PORTLAND – With 10 seconds left in the game, E.J. Rowland connected on a five-foot floater in the lane, giving the Saint Mary’s Gaels a 73-72 edge over Portland tonight at the Chiles Center. Portland (14-10, 3-6 WCC) had a chance to win with just two seconds left, but could not convert, and ended its five-game home win streak as the Gaels (20-6, 7-2 WCC) claim a 2-0 sweep of the season series.

Saint Mary’s ended the game on an 11-3 run, but Portland held a nine-point lead at the 12 minute mark of the game and led for all but a minute and two seconds in the second half tonight. With just two seconds to go in the game, Pooh Jeter went up for a long three-pointer and the ball went sailing upright, which seemed to be tipped. No call was made either way and time expired in what was probably the biggest heartbreaking loss for Portland this season.

The Pilots did everything to win, shooting 56 percent from the field (27-48) and recording a season-best three-point field goal percentage (55 percent, 6-of-11). The Gaels also shot solid from the floor at 51 percent (27-53), but was held to 38 percent shooting from long range after making just 4-of-13 in the second half. The Gaels held the advantage in second chance scoring, 11-7, but Portland turned 13 SMC turnovers into 18 Pilot points. Portland’s bench also provided 21 points in the game, compared to Saint Mary’s 13. A strong physical presence in the paint allowed the Gaels to tack on 32 points down low and outrebound Portland, 27-22 for the game.

Jeter, who hit double figures for the seventh straight game, recorded 19 points in the effort, 14 in the second half alone. Ben Sullivan was the only other Pilot player to record double-figure scoring with 13 points. Karl Aaker, Darren Cooper and Marcus Lewis each added nine points in the game.

Paul Marigney led all players with 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field and 6-of-8 shooting from three-point range. Rowland ended with 16 points for the Gaels, while Daniel Kickert chipped in 12 points.

The Pilots played gutsy from the opening tip. Both teams turned the ball over on their first possession, but Rowland put Saint Mary’s on the board first with a reverse lay in with 18:49 left on the clock. Portland responded by establishing its post early on as Sullivan went to work and recorded back-to-back lay-ins for a 5-2 Pilot lead. The lead then changed four more times before the Gaels opened a 26-18 lead with just over eight minutes to go in the half. Back-to-back pull up 15-footers by Aaker got Portland to within four points, and then with just over four minutes left, a coast-to-coast lay up by Wilson made it a one-point game. Portland tied the game at 35 on two freebies by Aaker, but a Rowland floater at the buzzer gave the Gales a 37-35 edge at the break. It would be the first time the Pilots have trailed at home at halftime since Dec. 20 against Winthrop.

Saint Mary’s dominance on the boards was the difference in the first half of play. The Gaels had almost twice as many rebounds as Portland (14-8) and outscored the Pilots in the paint, 16-12. Portland had a better shooting percentage from the floor, 59 percent compared to SMC’s 54 percent, but attempted just five long range shots in the first half. Saint Mary’s long range shooting was a lethal 46 percent (5-of-11) as Marigney was a perfect 4-of-4 from three-point range.

Marigney led all scorers with 14 first half points, while Portland’s Sullivan and Aaker tacked on nine each.

The Pilots travel to Los Angeles next week to take on Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine. On Feb. 10, Portland will face the Lions at 7:05 p.m. at Gersten Pavilion and on Feb. 12 at 7:00 p.m., the Pilots will meet the Waves in Malibu, Calif.