WCAC Roundup : St. Mary’s Applies the Clamps, Beats Up on Santa Clara, 53-34

Dan Curry had 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as St. Mary’s rebounded from its first West Coast Athletic Conference defeat by beating Santa Clara, 53-34, Saturday night at Moraga, Calif.

Santa Clara (13-6 overall, 2-4 in the WCAC) held an 18-16 lead with 3:24 remaining in the first half, but the Gaels (17-2, 5-1) held the Broncos scoreless for the next 13 minutes 22 seconds.

St. Mary’s, upset by USF Friday night, built its lead to 36-18 with 10:02 left and never led by fewer than 13 points the rest of the way.

Jens Gordon led Santa Clara with 8 points. Robert Haugen and David Carter each added 9 for St. Mary’s.

San Diego 69, San Francisco 64--Freshman Wayman Strickland scored 17 points and hit a big 3-pointer late in the game as the Toreros surprised the Dons at San Diego to snap a 7-game losing streak.

Strickland’s long-range jumper capped a 7-0 run that gave the Toreros (6-12, 1-5) a 63-56 lead with 2:09 left.

Kevin Mouton had 15 points and Joel DeBortoli added 14 for the Dons (10-9, 2-4), but star center Mark McCathrion was held to 10 points and fouled out late in the game. Freshman Gylan Dottin had 16 points and 8 rebounds, and Craig Cotrrell added 15 points for the Toreros.

Gonzaga 76, Portland 66--Doug Spradley had 20 points, including 5 during a decisive 14-5 fourth-quarter run at Portland, Ore., as the Bulldogs handed the Pilots their 18th loss in 19 games.

Gonzaga is 12-7 overall, 3-3 in conference play. Portland is 1-5 in the WCAC.