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Simpson, Saint Mary's blast Loyola Marymount

Jan 22, 2008 - 7:46 AM MORAGA, California (Ticker) -- Diamon Simpson scored 21 points and Omar Samhan had 19 and 10 rebounds as No. 24 Saint Mary's posted a convincing 87-55 victory over Loyola Marymount in a West Coast Conference matchup on Monday.

Freshmen Patrick Mills poured in 11 points for the Gaels, who jumped to a 40-26 advantage in the first half behind a blistering 56 percent (17-of-30) shooting from the field.

The 6-11 Samhan was huge in the paint despite picking up two early fouls through the first six minutes, helping Saint Mary's hold a 42-27 edge on the glass.

Saint Mary's (16-2, 3-0 WCC) continued to increase its lead after the break as Simpson scored eight points during a 19-0 run to open the second half for a 59-30 bulge at the 14:09 mark.

Simpson, who connected on 7-of-8 shots, not only played stellar on offense but also came up big on the defensive end with three blocks and three steals.

The Gaels have dominated the Lions (4-16, 1-3) over the last few seasons, winning three straight meetings and six of the past eight overall.

Saint Mary's scored 29 points off 19 turnovers by Loyola Marymount, which has dropped five consecutive games away from home.

Quentin Turner scored 14 points and Orlando Johnson chipped in 11 for Loyola Marymount, which shot just 37 percent (20-of-53) en route to its ninth setback in 10 games.