Dec. 28, 2006

Final Stats

Moraga, Calif. - Western Carolina freshman Nick Aldridge scored a career-high 28 points, while Jake Robinson and Negus McKenna combined to make all 10 shots between them. However, clinging to a five-point lead with 1:43 left in the contest, homestanding Saint Mary's made 13-of-14 free throws inside the final 1:22 to claim a 93-82 victory Thursday night in the Fourth Annual Shamrock Office Solutions Classic, played at McKeon Pavilion. The Catamounts will now face Rice, who features the nation's leading scorer in Morris Almond and fell by two points (87-85) to Belmont in game one Thursday, in the consolation game on Friday at 5 pm (PT), which is 8 pm (ET), and can be followed live on Gametracker.

The Catamounts, down 13 (7-61) with 5:34 left in the contest, trimmed their deficit to five (80-75) with a 14-6 run. The run was sparked thanks to a technical foul called on Saint Mary's at the 5:10 mark. Kyle Greathouse sank 1-of-2 free throws and Antonio Russell would score six points. Western would have a chance to get closer, forcing a turnover, but, SMC guard Wayne Hunter got the ball back with a steal and he gave the ball up to Ian O'Leary, who was fouled. O'Leary sank both free throws, Hunter sank six and O'Leary made two more to help secure the victory.

Both Western and Saint Mary's shot 57.7 percent from the field, but the Gaels made 27-of-37 from the line, while Western was 13-of-17 at the charity stripe.

In the first half, which both teams shot an even 60 percent from the field, the lead changed hands 11 times. While the first half was close, the Gaels got a 3-pointer and a layup from O'Leary inside the final 34 seconds of the period to go up nine (43-34), which was the largest lead of the half. After a Catamount timeout with five seconds left, Aldridge got open on the inbounds play for a layup to make the score 43-36 at the break.

The Gaels' were not phased and opened the second half with an O'Leary free throw and a Hunter layup for a 10-point cushion. Saint Mary's would eventually take an 18-point lead (62-44) after two Todd Golden free throws at the 12:42 mark. McKenna answered with a 3-pointer as part of a 14-5 Catamount run, trimming their deficit to eight with 8:59 remaining.

Saint Mary's pushed its lead back to as many as 13 on an O'Leary dunk with 5:34 left. The Gaels would get two free throws from Diamon Simpson and a jumper by Hunter with 3:56 with that basket being SMC's last field goal of the contest. Over the final 2:01, Saint Mary's connected on 15-of-18 free throws for the win.

For Western, Aldridge, who had four assists, sank 11-of-19 shots from the field, including a 3-pointer, and was 5-of-5 from the free throw line, adding eight rebounds. Robinson, getting his second start in as many games, scored 18 points and was 6-of-6 from the field, including 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. McKenna, who scored 11 points, was 4-of-4 from the field, three of which were treys. Russell added 11 points.

Saint Mary's was led by Hunter's 21 points and O'Leary's 20. Simpson added 17 points, while Golden contributed 13 points and five assists. O'Leary also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.