Nov. 19, 2017
San Jose, Calif. --- Ryan Welage led the Spartans with 20 points, and Keith Fisher III pitched in a career-high 14 points, but No. 21 Saint Mary's took a close game and ran away with it for a 79-61 win inside The Event Center.
Welage and Fisher combined for 19 points in the first period while San José State kept in range with the preseason West Coast Conference favorite Gaels. Welage scored on consecutive Spartan possessions to make it a two-point game midway through the first half.
First Isaiah Nichols made a steal and got it ahead to Welage for a jumper. Then Welage did it all on his own with a physical drive to the basket where he had his first attempt blocked, but gathered the rebound and put it back in for an and-1. After converting the free throw it was a 14-13 lead for Saint Mary's with 13:33 left in the first.
Later, Noah Baumann's layup at the 3:36 mark made it 35-28 in favor of the Gaels, but Tanner Krebs answered right back with a 3-pointer that pushed the lead back to 10 points. Six of the nine threes in the game for Saint Mary's came in the first half.
Saint Mary's (4-0) returned four starters from last year's team which won 29 games, and it was that crew which punished the Spartans most. Jock Landale led the way with a game-high 22 points and his layup with 12:46 remaining gave the Gaels a 58-45 advantage.
Keith Fisher made a layup on SJSU's next possession, but Calvin Hermanson answered right back by nailing a three on a second-chance opportunity. The shot from deep made it a 14-point lead.
Hermanson finished with 14 points, as did Krebs. Cullen Neal scored 12 points and Emmitt Naar had 10 points and 12 assists for Saint Mary's.
After San José State turned the ball over 22 times in the last game at Southern Utah, the Spartans committed a season-low nine turnovers tonight. The two teams were even with 29 rebounds each. A big difference was Saint Mary's shot 9-of-22 from deep which SJSU made just 3-of-14 from long distance. The Gaels made 50.9 percent (28-55) of their shots, while the Spartans shot 45.5 percent (25-55).
San José State turns around to host Idaho State next week on Wednesday, Nov. 22, for a 7:00 p.m. (PT) tipoff.
Newspaper Box Score
Saint Mary's vs San José State
11/19/17 5:00 PM at San Jose, Calif. (The Event Center)
At San Jose, Calif. (The Event Center)
SAINT MARY'S 79, SAN JOSé STATE 61
SAINT MARY'S (4-0)
Landale,Jock 9-14 4-4 22; Krebs,Tanner 5-10 0-0 14; Hermanson,Calvin 5-8 2-3
14; Neal,Cullen 2-4 6-8 12; Naar,Emmett 4-8 2-2 10; Ford,Jordan 2-4 0-0 5;
Clark,Kyle 1-1 0-0 2; Fitzner,Evan 0-0 0-0 0; Kuhse,Tommy 0-0 0-0 0;
Thomas,Elijah 0-2 0-1 0; Perry,Jock 0-1 0-0 0; Hunter,Jordan 0-3 0-0 0.
Totals 28-55 14-18 79.
SAN JOSé STATE (1-3)
Welage, Ryan 9-15 1-1 20; FISHER, Keith 5-7 4-5 14; Barry, Oumar 5-12 1-4
11; Baumann, Noah 2-2 0-0 5; James, Jalen 2-6 0-0 5; Hillsman, Jaycee 1-6
2-2 4; Chastain, Ashtin 1-5 0-0 2; Simmons, Caleb 0-2 0-0 0; Nichols, Isaiah
0-0 0-0 0; Carlisle, Nai 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-55 8-12 61.
Saint Mary's.................. 43 36 - 79
San José State................ 33 28 - 61
3-point goals--Saint Mary's 9-22 (Krebs,Tanner 4-8; Neal,Cullen 2-3;
Hermanson,Calvin 2-4; Ford,Jordan 1-3; Thomas,Elijah 0-2; Perry,Jock 0-1;
Landale,Jock 0-1), San José State 3-14 (Baumann, Noah 1-1; James, Jalen 1-3;
Welage, Ryan 1-2; Hillsman, Jaycee 0-2; Chastain, Ashtin 0-2; Simmons, Caleb
0-1; Barry, Oumar 0-3). Fouled out--Saint Mary's-None, San José State-None.
Rebounds--Saint Mary's 29 (Landale,Jock 9), San José State 29 (NICHOLS,
Isaiah 6). Assists--Saint Mary's 18 (Naar,Emmett 12), San José State 17
(Nichols, Isaiah 4; Hillsman, Jaycee 4; James, Jalen 4). Total fouls--Saint
Mary's 12, San José State 18. Technical fouls--Saint Mary's-None, San José
State-None. A-2377