MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary's Men's Basketball hosted Colorado State on Sunday night inside University Credit Union Pavilion, the third-straight season that both teams have matched up. Last year, the Rams got the better of the Gaels in Fort Collins, but Sunday night featured a much tighter contest than last year's. Neither team led by more than five points, but it was the Rams outlasting the Gaels in the final possessions, sneaking away with a 62-60 win. SMC drops to 9-4 while the Rams improve to 8-4.
 
60 FOR 30
The first half saw one of the best offensive performances an opposing team has had on the Gaels coming out of the gates all season long. Colorado State shot 60% from the field, including 4-5 from beyond the arc, leading to 30 points. Surprisingly enough, though, they still weren't leading at the break, as the Gaels matched them with 30 points, despite shooting just 40.7% overall. SMC held a 7-0 advantage on the offensive glass, leading to 10 second chance points to keep the game close. Both Mitchell Saxen and Harry Wessels had multiple offensive boards in the first stanza.
 
AIR TIGHT
Neither team led by more than five points in the second half, but it was Colorado State taking command for a majority of the final 20 minutes. They pulled ahead with 13:32 remaining and only surrendered the lead twice more, for less than a minute in total. Saint Mary's had to spend a majority of the half playing catchup after Alex Ducas and Kyle Bowen hit three-pointers early in the half to give the Gaels a five-point advantage. It came down to the final possessions, with both teams have chances to seal the deal.
 
THE WITCHING HOUR
Neither team hit a basket in the final three minutes of play, with it coming down to offensive miscues and trips to the free throw line. After a near two-minute scoring drought with CSU leading 59-58 ended when Saxen got the line with 2:02 remaining, but he made just one free throw to tie the game. Ten seconds later, Saxen fouled Isaiah Stevens, who made both free throws to make it 61-59. With 55 seconds remaining, Aidan Mahaney was fouled and went to the line, but he also made one and missed on to make it 61-60. The Gaels would not score again despite two possessions with under 30 seconds remaining in a one score game, including after SMC stole an inbounds pass from the Rams.
 
AMONG OTHER NUMBERS
Mahaney led the team in scoring with 15 points, and he was also the team's leader in assists with four…Saint Mary's held a 15-2 advantage on offensive rebounds, going +14 overall in that department…Colorado State shot 55.8% from the field, the best mark against the Gaels this season…usually a stout team in the paint, the Gaels allowed Colorado State to score 30 points down there, versus just 20 for SMC…Ducas added 12 points and Bowen scored 11 in the loss, the second-straight game for Bowen with double-digits…Bowen also grabbed 11 rebounds for his first collegiate double-double.
 
UP NEXT
The Gaels make a return trip to the Footprint Center on Wednesday evening with a matchup against Wyoming in part two of the Jerry Colangelo Classic. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 pm PT in the second game of three games held inside the home of the Phoenix Suns that day. Wyoming made it to the First Four one season where they lost to Indiana, the team the Gaels wound up beating by 29 just a few days later in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The game will be televised on ESPN+.