MBB | Gaels Fight Back, Fall in Final Seconds to Waves

Box Score MALIBU, Calif. — Saint Mary's battled back on Saturday night inside Firestone Fieldhouse and nearly upset Pepperdine after trailing by double-digits with less than five minutes remaining but came up short in the final seconds, 60-58. It was the Gaels' first game back since Jan. 23 due to COVID-19 related issues.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After trailing by as many as 14 with less than eight minutes to play, the Gaels slowly chipped away at the Waves' lead and would eventually tie the score up in the final seconds. Judah Brown began SMC's 12-0 run by hitting a triple with 4:36 left and Tommy Kuhse added four more in a row to pull the game within seven.

Logan Johnson then scored four more, including an and-1 layup, and Matthias Tass capped the run with a layup to make it a 1-point game with 86 seconds left.

After Pepperdine's Colbey Ross made one of two free throws on the other end, Kuhse delivered for the Gaels by driving into the lane and getting a bucket off the glass to tie the score 58-58 with just seven seconds on the clock.

The euphoria for SMC didn't last long however as Pepperdine immediately inbounded the ball and raced down the court where Ross drew a foul with just over two seconds remaining. The senior made both free throws to put the Waves back up, 60-58.

Kuhse had the ball on the final play for the Gaels and heaved up a 30-footer for the win but the shot bounced off the top of the backboard as the buzzer sounded.

Tass led Saint Mary's with 17 points, just one shy of his season-high, and also had a team-best seven rebounds. Johnson scored 12 on 4-of-7 shooting and Kuhse added 11 more with five assists.

The Gaels managed to stay close in the game despite having an off-shooting night. SMC shot 38 percent overall but was 4-of-24 from 3-point land and 12-of-18 from the charity stripe. Pepperdine did not shoot well either in the game and made less than 30 percent of their 3-point attempts.

Saint Mary's trailed by nine heading into halftime. The Gaels shot 31 percent in the first half and were 2-of-11 from beyond the arc. Tass and Johnson were the two bright spots for SMC in the period as they combined for 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds.

NUMBERS TO KNOW
32: The Gaels scored 32 points in the paint compared to 22 by the Waves.
41: A total of 41 free throws were taken in the game.
6: Saint Mary's led in the game for a little over six minutes.
20: Alex Ducas played 20 minutes in his first game back from injury (Dec. 19).

UP NEXT: NO. 1 ZAGS
Saint Mary's will face their greatest test this season as they head to Spokane to play top-ranked Gonzaga on Thursday. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN and tips off at 6 p.m.

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