Paulius Murauskas recorded 18 points and 12 returns that No. 23 Saint Mary’s continued through a sluggish bet while sent Loyola Marymount 58-55 on Thursday evening in the West Coast Conference Play on Los Angeles.
Murauskas dropped a clutch corner 3-pointer to give Gael’s a six-point lead with 29.9 seconds left and Saint Mary’s (26-4, 16-1 WCC) finished his sixth straight victory and 16th their last 17 races.
The game was Saint Mary’s first of the season as a team ranked in the Associated Press survey.
Caleb Stone-Carrawell scored 17 points and Will Johnston added 12 for Lions (16-14, 8-10), which lost for the 36th time in the last 38 meetings with Gaels.
Saint Mary’s formerly dressed WCC’s regular seasonal crown with last Saturday’s victory at Gonzaga.
Gaels shot only 37.5 percent from the field, including 4 out of 15 from 3-point intervals.
Loyola Marymount made 38.9 percent of her shots and was 4 out of 12 behind the bow. Lions committed only three sales but still lost for the sixth time in the last eight matches.
Saint Mary led by five at half time before he ran the lead to 43-31 on Back-to-back baskets by Harry Wessels with 11:33 in the competition.
Lions were not disturbed and was drawn within 50-45 on a 3-point by Johnston with 6:15.
Loyola Marymount moved within 52-49 at Stone-Carrawell’s basket with 3:17 left. However, Jordan Ross drove for a layout to drive Saint Mary’s lead back to five with 2:04 left.
Johnston made two free throws with 59.7 seconds to go for Lions but Murauskas responded with his big trey from the left corner.
Jevon Porter’s two free throw led Lions within three with 5.7 seconds left. Saint Mary’s Mikey Lewis missed the front of one by 2.7 seconds left but a desperate attempt from about 70 meters away by Myron Amey Jr. Be well short from the basket.
Murauskas had eight points and 10 returns when Gaels led 24-19 at the break.
Saint Mary shot only 33.3 percent from the field at half, but Lions was even worse at 26.7 percent.
Stone-Carrawell made two baskets to meet a 7-0 driving when Loyola Marymount led 15-8 with 9:37 left in half.
Saint Mary responded with 13 straight points and 16 out of 18 to take a seven-point lead.
-Field level media
