NASSAU, The Bahamas (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive grit and offensive persistence rather than shooting efficiency, the Saint Mary’s Gaels remained undefeated, edging the Wichita State Shockers 70-65 on Wednesday at Imperial Arena.

The Gaels, now 7-0, never trailed but were never able to comfortably pull away from a determined Shockers squad that fell to 4-2. The contest was a battle of attrition, with both teams struggling from the perimeter. Saint Mary’s shot a paltry 2 of 16 from three-point range, while Wichita State managed only 4 of 14.

The difference came down to execution in the paint, at the free-throw line, and on the glass. Saint Mary’s outscored Wichita State 32-28 in the paint and, crucially, outrebounded the Shockers on the offensive end 11 to 6, leading to multiple second-chance opportunities. The Gaels also capitalized at the charity stripe, making 22 of 26 attempts compared to Wichita State’s 15 of 19.

Paulius Murauskas, a 6-foot-8 forward from Kaunas, Lithuania, led all scorers with 20 points for Saint Mary’s, consistently finding success with his hook shot in the lane. He was complemented by Mikey Lewis of Oakland, California, who added 15 points, and Andrew McKeever of Livermore, California, who anchored the interior with 13 points and a pair of blocks.

Wichita State was led by a balanced attack. Kenyon Giles and TJ Williams each scored 15 points, while Karon Boyd, Dre Kindell and Emmanuel Okorafor all chipped in 10 points apiece. Okorafor also provided a significant defensive presence with two blocks.

The game’s tempo was deliberate, with Saint Mary’s scoring 70 points on 69 possessions for an offensive rating of 100.9. Wichita State was less efficient, posting 65 points on 72 possessions for an offensive rating of 90.2. The Shockers’ 13 turnovers also proved costly, leading to 13 points for the Gaels.

Saint Mary’s built a narrow 33-31 halftime lead behind the inside work of Murauskas and McKeever. The second half followed a similar pattern, with the Gaels maintaining a slim advantage. Every time Wichita State threatened to draw even, Saint Mary’s would answer with a key basket or a trip to the free-throw line.

A late push by the Shockers made it a one-possession game in the final minute. With 1:16 remaining, Dre Kindell hit a three-pointer off an assist from Kenyon Giles to pull Wichita State within 65-62. After a Saint Mary’s miss, the Shockers had a chance to tie, but could not convert.

The Gaels iced the game in the final seconds at the free-throw line, with Joshua Dent and Paulius Murauskas combining to make four consecutive foul shots to secure the five-point victory.

The game was part of a multi-team event at Imperial Arena, with an announced attendance of 640. Saint Mary’s will face Virginia Tech on Thursday, while Wichita State is set to take on Colorado State.