Saint Mary’s posts 78-73 win at Oregon
Weber State and Idaho dribble to victory
Thursday, December 18, 2008 10:49 AM PST
EUGENE (AP) — Patrick Mills heated up in the final minutes to finish with 22 points, leading Saint Mary’s to a 78-73 victory over Oregon on Wednesday.
Diamon Simpson added 16 points and a career-high 18 rebounds for the Gaels (8-1), who surrendered all of a 12-point second-half lead before holding on down the stretch.
Tajuan Porter led Oregon (4-6) with 16 points. Kamyron Brown added a season-high 15 points for the Ducks and Joevan Catron had 11 points and 10 rebounds. Oregon has lost five of six.
As a freshman last season, Mills torched the then-No. 11 Ducks for 37 points in a 99-87 victory at Saint Mary’s. Mills seemed poised for another big game when he made three quick jumpers to open the game, but his shooting cooled off until he scored 10 of the Gaels’ last 16 points.
Mills finished 9-of-10 from the free-throw line and added six assists.
The loss was Oregon’s second in as many games to a West Coast Conference team. The Ducks fell to San Diego, 64-57, last Saturday.
The Ducks host another WCC team, the University of Portland, on Saturday.
Weber St. 70, UC Santa Barbara 63
OGDEN (AP) — Steve Panos scored a career-high 21 points to help Weber State defeat UC Santa Barbara 70-63 on Wednesday night.
Panos was 8-of-11 from the field and 5-of-7 from the free throw line as the Wildcats (5-4) won their third straight game. Daviin Davis and Nick Hansen added 13 points apiece, while Kellen McCoy finished with 12.
Weber State went on an 11-1 run near the end of the first half and went into the break with a 37-29 lead.
Chris Devine hit back-to-back jumpers for the Gauchos (5-5) to cut the Wildcats’ lead to 65-60 with 1:34 remaining, and then converted on a three-point play to bring Santa Barbara to within 67-63 with 34 seconds left.
But McCoy made three free throws in the final 32 seconds to seal the win.
Idaho 81, South Carolina St. 68
MOSCOW (AP) — Mac Hopson led Idaho with 18 points and the Vandals used two key runs early in the second half to beat South Carolina State 81-68 Wednesday night.
The Vandals (5-5) lost to the Bulldogs (5-5) a week ago in Orangeburg, S.C., by a score of 66-59.
Hopson’s total included hitting 7-of-8 from the free throw line. He also had six assists and just one turnover. Kashif Watson added 15 points for Idaho while Brandon Wiley had 13 points and led the Vandals with nine rebounds.
Jason Johnson led the Bulldogs with 15 points, going 6-of-8 from the floor.
South Carolina State turned the ball over 20 times compared to Idaho’s nine.
Idaho led 37-30 at halftime.
Cal Poly 65, Portland St. 62
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (AP) — Chaz Thomas scored 21 points and hit two free throws with six seconds left to help Cal Poly beat Portland State 65-62 Wednesday.
Trae Clark added 16 points for the Mustangs (3-5), who overcame four ties and 14 lead changes.
Lorenzo Keeler hit a 3 with 10:24 left to stretch Cal Poly’s lead to 52-43. The Vikings answered with a 19-9 run to take a 62-61 lead, capped by Andre Murray’s 3-pointer with 52 seconds left.
Clark regained the lead for Cal Poly with a 14-foot jumper, and Thomas grabbed a missed 3-point attempt on the Vikings’ next possession. He was fouled and hit both free throws for the final margin.
Jeremiah Dominguez led Portland State (7-3) with 22 points.
Portland State led by seven points late in the first half before Cal Poly went on a 10-0 run for a 36-33 halftime lead.
