MBB | Quick Start Fuels Win Over Lions - SMC California Athletics

Saturday, January 12

Los Angeles

7:00 PM

Saint Mary's College of California

11-7, 2-1

Loyola Marymount

13-4, 1-2

Saint Mary's (CA)

Loyola Marymount

Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner

MBB | Quick Start Fuels Win Over Lions

1/12/2019 11:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Tanner Krebs scored eight points early in a 12-0 to begin the game for the Gaels as Saint Mary's won their first road WCC contest of the season.

LOS ANGELES — A quick start by the Gaels set the tone for Saturday's matchup against the Lions as Saint Mary's rolled to a 71-60 win on the road to improve to 2-1 in conference play.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Saint Mary's began the game on an 12-0 run with eight of those coming courtesy of Tanner Krebs. Shortly after, they strung together an 8-0 run and a 7-0 run to pull ahead 34-13 with just over eight minutes to play in the half.

The quick start proved to carry Saint Mary's throughout the rest of the contest as the Lions never pulled with single digits until under two minutes to play in the game. SMC led by as much as 25 in the game.

Jordan Ford and Malik Fitts powered the Gaels' efforts with 18 points apiece. Ford was especially efficient, going 7-for-10 from the field, including 2-of-4 from three, and contributed five assists as well. Krebs finished with 16 points, his second highest total this season.

Also reaching double-digits was Jordan Hunter who earned his third double-double of the season with a 10 point, 10 rebound performance. Tommy Kuhse led the Gaels with seven helpers which represented his second largest tally of the year behind only his 10-assist game against Cal State Fullerton.

Saint Mary's shooters kept finding the bottom of the net in the opening 20 as the team shot 63 percent from the field and 67 percent from beyond the arc. Fitts led all scorers with 15 first half points while Ford and Krebs chipped in 11 each.

The Lions broke off an 8-0 run early in the second half to cut the lead to 13. With 94 seconds to play, Joe Quintana hit a 17-footer to cut the deficit to eight but Kuhse responded with a layup at the opposite end to put Saint Mary's back up by double figures.

Eli Scott led the Lions with 14 points and 12 rebounds. SMC held LMU's leading scorer James Batemon to only nine points on 2-of-8 shooting. Batemon entered the contest averaging 18.4 points per game.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

5: Five of Hunter's rebounds came on the offensive boards.
6: Saint Mary's had scored 20 points within the first six minutes of the game.
11: All 11 of the Gaels' wins have come by 11 or more points.
25: Saint Mary's has won 25 of the last 26 games against LMU.
39: SMC led for over 39 minutes in the game while LMU never held an advantage.

UP NEXT: TWO GAME HOMESTAND

The Gaels continue WCC play on Thursday by hosting Santa Clara in McKeon Pavilion. Two days later, Saint Mary's welcomes San Diego for a 6 p.m. matchup. Links to both games can be found on the Gaels' schedule while tickets can be purchased by clicking here.