MORAGA, Calif. (AP) Calvin Hermanson scored 24 points and sparked a pair of big runs with his 3-point shooting as No. 22 Saint Mary’s pulled away to beat Saint Francis (Pa.) 85-68 on Saturday.
Jock Landale had 13 points and eight rebounds, Evan Fitzner added 10 points and Emmett Naar scored eight with a career-high 12 assists to help Saint Mary’s to its 16th consecutive season-opening win.
Earlier in the week the Gaels signed coach Randy Bennett to a 10-year extension through 2026-27. Saint Mary’s went 29-5 last season.
Hermanson made sure Bennett got to celebrate his new deal on a good note by going 5 of 6 from beyond the arc. He scored eight consecutive points as part of a 12-0 run late in the first half then made two 3s during a 10-0 spurt in the second half when the Gaels extended their lead to 18.
Saint Francis, which last beat a ranked team in 1959, couldn’t keep up.
Jamaal King had 15 points, Isaiah Blackmon scored 12 and Keith Braxton added 10 for the Red Flash, the preseason favorites to win the Northeast Conference after finishing 17-17 in 2016.
BIG PICTURE
Saint Francis: The Red Flash made the Gaels sweat early but had trouble after halftime on both ends. The good news is that Blackmon and Braxton look ready to pick up where they left off last season. The bad? Coach Rob Krimmel’s team was outrebounded 36-22.
Saint Mary’s: The Gaels did a good job moving and sharing the ball with 24 assists, a staple of Bennett’s teams. Hermanson’s perimeter shooting kept the offense flowing until Landale found his flow in the paint.
UP NEXT
Saint Francis: Stays in Northern California to play at San Francisco on Monday.
Saint Mary’s: Hosts New Mexico State on Monday night. The Gaels are 4-1 all-time against the Aggies, including a 58-56 win in the first-round of the NIT two years ago.
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