MORAGA, Calif. — After a 67-50 win at home against the UC Riverside Highlanders, Saint Mary's Men's Basketball hits the road with back-to-back away games. They first take on the Utah State Aggies at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum in Logan, Utah. Following Utah State, the Gaels shift over to Fort Collins, CO to take on the Colorado State Rams. 

THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's Gaels (7-1) at Utah State Aggies (6-1)
Thursday, December 2 at 6:00 pm on CBS Sports Network
Dee Glen Smith Spectrum - Logan, Utah
Watch | Live Audio | Live Stats 

Saint Mary's Gaels at RV Colorado State Rams (7-0)
Saturday, December 4 at 1:00pm on Stadium
Moby Arena - Fort Collins, Colorado
Watch | Live Audio | Live Stats 

LAST TIME OUT
Overcoming an early deficit to UC Riverside, Saint Mary's worked their way back towards a win, finishing with a score of 67-50. The Gaels used an outstanding performance down the stretch in the first half to close out the half on a 14-0 run to lead by two at the break. Domination by the Gaels became a trend throughout the rest of the game, finishing with a 17-point lead over the Highlanders and 40 points in the paint. Multiple Gaels held top performances to end the night in Moraga, led by Matthias Tass and his 18 points.

CALL 'EM CLOSERS
After having a two-point lead at halftime, Saint Mary's shut down the UC Riverside offense in the second half. The Highlanders shot just 32% from the floor in the second half, making only eight baskets, while the Gaels offense hummed to the tune of 55.2% shooting. The 14-0 run at the end of the first half was impressive, but so too was the 14-2 run over the final 6:42 to close out the game. In eight games this year, Saint Mary's is +45 in point differential in the second half, and their 15-point difference on Monday was the second-largest of the year (16, Prairie View A&M).

ABOUT UTAH STATE
The Utah State Aggies hold an overall record of 6-1 so far this season, but all six games have come in their last six matchups. Two of their wins have been impressive in the eyes of the national rankings, with wins over top-75 teams according to KenPom in Richmond and Oklahoma. Ball movement is a strength of the Aggies, ranking second in the country in percentage of baskets that end with an assist at nearly 70%. Shutting down Justin Bean will be key for the Gaels, as Bean is off to one of the best starts of any player in the NCAA. Seven games into the season, Bean is averaging 22.6 points per game and 12.9 rebounds per game.

ABOUT COLORADO STATE
Colorado State is unbeaten on the year with a 7-0 record, likely to be 8-0 by the time these two teams square off on Saturday (the Rams play Little Rock on Wednesday night). The offense is high-flying for the Rams, who are receiving votes in Week 4 of the AP Poll. Colorado State is averaging 86.9 points per game and they attempt the second-most three-pointers in the country, in terms of shot selection. David Roddy is averaging 22.6 points per game, leading a stable of four Rams who are averaging at least 10 points per game. 

DIGITAL GAMEDAY PROGRAM
All Saint Mary's Men's Basketball gameday programs will be virtual during the 2021-22 season, and the first edition can be found HERE. In it, fans will find a recap of the first four games of the season, player profiles, and information on the next six opponents of the season.
 
2021-22 YEARBOOK
The 2021-22 Saint Mary's Basketball Yearbook is available HERE. This contains all of your information on both Saint Mary's basketball programs, coach and player profiles, as well as Saint Mary's, administration, and fan information.
 
#GaelsRise — 2021-22 tickets and ticket packages are on sale now! To purchase tickets, click HERE. If you have questions, contact the ticket office by email smctickets@stmarys-ca.edu or call 925-631-4689…Saint Mary's Basketball…#TogetherAgain