Mahaney leads No. 18 Saint Mary's past No. 12 Gonzaga in OT
MORAGA, Calif. (AP) The clock counted down, the Saint Mary's players celebrated and the students stayed in their seats.
Beating Gonzaga used to be a season-defining event for the Gaels highlighted by court storming fans.
After doing it for a second straight season with a 78-70 overtime win Saturday night, they want to show it's expected.
''We actually were hoping that they weren't going to stay on the court for that reason,'' star freshman guard Aidan Mahaney said. ''We are making this a thing now where we want to be able to rival with them every time. This isn't an upset or anything like that. We're not going to just talk about it. We're going to put in the work.''
Mahaney did just that, scoring 18 points and taking the game over in crunch time to lead No. 18 Saint Mary's over No. 12 Gonzaga for the Gaels' 12th straight victory.
Mahaney scored or assisted on 19 of 21 points in a stretch that started with the Gaels (21-4, 10-0 West Coast Conference) trailing by four points with five minutes to play in regulation.
The freshman shook off a rough start to the game and put Saint Mary's in control in overtime when he banked in a 3-pointer and then found Mitchell Saxen with a no-look pass for a layup that made it 70-64.
''He just has it,'' coach Randy Bennett said. ''A lot of guys would fold and just kind of hang their head and just kind of finish the game like that. That's where he's kind of special. He's got great belief and he really, really competes to win. That's where he's special.''
The Bulldogs (19-5, 8-2), who didn't trail for the final 37 minutes of regulation, couldn't catch up and fell two games behind in the conference race.
Drew Timme scored 23 points to lead Gonzaga, but got little help offensively from the rest of his team.
''It was hard to generate offense, especially down the stretch,'' coach Mark Few said. ''It got really, really physical
Saxen added 15 points for Saint Mary's and Alex Ducas scored 14.
The Gaels have been the only team really to challenge the Bulldogs in the WCC for more than the past decade, with their 10 wins against Gonzaga since the start of the 2009-10 season more than triple the second-best team.
This was the 10th time these teams have met when both were ranked, with Gonzaga winning eight of the first nine. But the Gaels came into this one as the favorite for a change and followed up last year's home win over the Bulldogs with another one.
''I don't know if I've been part of a better game,'' Bennett said. ''Two really good teams. Unbelievable crowd.''
Saint Mary's played from behind for most of the night as Gonzaga got out to an 11-point lead in the first half.
But the Gaels got back into it late in the second half.
Mahaney, who started the game 1 for 10, hit four straight drives to help Saint Mary's tie it at 57 with 3:22 to play.
''I just trusted myself and trusted the work I put in,'' Mahaney said. ''I figure the ball is going to go in eventually if I just keep trusting and keep shooting. It's just about confidence. My confidence isn't fake because I work.''
The teams traded baskets in the final minute of regulation with Julian Strawther hitting a floater with 33.8 seconds left and Saxen answering with 5.5 seconds remaining for Saint Mary's to send it to overtime.
BIG PICTURE
Gonzaga: Timme moved past Jim McPhee (2,015 points) for second place on Gonzaga's career scoring list with 2,031 points. He again came up in key spots for the Bulldogs and still has a shot to break Frank Burgess' school record of 2,196 points.
Saint Mary's: The Gaels didn't get much from Johnson, who fouled out with 4:51 to play after shooting just 4 of 14 from the field for 12 points. But Mahaney carried them down the stretch to get the win.
UP NEXT
Gonzaga: Hosts San Francisco on Thursday night.
Saint Mary's: Visits Loyola Marymount on Thursday night.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Drew Timme vs. Mitchell Saxen (Bulldogs gains possession) | |||
19:37 | Drew Timme turnover (lost ball) (Logan Johnson steals) | |||
19:31 | +2 | Alex Ducas makes two point layup (Logan Johnson assists) | 0-2 | |
19:12 | Drew Timme misses two point jump shot | |||
19:10 | Logan Johnson defensive rebound | |||
18:49 | Alex Ducas turnover (lost ball) (Anton Watson steals) | |||
18:46 | +2 | Julian Strawther makes two point layup | 2-2 | |
18:46 | Alex Ducas shooting foul (Drew Timme draws the foul) | |||
18:46 | +1 | Julian Strawther makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 3-2 | |
18:35 | Aidan Mahaney turnover (bad pass) (Anton Watson steals) | |||
18:33 | Aidan Mahaney personal foul | |||
18:24 | Drew Timme misses two point jump shot | |||
18:22 | Mitchell Saxen defensive rebound | |||
18:12 | Julian Strawther personal foul | |||
17:57 | +2 | Mitchell Saxen makes two point layup | 3-4 | |
17:32 | +2 | Drew Timme makes two point layup | 5-4 | |
17:03 | Kyle Bowen misses three point jump shot | |||
17:01 | Julian Strawther defensive rebound | |||
16:49 | +3 | Nolan Hickman makes three point jump shot | 8-4 | |
16:23 | Logan Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
16:21 | Drew Timme defensive rebound | |||
16:09 | Kyle Bowen blocks Rasir Bolton's two point layup | |||
16:07 | Logan Johnson defensive rebound | |||
16:07 | Anton Watson personal foul | |||
15:43 | Alex Ducas misses two point layup | |||
15:41 | Drew Timme defensive rebound | |||
15:29 | Mitchell Saxen shooting foul (Drew Timme draws the foul) | |||
15:30 | TV timeout | |||
15:30 | +1 | Drew Timme makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 9-4 | |
15:30 | +1 | Drew Timme makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 10-4 | |
15:04 | Aidan Mahaney misses two point jump shot | |||
15:02 | Gaels offensive rebound | |||
14:52 | Aidan Mahaney misses three point jump shot | |||
14:33 | +2 | Malachi Smith makes two point jump shot | 12-4 | |
14:14 | +2 | Logan Johnson makes two point layup | 12-6 | |
13:57 | +2 | Rasir Bolton makes two point jump shot | 14-6 | |
13:35 | Logan Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
13:33 | Gaels offensive rebound | |||
13:26 | Aidan Mahaney misses two point jump shot | |||
13:24 | Ben Gregg defensive rebound | |||
13:07 | +2 | Drew Timme makes two point layup | 16-6 | |
12:54 | Rasir Bolton personal foul | |||
12:46 | +2 | Alex Ducas makes two point layup | 16-8 | |
12:25 | +3 | Ben Gregg makes three point jump shot (Hunter Sallis assists) | 19-8 | |
11:59 | Alex Ducas misses three point jump shot | |||
11:57 | Kyle Bowen offensive rebound | |||
11:56 | Hunter Sallis personal foul | |||
11:56 | TV timeout | |||
11:46 | Alex Ducas misses two point jump shot | |||
11:44 | Hunter Sallis defensive rebound | |||
11:23 | Ben Gregg misses three point jump shot | |||
11:21 | Efton Reid III personal foul | |||
11:09 | Augustas Marciulionis misses two point layup | |||
11:07 | Mitchell Saxen offensive rebound | |||
11:01 | +2 | Mitchell Saxen makes two point layup | 19-10 | |
10:39 | Efton Reid III misses two point jump shot | |||
10:37 | Aidan Mahaney defensive rebound | |||
10:25 | Augustas Marciulionis turnover (lost ball) (Nolan Hickman steals) | |||
10:06 | Nolan Hickman misses two point jump shot | |||
10:04 | Mitchell Saxen defensive rebound | |||
9:47 | Aidan Mahaney misses three point jump shot | |||
9:45 | Efton Reid III defensive rebound | |||
9:32 | Kyle Bowen personal foul | |||
9:20 | +2 | Hunter Sallis makes two point jump shot | 21-10 | |
8:47 | +3 | Kyle Bowen makes three point jump shot (Augustas Marciulionis assists) | 21-13 | |
8:38 | Kyle Bowen personal foul | |||
8:29 | Mitchell Saxen blocks Anton Watson's two point layup | |||
8:27 | Alex Ducas defensive rebound | |||
8:16 | Hunter Sallis blocks Logan Johnson's two point layup | |||
8:14 | Anton Watson defensive rebound | |||
8:05 | +2 | Anton Watson makes two point dunk | 23-13 | |
7:58 | +3 | Joshua Jefferson makes three point jump shot (Logan Johnson assists) | 23-16 | |
7:48 | +2 | Julian Strawther makes two point jump shot | 25-16 | |
7:24 | Logan Johnson misses two point layup | |||
7:22 | Drew Timme defensive rebound | |||
7:06 | +2 | Anton Watson makes two point layup | 27-16 | |
6:50 | +2 | Augustas Marciulionis makes two point layup | 27-18 | |
6:27 | Logan Johnson personal foul | |||
6:27 | TV timeout | |||
6:17 | Rasir Bolton misses two point layup | |||
6:15 | Mitchell Saxen defensive rebound | |||
5:53 | +2 | Mitchell Saxen makes two point layup (Augustas Marciulionis assists) | 27-20 | |
5:19 | Rasir Bolton misses two point jump shot | |||
5:17 | Kyle Bowen defensive rebound | |||
4:58 | Kyle Bowen misses three point jump shot | |||
4:56 | Julian Strawther defensive rebound | |||
4:55 | Mitchell Saxen personal foul | |||
4:55 | +1 | Julian Strawther makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 28-20 | |
4:55 | Julian Strawther misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
4:55 | Alex Ducas defensive rebound | |||
4:36 | Logan Johnson misses two point layup | |||
4:34 | Gaels offensive rebound | |||
4:22 | Logan Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
4:20 | Kyle Bowen offensive rebound | |||
4:07 | Alex Ducas turnover (bad pass) (Nolan Hickman steals) | |||
3:59 | Julian Strawther misses three point jump shot | |||
3:57 | Harry Wessels defensive rebound | |||
3:41 | Logan Johnson misses two point jump shot | |||
3:39 | Anton Watson defensive rebound | |||
3:21 | +2 | Drew Timme makes two point jump shot (Julian Strawther assists) | 30-20 | |
2:56 | +2 | Aidan Mahaney makes two point layup | 30-22 | |
2:35 | Julian Strawther misses two point layup | |||
2:33 | Alex Ducas defensive rebound | |||
2:26 | Aidan Mahaney misses three point jump shot | |||
2:24 | Harry Wessels offensive rebound | |||
2:24 | Julian Strawther personal foul | |||
2:24 | TV timeout | |||
2:24 | TV timeout | |||
2:13 | Aidan Mahaney misses three point jump shot | |||
2:11 | Hunter Sallis defensive rebound | |||
1:49 | Nolan Hickman misses two point layup | |||
1:47 | Kyle Bowen defensive rebound | |||
1:21 | Hunter Sallis blocks Alex Ducas's two point jump shot | |||
1:19 | Hunter Sallis defensive rebound | |||
1:14 | Aidan Mahaney personal foul | |||
1:15 | Hunter Sallis misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
1:15 | Alex Ducas defensive rebound | |||
0:57 | +2 | Harry Wessels makes two point layup | 30-24 | |
0:57 | Drew Timme shooting foul (Harry Wessels draws the foul) | |||
0:57 | Harry Wessels misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
0:57 | Malachi Smith defensive rebound | |||
0:44 | Logan Johnson shooting foul (Anton Watson draws the foul) | |||
0:44 | +1 | Anton Watson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 31-24 | |
0:44 | +1 | Anton Watson makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 32-24 | |
0:21 | Alex Ducas misses three point jump shot | |||
0:19 | Bulldogs defensive rebound | |||
0:19 | Bulldogs 30 second timeout | |||
0:02 | Malachi Smith misses two point jump shot | |||
0:00 | Luke Barrett defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
19:31 | +2 | Logan Johnson makes two point driving layup | 32-26 | |
19:12 | Alex Ducas personal foul (Julian Strawther draws the foul) | |||
19:00 | Anton Watson turnover (lost ball) (Kyle Bowen steals) | |||
18:42 | Nolan Hickman blocks Aidan Mahaney's two point jump shot | |||
18:40 | Rasir Bolton defensive rebound | |||
18:28 | Julian Strawther misses two point jump shot | |||
18:26 | Kyle Bowen defensive rebound | |||
18:18 | Alex Ducas misses three point jump shot | |||
18:16 | Drew Timme defensive rebound | |||
17:57 | +2 | Drew Timme makes two point layup | 34-26 | |
17:57 | Aidan Mahaney shooting foul (Drew Timme draws the foul) | |||