Saint Mary’s
Saint Mary’s dominated the only game they played this week against Washington State. The Gaels celebrated Lithuania night at Credit Union Pavilion but got off to a slow start. Paulius Murauskas did his thing from there, he sparked a 25-9 SMC run helping the Gaels take a nice early lead. The Cougars showed one more burst, tying the game near the end of the first half, but Saint Mary’s saddled them in. Murauskas hit two layups to close out the first stanza, and then SMC stayed hot at the beginning of the second half, leading to a 20-2 run for Saint Mary’s. This skyrocketed the Gaels’ lead, proving too much for the Cougs to overcome. Paulius led the way for SMC with 30 points and 10 rebounds; he shot 12-19 from the field. His Lithuanian broski Augustas Marciulionis finished with 16 points, seven assists, and four steals. Saint Mary’s hosts Portland and then travels to Spokane with an opportunity to clinch the WCC Regular Season Championship, barring a collapse against the Pilots.
Notes:
-Saint Mary’s had a season-high eight blocks against Washington State.
-Augustas Marciulionis leads the Gaels with 14.3 points per game.
-SMC also has a graduate assistant from Lithuania named Taut Tubelis.
Gonzaga
After a perplexing start to conference play, Gonzaga returned to usual form with a blowout win against Pepperdine on Saturday and a comfortable one against San Francisco two days earlier. The two wins this week should solidify the Bulldogs’ spot in the NCAA Tournament for the 26th season in a row. The Zags also moved into second place with their victory over the Dons. On the weekend, GU went on an early 20-4 run and massacred the Waves from there. The Bulldogs ended up winning the contest by 52 points. Khalif Battle led the Zags with 24 points. Against USF, the Zags were in a closer affair, heading into the break tied at 38. The Bulldogs found their rhythm on a 20-8 run at the beginning of the second half and paced their way to victory. The win against San Francisco is bigger than it looks. The Zags have a tricky schedule this week, as they travel to Pullman in a rivalry game and then host their actual rival Saint Mary’s with a shot at revenge.
Notes:
-Gonzaga broke their team assists record with 33 against Pepperdine.
-Graham Ike leads the Bulldogs in scoring with 16.7 points per game.
-Five GU players finished in double figures against San Francisco, and a sixth had nine.
Oregon State
Oregon State had their first really tough loss of the year against Portland on Thursday, and North Texas had 18 wins. They bounced back against Pacific on Saturday, but Beavers fans probably don’t want to hear Beaver talk. Against the Tigers, the game was tied at halftime, as the two squads headed to the break at 40 apiece. OSU opened up a nine-point lead with 12 minutes left and went in auto-drive from there. The Beavs ended up winning the contest by 14 points. Josiah Lake II led Oregon State with 16 points, setting a career-high. Nate Kingz added 13, knocking down three treys. Against the Pilots, OSU fought hard, but Portland went on a late run and secured the victory. Parsa Fallah hit a shot with 8:42 left to make it a two-point game, and a few players later, Kingz added a three-point play, but it wasn’t enough. Michael Rataj led the Beavs with 22 points. The Beavers’ schedule stays light this week as they travel to Pepperdine and San Diego.
Notes:
-Damarco Minor posted his first double-double against Pacific at Oregon State.
(11 points, 10 assists, six rebounds, and three steals)
-Michael Rataj leads the Beavers in both scoring and rebounding.
(17.1 points per game and 7.4 rebounds)
-Josiah Lake made his first collegiate start against the Tigers.
Washington State
Washington State only had one game this week, and it proved to be a lopsided loss against Saint Mary’s. The Cougars fought hard in the first half but couldn’t withstand the Gaels 19-4 run at the beginning of the second stanza. The Cougs shot 52 percent in the first half but only 30 in the second. WSU was led by LeJuan Watts, who scored 17 points and four assists. Ethan Price also finished with 11 points and five rebounds. This loss should’ve been expected, but it would be nice to see the Cougs put up a little more fight, even with their star player Cedric Coward out for the season. Washington State started the season hot but hasn’t found its rhythm since its dual losses to the Pacific. WSU’s hosts Gonzaga and Santa Clara in what could prove monumental in boosting the Cougs postseason resume. If the Cougars could get a sweep, it would give them an outside shot at making the NIT. Their schedule eases the final week of conference play, making these contests vital.
Notes:
-Isaiah Watts finished with 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists against Saint Mary’s.
-Nate Calmese leads Washington State, averaging 15.8 points per game.
-The Cougars have five players who average double figures in 2024-25.
Portland
Portland quietly had a phenomenal week. The Pilots upset Oregon State on Thursday and beat Loyola Marymount on Saturday. This was probably the best week of UP’s season. If they can continue to perform at this clip, they’ll ascend to the next tier in the WCC. Against the Lions, the game was a close affair until midway through the second half. Max Mackinnon and Vukasin Masic hit consecutive three-pointers to give Portland a 10-point lead 30 minutes into the matchup. The Pilots were able to coast from there, grabbing an eleven-point victory. Mackinnon led Portland with 29 points. Masic added 21 points and nine rebounds. On Thursday, UP got a huge upset victory over the Beavers. It was a two-point game with 8:42 left, but Mackinnon and Chris Austin made key baskets, followed by a 6-0 run by UP. Portland also caught OSU off-guard, shooting 50 percent from beyond the stripe. Austin Rapp led the Pilots with 24 points. Portland travels to NorCal this week to face Saint Mary’s and Pacific.
Notes:
-Austin Rapp has been selected WCC Freshman of the Week five times.
(Most in the WCC)
-Max Mackinnon leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game.
-Chris Austin scored a combined 31 points this week.
