MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary's Men's Basketball has been enjoying a good amount of success in the last few weeks. All of this comes after the Gaels dropped three-straight games and it seemed like the offense was going through a rough patch. Those problems have been smoothed over and the SMC offense is finding its rhythm, from both the paint and the three-point arc, as evidenced in an 81-68 win over New Mexico State on Wednesday night inside University Credit Union Pavilion. Saint Mary's improves to 9-3 on the year while sending the Aggies to 5-4.
 
WHAT DROUGHT?
Despite the recent rains that have soaked Northern California, the drought is still ever-present. Inside University Credit Union Pavilion on Wednesday night, the Gaels made sure it was raining buckets. The offense was cooking early and often, with SMC knocking down seven three-pointers in the opening half of the game. That is the most threes the Gaels have hit in the first half of a game this season, and 16 of their 25 shot attempts came from beyond the arc. Alex Ducas continued his recent run of hot shooting, scoring 12 in the first half on four-made three-pointers.
 
RUNNING FAST
New Mexico State took an early 5-3 lead, but the Gaels answered back with a quick strike that helped spur the offense all night long. Saint Mary's scored 15 of the next 17 points, a run that put SMC firmly in command. Kyle Bowen began things with a three-pointer, and then he was followed by a Ducas three. Aidan Mahaney added another three-pointer later in the run, and suddenly, the Gaels led 18-7 with 11 minutes to go in the half. Saint Mary's wound up pushing that lead all the way to as many as 16 points in the first half on the strength of seven-made threes, the most they've made in first half this season.
 
BRING IT ON, BOWEN
One of the mainstays of the Gaels starting lineup is Kyle Bowen, but that's usually not for his offense. That changed on Wednesday night, as Bowen had a career-night from the floor. He finished the game with a career-best 16 points, breaking past a mark of 12 that he had put up on four occasions. Bowen went 6-8 from the floor and was 4-6 from distance, one of three Gaels with four made triples. He also grabbed eight rebounds and had two assists and a steal in his best of the year. 11 of his points came in the second half, when the Gaels offense was hitting another level.
 
LOTS OF ODDS AND ENDS
New Mexico State attempted 29 free throws, the most the Gaels have allowed in a regulation game since February 15, 2018 against USF (29)…the Gaels attempted 31 of their 57 shots from beyond the arc, which is just the 29^th time in the last 12 years that has occurred in a Gaels game…joining Bowen in double-digits were Aidan Mahaney (14 points), Alex Ducas (12 points, all in the first half), and Mitchell Saxen (10 points)…Saxen also grabbed 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season…the Gaels had 17 assists (while allowing just one) on 28 made shots, their most assists in a game this year…SMC was +18 on the boards, harkening back to their early-season success on the glass.  
UP NEXT
Saint Mary's closes out the week with another home game scheduled for Sunday evening against Colorado State. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 pm and the game will be simulcast on the WCC Network and The Varsity Network. The last time the Gaels and Rams met in Moraga, the Gaels held Colorado State scoreless for the last eight-plus minutes of the game in a 53-33 win during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the Gaels fell in Fort Collins by a final score of 74-58.