MORAGA, Calif. (AP) - Rob Jones had a career-high 25 points and 12 rebounds and Saint Mary's shot a scorching 56 percent from the field in a 98-58 rout of Fresno Pacific on Friday night.

Clint Steindl added 14 points on 4-for-7 3-point shooting off the bench for the Gaels (1-0), who have four starters returning from last year's team that earned a share of the West Coast Conference regular-season championship, advanced to the final of the Zappos.com WCC Championships and earned a berth in the National Invitation Tournament.

Fresno Pacific (2-3) got as close as 43-28 with just over a minute left in the first half, but the Gaels scored 12 of the next 14 points to make it 55-30 with 17:38 remaining in the game.

Saint Mary's tallied 12 steals and held Fresno Pacific to 36 percent shooting from the field. Stephen Holt, who led the WCC in steals last season as a freshman, registered a game-high four steals.

Four Gaels saw their first action in a Saint Mary's uniform, while Beau Levesque and Jorden Page returned to the court after missing most or all of last season with injuries. Levesque earned a starting role and scored eight points with four rebounds. Page scored 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting and went 3-for-8 from beyond the three-point arc.

Center Kyle Rowley, forwards Brad Waldow and Eividas Petrulis and guard Zach Sanchez made their Saint Mary's debut against the Sunbirds.

The Gaels return to action Monday night at 11 p.m. at home against Northern Iowa in the 2011 College Hoops Tip-off Marathon. Tickets are available by visiting SMCGaels.com or calling (925) 631-GoTx (4689).