MORAGA, Calif. -- Saint Mary's senior forward Garrett Jackson was named SMC Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week after a noteworthy homecoming performance in the Gaels men's basketball team's victory at Portland last weekend.

The former Oregon state high school player of the year at Westview High School scored 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting to lead the Gaels to a 74-64 victory Saturday at the University of Portland. The win helped Saint Mary's retain its runner-up position in the league table and conclude the first half of West Coast Conference play with a solid 8-1 record.

"Whether I was playing at home or not, I knew it was a big game," Jackson told the Oregonian after the game. "It's nice having family here, but this was a game where we needed to get a win."

Jackson transferred to Saint Mary's after playing two seasons at the University of Southern California in the Pac-12 Conference. Earlier this year, he scored a career-best 24 points with 9 rebounds against Morgan State. He has scored in double-figures in six of the team's last 10 games and is the team's second-leading scorer against WCC competition at 11.1 points per game.

Saint Mary's is 16-4 on the season and 8-1 in WCC play. The Gaels have won 10 of their last 11 games and host Loyola Marymount Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. in McKeon Pavilion. For tickets, contact the SMC Athletic Ticket Office at (925) 631-GoTx (4689) or visit the tickets link on SMCGaels.com.