SAN DIEGO — In the final road game of the regular season, No. 23 Saint Mary's Men's Basketball backed up their most recent ranking in the AP and Coaches Polls. Saint Mary's came out strong and maintained that intensity to close out the San Diego Toreros with a final of 60-46. Saint Mary's improves to 23-6 (11-3) and locks up the second seed in the WCC while dropping USD. To 14-14 (7-8).
 
AIN'T SLOWING DOWN
After a pair of big wins last week at home, the Gaels came out and put together one of their best first halves of the season against San Diego. The Gaels went into the locker room up 37-20 and did so with just about everything going their way. Their offense was hot, shooting at 57.1% from the floor in the opening half, and they were holding USD to just 32% and eight made baskets. They were out-rebounding the Toreros 18-11 in the opening 20 minutes, and that advantage in the paint was showing in more ways than one. The Gaels scored 26 of their points in the first half from inside the paint, compared to just eight for the Toreros. SMC also took care of the basketball, turning it over just four times.
 
BRING ON BOWEN
So often this season, Kyle Bowen has been one of the premiere defenders on the Gaels, and he uses that to provide his biggest value to the team. On Thursday night in San Diego, Bowen was showing his offensive skills, where he exploded onto the scene with 10 first half points on 4-4 shooting out of the gate. He wound up tying a career-best with 12 points in the game, doing what he has done on three other occasions. He did not miss a shot on the evening, and grabbed six rebounds to finish second on the team in both scoring and rebounding. In all four games this season that Bowen has scored at least 12 points, he has grabbed at least six boards.
 
SECURING SECOND
With the win on Thursday night, Saint Mary's has locked up the second seed in the West Coast Conference standings, meaning they will play on Monday night in the WCC Tournament. With the second seed, two important things become solidified. First, the Gaels will be playing in the semifinals of the tournament right away, needing just one win to advance to the championship game. Secondly, Saint Mary's will not have to face top-seeded Gonzaga until the championship game, in the event both teams reached the final game. 2022 will mark the first time since the 2019 WCC Tournament that the Gaels will be the second seed.
 
INGREDIENTS OF A WIN
Saint Mary's used that strong points in the paint difference (36-20) to dominate down low against the undersized Toreros…Saint Mary's shot an even 50% from the floor in the game, their 11^th time shooting at least 50% in a game this season, and their fifth time in WCC play…the 46 points they held USD to are their fewest in a game this season against a Division I opponent (39 against DII Stanislaus State)…Logan Johnson finished the game with a strong second half, and wound up leading the Gaels in scoring with 14 points…Matthias Tass finished just one rebound shy of his fifth double-double (10 points, nine rebounds)…Tommy Kuhse was the fourth Gael on the night to reach double-figures, going 4-10 from the floor for 10 points.
 
UP NEXT
Saint Mary's returns home for the final game of the 2021-22 regular season, and it might be the biggest one yet, as they host No. 1 Gonzaga for a titanic clash inside University Credit Union Pavilion. The game will be televised on ESPN and tips off at 7:00 pm on Saturday night. University Credit Union Pavilion has been completely sold out for the game between the Gaels and Zags, and marks the eighth time that both teams have been ranked during a matchup (and the second time this season). Saturday also stands as Senior Night, and the Gaels will honor five players: Tommy Kuhse, Logan Johnson, Matthias Tass, Dan Fotu, and Quinn Clinton.