Sunday, March 9th, 11:30 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Jenny Craig Pavilion (5,100) -- San Diego, California. Television: ESPN2. Home Record: San Diego 10-5, Saint Mary's 15-1. Away Record: San Diego 7-6, Saint Mary's 6-4. Neutral Record: San Diego 2-2, Saint Mary's 4-0. Conference Record: San Diego 11-3, Saint Mary's 12-2. Series Record: San Diego leads, 33-31.

GAME NOTES: The second-seeded Saint Mary's-CA Gaels are set to do battle with the third-seeded San Diego Toreros in the semifinal round of the West Coast Conference Tournament. Awaiting the winner of this clash is a matchup with either top-seeded Gonzaga or fourth-seeded Santa Clara in the championship game tomorrow night. San Diego captured the championship of this event for the first and only time in 2003 and is 18-19 all-time at the tournament. The Toreros moved to 19-13 overall this season with a 73-55 decision over Pepperdine last night in the quarterfinal round. Saint Mary's captured its only WCC Tournament title back in 1997, and the team is 17-20 all-time at this event. The Gaels, who have spent some time in the top-25 this season, finished 12-2 against league competition during the regular season, just one game back of Gonzaga. Still, the second seed earned a squad a bye to this semifinal round, so expect the players to be well-rested. San Diego and Saint Mary's split a pair of regular-season meetings, and the Toreros own a narrow 33-31 edge in the all-time series.

De'Jon Jackson certainly picked an opportune time to have the best game of his collegiate career, as the San Diego forward scored 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the floor, including 4-of-6 from three-point range, to lead the Toreros to victory over Pepperdine yesterday. Brandon Johnson hit 5-of-7 shots from behind the arc and finished with 17 points, while Rob Jones had 16 points and 15 rebounds. Without question, a major key to the victory for San Diego was a dominant 45-25 rebounding advantage, including 18-9 on the offensive glass. Both Johnson and Gyno Pomare are first-team All-WCC performers. Johnson is scoring 16.8 ppg this season to go along with 113 assists and 71 steals, and Pomare adds 13.4 ppg and 7.2 rpg to the mix.

At 6-0 and 175 pounds, Saint Mary's point guard Patrick Mills isn't physically imposing by any means, but he has been tremendous productive as a freshman. Mills is scoring 14.4 ppg to go along with 3.5 apg and 54 steals, and he is certainly surrounded by some outstanding talent. Diamon Simpson is a 6-7 junior forward who is posting 13.5 ppg on 56.3 percent shooting from the field, and he is ripping down 9.5 rpg to go along with 51 blocks. As for Omar Samhan, he is contributing 10.8 ppg and 7.4 rpg. The Gaels are scoring 76.3 ppg as a unit, and they are limiting the opposition to 62.8 ppg on 40.4 percent shooting from the field.

Saint Mary's is poised for a trip to the title game where the Gaels will likely meet Gonzaga. Expect Mills and company to get the job done this evening.

Predicted Outcome

Saint Mary's-CA 78, San Diego 70