Feb. 18, 2006

Box Score

MORAGA, Calif. (AP) - Brett Collins scored 23 points, and Ian O'Leary and John Winston both had career-high 22-point games as Saint Mary's defeated Cal Poly 89-85 Saturday.

Saint Mary's (13-11) trailed by six points with 4:34 to play when Collins hit two free throws and another basket to cut the Mustangs' lead to 79-77 before moving ahead on a 3-pointer by Collins. Diamon Simpson then converted a three-point play with 1:29 left to cap a 10-point Gaels run at 83-79.

Derek Stockalper sank a pair of free throws for Cal Poly (7-16) to cut the lead to two, but Collins answered with a runner from 6 feet. Titus Shelton hit two more free throws for the Mustangs, but Winston and Collins sank a free throw each to keep Saint Mary's lead at four.

Trae Clark scored on a layup with 10.3 seconds left before O'Leary closed out scoring with two free throws of his own with 7.8 seconds left.

Cal Poly, which hit 22 of 25 free throws and 9-of-22 from 3-point range, had five players in double figures. Dawin Whiten and Gabe Stephenson, who hit 12-of-13 from the line, each had 16.

The 20-point games by Collins, O'Leary and Winston marked the first time this season the Gaels had three players finish with more than 20.

Saint Mary's played without leading scorer and rebounder Daniel Kickert, who was serving a one-game suspension following an elbowing incident Monday against Santa Clara. The suspension snapped Kickert's consecutive start streak at 118 games.

Saint Mary's will return to West Coast Conference play on Monday night when the Gaels travel to San Diego for an 8 p.m. game against the Toreros. The game between SMC and USD will be televised on CSTV.