Saint Mary’s Delivers Pacific A Rude Welcome Back To West Coast Conference
By Phil Watson
Dec 30, 2013; Stockton, CA, USA; Pacific Tigers guard Andrew Bock (12) drives to the basket past St. Mary’s Gaels guard James Walker III (35) during the first half at Alex G. Spanos Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
The Saint Mary’s Gaels led by as many as 13 points in the second half and held off the Pacific Tigers at the Spanos Center Monday night 88-80 in Pacific’s first West Coast Conference game in since March 6, 1971.
Coincidentally enough, that game more than 42 years ago was a 116-71 victory for the Tigers over the Gaels that wrapped up a WCAC (the conference was then known as the West Coast Athletic Conference) title and a NCAA tournament bid for Pacific.
More importantly, however, for Saint Mary’s (10-3, 1-0 WCC), the win snapped a three-game losing streak after a 9-0 start.
The loss was Pacific’s first at home in 15 games, since a 75-71 loss to Santa Clara on Dec. 15, 2012, and also snapped a 10-game conference win streak that had been on hold for awhile. The last time the Tigers lost a WCC game was an 80-78 overtime loss to Santa Clara on Jan. 23, 1971.
The Gaels got out to a 19-11 lead on a jumper by Brad Waldow 6:47 into the game, but Pacific to tie the game at 22-22 on a jumper by Andrew Bock.
Saint Mary’s opened a six-point halftime lead on a 3-pointer by James Walker III with four seconds left in the half.
But Pacific scored the first five points of the second half to get back to within one before the Gaels put the pedal down on a 24-12 burst that put them up 69-56 with 6:45 to go.
The Tigers (9-3, 0-1) got to as close as 85-80 in the final minute of play, but Saint Mary’s was able to drain the clock and make enough free throws to hold on for the win.
Beau Levesque led the Gaels with 18 points and eight rebounds and also dished out five assists. Walker scored 15 points and had five steals, Stephen Holt finished with 15 points and eight assists and Kerry Carter also scored 15 points. Waldow ended the night with 14 points and eight boards.
Bock scored 23 points to pace the Tigers, while Sama Taku added 17 points and Ross Rivera scored 10. Tony Gill led Pacific with 12 rebounds and Trevin Harris had two of the Tigers’ eight assists.
Saint Mary’s was 27-for-52 (51.9 percent) overall, 13-for-26 (50 percent) from 3-point range and 21-for-33 (63.6 percent) at the foul line.
Pacific was 26-for-55 (47.3 percent), 4-for-16 (25 percent) and 24-for-30 (80 percent).
The Tigers won the rebound battle 34-30, but committed 11 turnovers to just eight by the Gaels.
Saint Mary’s goes on the road to face No. 24 Gonzaga (12-2, 2-0) on Thursday at 6 p.m. Pacific, while the Tigers visit Portland (8-6, 0-2) the same night at 7 p.m. Pacific.