Jan. 20, 2005

Final Stats

MALIBU, Calif. (AP) - Paul Marigney scored 16 points as Saint Mary's became the first team to beat Pepperdine on its home floor this season, 70-63.

Pepperdine (12-8, 2-3 Big West Conference), winner of its first seven home games, never led in the second half but cut what had been a 12-point deficit to three, 66-63, when Glen McGowan made a pair of free throws with 1:07 left.

Marigney answered on Saint Mary's next possession with an inside jumper after a key offensive rebound - the Gaels' 17th of the game - by Frederic Adjiwanou.

After a Pepperdine timeout, Jonathan Sanders stole an inbounds pass at midcourt and raced the other way for a dunk that provided the final margin.

E.J. Rowland and Adjiwanou added 12 and 10 points, respectively, for Saint Mary's (16-5, 3-1), which has won 10 of its last 11 games.

Pepperdine's Yakhouba Diawara led all scorers with 20 points, McGowan had 16 and Russell Hicks added 10.

Neither team led by more than six points in the first half and both started off slow, going a combined 2-for-12 with eight turnovers in the game's first five minutes before the ball started to fall.

Saint Mary's outscored Pepperdine 18-7 in the final seven minutes of the half to take a 33-28 halftime lead.