MORAGA, Calif. — In a back and forth affair inside University Credit Union Pavilion, the Missouri State Bears (9-4) got the best of the Saint Mary's Gaels (8-6) by a final of 69-64. In a game that featured four ties and 11 lead changes, the Bears held the lead for just 5+ minutes, but when the clock struck 0:00, they found themselves victorious 69-64. 

Fans knew they would get their money's worth watching this one from the opening tip. An emphatic Harry Wessels reverse jam gave the Gaels and early double digit lead at 22-11 at the 11 minute mark of the first half, but the Bears came storming back with a 9-0 run over the next three and a half minutes to cut the deficit to two. Both sides traded blows throughout the remainder of the first frame, with Missouri State shaving the deficit to just one point heading into the halftime break. Augustus Marciulionis put together the best half of any Gael with nine points and three assists. 

A quick three by Missouri State gave the Bears their first lead of the second half at 34-32, but the Gaels quickly pulled back in front 37-34 on a pair of Joshua Jefferson free throws and a Chris Howell three point play. The next fifteen minutes mimicked the first half, with the Gaels staying just one step ahead of the Bears, until Alston Mason and Donovan Clay put the Missouri State squad on their backs. The duo scored each of the Bears final 11 points, closing out the Gaels on a 11-7 run to narrowly escape with the victory in Moraga. For the Gaels, Aidan Mahaney drained a trio of momentous threes, scoring 11 points in the second half for the second consecutive game, but it wasn't quite enough to keep the Gaels in front of the Bears. 

Augustas Marciulionis led the Gaels with 17 points and five assists to just one turnover, but fouled out at the 1:36 mark, leaving Saint Mary's without their star point guard down the stretch. Aidan Mahaney added 16 points and four dimes, while Mitchell Saxen put up his fourth  double-double of the season and second in as many contests for the Gaels. 

A LATE BARRAGE 
As momentum was fleeting in the second half, the Gaels found their stroke from beyond the arc, knocking down five triples, each at extremely opportune moments. All five of these three pointers came from the duo of Mahaney and Marciulionis, with four of the five either regaining the lead for the Gaels or cutting a deficit down to one possession. Unfortunately for the Gaels, when Marciulionis fouled out, Mahaney quickly became blanketed on the perimeter, and was only to sink one in the final 90 seconds of play, as the Gaels fell by the narrow, five point margin. 

RED-HOT AUGUSTAS
Augustas Marciulionis has seemingly shaken off his early season blues, having now scored at least eight points in each of his last seven games. Just one game after putting up career-high scoring and assists numbers against Northern Kentucky, Marciulionis was again on point tonight, scoring 17 points, just one shy of his career-high, and five assists to just one turnover. In what was a brutal stretch of three games in five days, Marciulionis was huge for the Gaels, averaging 15 points and five assists per contest. 

CHARITY STRIPE CONSISTENCY
For the first time this season, the Gaels shot better than 80% from the free throw line in three straight games. In three games this week, the Gaels shot a combined 33-38 (86.8%). Mitchell Saxen put up a stellar 9-11 performance on the week from the stripe, while Augustas Marciulionis (8-8) and Joshua Jefferson (7-7) did not miss. Prior to this week, the Gaels had not shot better than 75.9% from the free throw line in a game. 

UP NEXT
After the three in five stretch, the Gaels will get some much needed rest before returning to action on December 29 at home against Kent State. Tip-off is set for 5 PM. 

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