MORAGA, Calif. — In a strong showing on Wednesday night, Paulius Murauskas led Saint Mary’s to a convincing 79-66 victory over Portland by scoring 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. The Gaels improved their record to 24-4 overall and maintained an impressive 14-1 mark in the West Coast Conference. Alongside Murauskas, Augustas Marciulionis contributed significantly with 16 points, shooting 7 of 16 from the field, including 2 for 4 from three-point range, while also contributing six rebounds and nine assists. Mikey Lewis rounded out the scoring for Saint Mary’s with 12 points, hitting 4 of 7 shots, including 4 of 6 from beyond the arc.

For the Pilots, Vukasin Masic was a standout performer with 15 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Max Mackinnon also had a solid game, providing 13 points and eight assists. Chris Austin added 11 points to the mix for Portland, which fell to a record of 10-18 and 5-10 in conference play.

Saint Mary’s took control of the game nearly eight minutes into the first half and maintained their lead for the remainder of the contest. At halftime, the Gaels held a 36-28 advantage, led by Murauskas’s impressive 14 points. The second half saw Saint Mary’s increase their lead, outscoring Portland by five points, with Marciulionis stepping up to score a team-high 10 points after the break.