MORAGA, Calif. (AP) - Matthew Dellavedova scored a career-high 27 points, Rob Jones had 18 points and nine rebounds and Saint Mary's beat San Francisco 87-72 on Monday night.
Stephen Holt had a big night for the Gaels (15-2, 4-0 WCC) with 11 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, falling shy of his first career triple-double. Saint Mary's has won five straight heading into Thursday's game against No. 21 Gonzaga.
The Gaels led by 22 points, then had to hold off a late run by the Dons (10-8, 0-4), who closed within 80-70 with two minutes left before Holt sank two free throws and Jones made a 3-pointer to secure the win.
Angelo Caloiaro had 20 points and Perris Blackwell added 12 for San Francisco, which has dropped five of six.
Dellavedova went 9 of 13 from the floor and matched his career high of six 3-pointers, three coming in short span in the second half when Saint Mary's took control of the game for good.
The six 3-pointers moved Dellavedova past Daniel Kickert into fifth place on the Gaels' career scoring list. A junior, he needs 57 more to tie the school mark of 238 held by David Sivulich.
Saint Mary's, which has not lost since falling to No. l6 Baylor on Dec. 22, tuned up for Gonzaga by beating San Francisco for the 12th consecutive time.
The Gaels led by 12 at the half and slowly built a 65-43 lead, coasting the rest of the way.
Dellavedova repeatedly hit big shots and put the game out of reach in a 53-second span early in the second half when he when he made his fourth 3-pointer, blocked a shot from behind by Blackwell and added two more 3s to make it 65-43.
The Dons, who last beat Saint Mary's in 2006, took an early 10-8 lead on a short jumper by Green before the Gaels got going. Dellavedova made a pair of 3-pointers, the second which sparked a 15-4 run and gave Saint Mary's a 42-28 lead.
Jorden Page, a sophomore guard who played in only seven games last year following a season-ending knee injury, later added another 3-pointer - the sixth of the first half for the Gaels - to put Saint Mary's up by 15.
Page added 12 points and six assists.
Caloiaro, held to a season-low five points by BYU in the Dons' previous game, scored on a three-point play just before the buzzer to bring San Francisco within 45-33 at halftime.
