls from 3-point vary by Marciulionis and Murauskas fed into USF’s second-half comeback. Luke Barrett drew a flagrant foul after a Tyron Riley steal saved the momentum on USF’s facet. Riley made 1-of-2 free throws, then 20 seconds later transformed on a 3-point play to place USF forward 55-54.
Amongst these contained in the packed home and sitting courtside had been three-time NBA champion Invoice Cartwright and new San Francisco mayor Daniel Lurie
Two weeks after routing USF 71-41 in Moraga, the Gaels took a 34-29 lead into halftime, however solely after ending the half on a 6-0 run. Capping that half was a Mitchell Saxen breakaway dunk off a Marciulionis steal.
Saxen completed with 13 factors and 11 rebounds; Murauskas had 12 factors, half of what he produced in Saint Mary’s earlier assembly with USF.
Final assembly, the Dons made simply 26.9% of their field-goal makes an attempt, together with 0-for-10 past the 3-point arc after halftime. This sport, USF made 43.9% (25-of-57) of its field-goal makes an attempt, although simply 5-of-16 from 3-point vary.
At halftime, Marciulionis had 17 factors on 7-of-14 capturing, although he was simply 1-of-6 from 3-point vary.
USF trailed till Junjie Wang’s 3-pointer on the high of the important thing tied the rating at 20, then Malik Thomas put the Dons in entrance for the primary time, 28-26, with a layup 3:half-hour earlier than halftime.
Saint Mary’s trailed solely 43 seconds in that first half, nonetheless. Final Saturday, Saint Mary’s rallied within the second half to say a 62-58 win at Gonzaga to maintain alive its street successful streak.
Murauskas, after scoring a game-high 24 factors of their final assembly, didn’t take a shot within the first half of this rematch. Murauskas opened the second half with a shot – and a basket—for a 36-29 lead.
