MBB | Gaels Remain Composed Under Pressure, Defeat Redhawks 72-70

Wednesday, February 18

Seattle, WA

6:00 PM

Saint Mary's College of California

24-4,13-2WCC

Seattle U

16-12,5-10WCC

Saint Mary's (CA)

Seattle U

Andrew McKeever: 15 pts (6-9 FG) 5 reb

MBB | Gaels Remain Composed Under Pressure, Defeat Redhawks 72-70

2/18/2026 8:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Highlights

SEATTLE — A resilient Saint Mary's men's basketball team overcame a late deficit on Wednesday evening at Climate Pledge Arena by finishing out its matchup with Seattle U on a 7-3 run en route to a 72-70 road victory. It was the Gaels' first single possession victory of the season, as they showed grit and determination in every second of the hard fought win.

Mikey Lewis put together a masterpiece of a game with 22 points to lead the Gaels. The sophomore went 8-16 from the field and also ripped down five rebounds, one shy of his season high. Paulius Murauskas and Andrew McKeever each added 15 points, shooting a combined 11-19 from the field, with the former bringing down nine rebounds, and the latter with five. Joshua Dent finished with a team-high five assists, while Dillan Shaw recorded two blocked shots, making life tough on the Redhawks inside.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Saint Mary's (24-4, 13-2 West Coast Conference) stifling defense neutralized the Redhawks attack throughout most of the first half, limiting Seattle U (16-12, 5-10 WCC) to just 34.5% shooting from the field and 30.8% shooting from beyond the arc. The Gaels took a 35-28 lead into the break.

Offensively, the Gaels demonstrated their physicality, turning five offensive rebounds into eight second chance points and drawing nine fouls, turning those into 13 points on 15 free throw attempts in the first half. Paulius Murauskas was the lone player on either side to score in double figures in the opening half, scoring 11 and ripping down six rebounds, both team-high marks.

The Redhawks continued to push the Gaels in the second half, but the Gaels weathered the storm to the tune of a 7-3 run over the final 1:50 to earn the 72-70 win. Mikey Lewis and Andrew McKeever carried the Gaels across the finish line in the second. Lewis dropped 15, while McKeever did not miss from the field en route to 11. It was poetic that it was Lewis who hit the go-ahead layup with 66 seconds remaining, giving the Gaels a lead they would not relinquish.

MIKEY LEWIS GIVES THE GAELS THE LEAD WITH A MINUTE TO GO!#GaelsRise @WCChoops @CBSSportsNet pic.twitter.com/QVY7l7kpBi
— Saint Mary's Hoops (@saintmaryshoops) February 19, 2026

GAME NOTES

Mikey Lewis scored 22 points to lead the Gaels, 15 coming in the second half. It was the first Mikey Lewis 20+ point outing since Jan. 10 against Washington State.
Andrew McKeever added 15 points, with 11 of those coming in half number two. The 15 were just one point shy of his career-high.
Paulius Murauskas also scored 15 and led the team with nine rebounds, despite fouling out of the game with 6:07 to play.
The Gaels trailed the Redhawks 67-65 with 1:50 to play, but closed out the game on a 7-3 run to secure the victory.
The Gaels converted 20 or more free throws for the 11th time this season. They are 9-2 in those instances.
Saint Mary's improved to 31-5 in true road games dating back to 2022-23, the second best true road record in DI college basketball.
Randy Bennett is now 1-0 in the city of Seattle, as this was the Gaels' first game in Seattle since 1997.

The Gaels will now head east to Pullman for a Saturday night clash with the Washington State Cougars. Tip-off on Feb. 21 will be at 7 p.m. PT and can be watched live on ESPN2.

DON'T MISS OUT ON HOME MEN'S BASKETBALL ACTION. TICKETS ARE ON SALE HERE.

#GaelsRise