Saint Mary's closed the first half on a 14-2 run that snowballed into the second half, and the Gaels ran past Southern California, 71-36, in the second game of Thursday's Acrisure Classic in Palm Desert, Calif. Saint Mary's (7-0) took control with its ability to attack the rim, starting with Jordan Ross. Ross scored the Gaels' first eight points after halftime, getting into the lane off the dribble effectively. He scored 15 points, shooting 6-for-9 from the floor to help pace Saint Mary's overwhelming 48-18 advantage for points in the paint. The Gaels' edge on the interior translated to the glass as well, with Saint Mary's outrebounding USC, 46-23.
Saint Mary’s shuts down USC, romps to 71-36 win
