SAN DIEGO — WCC play got underway Thursday evening, as the Gaels (10-6, 1-0 WCC) hit the road south to take on the San Diego Toreros (10-6, 0-1 WCC). In a contest in which the Toreros threw everything they had at the Gaels offensively, it was Saint Mary's who prevailed, 81-70, leading wire to wire. The win was Saint Mary's 19th consecutive victory over San Diego.
The Gaels never trailed in the first half, but the pesky Toreros, led by a 23 point first half from Deuce Turner, never let Saint Mary's get comfortable. The Gaels opened the game on a 17-6 run, before the Toreros sparked a 14-4 run of their own to cut the deficit to one.