In a thrilling encounter in Los Angeles, Paulius Murauskas powered No. 23 Saint Mary’s to a narrow 58-55 victory over Loyola Marymount on Thursday night. Murauskas contributed significantly by scoring 18 points, including a crucial three-pointer with just 30 seconds remaining, and showed his prowess on the boards with 12 rebounds. This victory marks the sixth consecutive win for the Gaels, who have made their debut in the AP Top 25 this season.
The decisive moment came during the first half when Murauskas’ putback played a part in a staggering 16-2 run, giving Saint Mary’s a 24-17 advantage following a three-pointer by Mikey Lewis. The Gaels’ consistency paid off as they capitalized on momentum, subsequently maintaining their dominance throughout the game. Still to boast about, Saint Mary’s recently secured its outright regular-season West Coast Conference title after a notable 74-67 triumph over Gonzaga.
For Loyola Marymount, Caleb Stone-Carrawell stood out with 17 points while Will Johnston added 12. Meanwhile, Mitchell Saxen, marking his 151st career game a new program record for the Gaels, finished with seven rebounds before fouling out with around five minutes remaining. Junior Harry Wessels also delivered with nine points, eight rebounds, and two blocked shots.
The game underscored the Gaels’ persistence, as they managed to edge out a win despite struggling with their shooting, hitting just 38% of their attempts overall and 4 of 15 from beyond the arc. Loyola Marymount, in contrast, proved its mettle by pushing one of the top league teams and indicated they could pose a formidable challenge in the upcoming conference tournament.
A highlight of the match was Murauskas’ three-pointer from the corner, made under pressure as the shot clock expired, extending Saint Mary’s lead to 57-51. A notable stat from the game was the Gaels’ dominance on the boards, out-rebounding Loyola Marymount 43-26, including an impressive 12-2 advantage on offensive rebounds, resulting in a 10-2 margin in second-chance points.
Looking ahead, Saint Mary’s will conclude its regular season with a matchup against Oregon State on Saturday. Meanwhile, Loyola Marymount will set its sights on the conference tournament, beginning March 6 in Paradise, Nevada.
