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No. 20 Saint Mary's looks to keep pace in WCC

Feb 18, 2008 - 5:45 PM No. 21 Saint Marys Ca (22-3) at Pepperdine (9-17) 10:00 pm EST

MALIBU, California (Ticker) - Saint Mary's hasn't won a conference title since 1996-97, but can continue its quest to change that on Monday against Pepperdine in a West Coast Conference game.

The Gaels (22-3, 9-1 WCC) are currently tied for first place with Gonzaga. Each team has four conference games remaining. San Diego sits a half-game back.

Saint Mary's has won five consecutive games, but plays three of its last four conference games on the road. The Gaels are coming off an 80-49 road rout of Loyola Marymount on Saturday.

Freshman guard Patrick Mills leads Saint Mary's at 14.7 points per game.

"This league is getting very tough, with Gonzaga and San Diego," said Mills, who went 4-for-7 from 3-point range Saturday. "We're all racing for the No. 1 spot. A lot of hard work still needs to be done."

The Waves (9-17, 3-7) are only 4-5 at home, but defeated Santa Clara at home on Saturday for their second straight win after a three-game losing streak.

Freshman guard Tyrone Shelley leads Pepperdine with 14.4 points per game. The Gaels won the first meeting of the season, 79-74, on January 19. The Waves have lost 10 consecutive games to ranked opponents.