MORAGA, Calif. (AP) - Joe Rahon scored a season-high 24 points and helped spark a big run in the second half to lead Saint Mary’s California to a 78-61 win over Stanford on Sunday night.
Emmett Naar added 15 points, including a pair of 3-pointers down the stretch, and Evan Fitzner had 15 points for the Gaels (3-0), who beat the Cardinal for the first time in 31 years.
Rahon, the Gaels junior point guard who sat out all of last season after transferring from Boston College, went 11 of 16 from the floor and had six rebounds and three assists. His layup with 2 minutes remaining gave Saint Mary’s a 73-56 lead.
The Gaels trailed by four at halftime but went on a 12-0 run midway through the second half to pull away.
Reid Travis had a career-high 18 points and seven rebounds for Stanford (2-2).
Saint Mary’s opened the season with blowout wins over San Francisco State and Manhattan but had not beaten Stanford since an overtime win at McKeon Pavilion on Dec. 18, 1984.
The Gaels took care of this one in regulation, pulling away for their third consecutive win by 17 points or more.
Rahon scored seven consecutive points in the second half to erase a 45-42 Stanford lead and put Saint Mary’s ahead for good in the first game between these two schools since 2002.
The Cardinal, which led 37-33 at halftime, couldn’t get much going after the break.
Travis scored down low to cut the Gaels’ lead to 62-54 but Saint Mary’s got back-to-back layups from Kyle Clark and Rahon followed by Naar’s second 3-pointer of the game.
Saint Mary’s had no answer for Allen in the first half.
Playing in just his second game after sitting out the start of the season with a foot injury, Allen made all six of his shots - including a pair of 3-pointers - and Stanford went on mini run with six minutes left to take a 37-33 halftime lead.
Rahon scored 11 points early to help keep Saint Mary’s close.
TIP-INS
Stanford: The Cardinal went into the game averaging more than 90 points a game. . Stanford leads the all-time series between the two schools 40-16.
St. Mary’s: The Gaels missed four of their first five shots before making six straight. . Saint Mary’s is 47-4 at home in its last 51 games against non-conference opponents
UP NEXT
Stanford: Will play Villanova on Thursday in Brooklyn, N.Y. (NIT Season Tip-Off).
St. Mary’s: Hosts Cal State-Bakersfield on Nov. 29.
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