GAME NOTES: The Saint Mary's Gaels wrap up a three-game homestand tonight, as they host the Loyola Marymount Lions in West Coast Conference play at McKeon Pavilion. The Gaels enter the contest a perfect 10-0 at McKeon Pavilion and that includes back-to-back wins against WCC foes on their current homestand. The most recent of the team's victories came on Saturday, a 79-74 triumph over Pepperdine. It was the third win in a row for SMC, which ran its overall mark to 15-2. As for LMU, it kicked off a three-game road trip on Saturday with a poor showing in a 58-35 setback at Santa Clara. The 35 points marked a season low for the Lions, who fell to 4-15 overall and 2-7 on the road. Carrying just a 1-2 record in league play, LMU will conclude its road swing at Pepperdine on Saturday. As for the all-time series, SMC owns a 72-51 advantage over LMU and it swept both meetings a season ago.

The Lions shot a horrific 33.3 percent from the floor, including a poor 4-of-21 showing from long range, as they were blown out at Santa Clara on Saturday. The team also turned the ball over 17 times and that resulted in 22 points for Santa Clara. Shawn Deadwiler paced the team in defeat with 11 points, while Orlando Johnson was held to five points and a eight rebounds. For the season, Johnson ranks as the team's top scorer (12.8 ppg) and rebounder (5.4 rpg) and he is shooting 35.4 percent from long range. Deadwiler is next in line with 10.2 ppg, although he is making good on just 36.0 percent of his field goal attempts. As a team, LMU is scoring only 63.4 ppg this season, while giving up a much higher 78.6 ppg.

The Gaels sank 41.8 percent of their attempts from the floor and 15-of-21 at the foul line, as they outlasted Pepperdine this past weekend. SMC also outscored Pepperdine in the paint, 38-28, in addition to forcing 18 turnovers. Diamon Simpson led the charge with a double-double that consisted of 17 points and 14 rebounds. Tron Smith posted 15 points off the bench, while Ian O'Leary and Patrick Mills chipped in with 10 points apiece. For the season, Mills tops the roster in scoring at 15.1 ppg and he is also dishing out a team-best 4.1 apg. Simpson nearly averages a double-double with 12.8 ppg and a team-high 9.5 rpg, while Omar Samhan adds 11.2 ppg and 7.2 rpg to the rotation. Overall, SMC is producing a hardy 77.9 ppg behind 46.5 percent shooting from the field this season.

SMC is clearly the more talented team from top-to-bottom, so expect it to run over a LMU club that has struggled this season.