SEATTLE, WA — No. 25 Saint Martin's Men's Basketball (18-6, 7-4 GNAC) faced the Seattle Pacific Falcons on Saturday in a GNAC road contest.

The game opened with a fast tempo as both teams traded buckets in a thrilling opening stretch. Jaden Nielsen-Skinner and Marcel Stevens set the tone early for the Saints, showcasing their two-way dominance—snagging steals, draining deep threes, and finishing through heavy contact. The Falcons, unfazed, responded by catching fire from beyond the arc, forcing the Saints to step up their defensive intensity. Despite Seattle Pacific's hot shooting—knocking down an impressive 54% from three—Myles Samuels kept the Saints in the fight, exploiting mismatches and proving his offensive versatility. As the halftime buzzer sounded, the Saints clung to a narrow 35-34 lead.

Coming out of the break, the Saints looked to establish control. Samuels and Gavin Gilstrap executed a flawless pick-and-roll, with Gilstrap hammering down a powerful dunk to set the tone for the second half. The intensity never wavered, as both teams continued to trade stops and tough buckets. However, a few costly turnovers allowed the Falcons to capitalize, igniting a late run that pushed their lead to 65-56 with just two minutes remaining. Refusing to back down, the Saints turned up the pressure. Senior guard Nielsen-Skinner took matters into his own hands, slicing through the defense for a clutch finish at the rim. With under a minute left, the Saints executed perfectly, freeing Stevens for an open three, making it a six-point game, 67-61. Despite the late surge, the Falcons held their ground, sinking their free throws to seal a hard-fought 72-65 victory.

Nielsen-Skinner finished with a game-high 19 points, shooting an efficient 50% from the field and beyond the arc. Samuels recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Stevens contributed 10 points and three steals in a gritty effort.

SMU Men's Basketball will be back in action on Saturday, February 8th as they host Western Oregon. You can get tickets for the contest here, and secure your spot at the Warming Up With The Saints pregame at 2:00 PM by clicking here.