MORAGA, Calif. -- Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett typically relies heavily on his starters for offensive production, but the 19th-ranked Gaels changed the script Saturday night.

Saint Mary's reserves nearly outscored its starters, and redshirt freshman Tanner Krebs came off the bench to provide the pivotal points in the Gaels' 72-60 victory over San Diego in a West Coast Conference game.

Starting center Jock Landale had 14 points and nine rebounds for the Gaels (12-1, 2-0 WCC), and Brett Bailey scored a game-high 19 points for San Diego (7-7, 0-2).

But the difference was the Saint Mary's bench. The substitutes scored 35 points for the Gaels compared with 37 for the starters. And Krebs hit all four of his 3-point attempts to finish with 12 points.

"Nobody on their roster is a bum," San Diego coach Lamont Smith said.

Certainly not Krebs. He had appeared in only 10 of the Gaels' 12 previous games and averaged just 8.4 minutes and 3.0 points in those. But he provided offense when the Gaels were struggling early.

The Gaels' bench players outscored their starters in the first half, which ended with Saint Mary's leading 33-25.

Krebs' three first-half 3-pointers were instrumental in Saint Mary's taking command late in the half, as the Gaels lengthened a one-point lead with 5:10 left to eight points at the intermission.

"Last four minutes of the half, the game got away from us," Smith said. "Krebs came in and busted up the game."

Saint Mary's reserves scored 18 of the team's 33 first-half points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field, including 4 of 4 from long range.

"Tanner came in and gave us a huge lift when the starters weren't scoring," Bennett said. "Our bench really helped us out tonight."

The season did not start out as well for Krebs, who was just 3 of 19 from 3-point range in Saint Mary's first nine games. But in the past four games he has made 9 of 14 from long range.

So does Krebs expect to see more playing time now?

"If I keep hitting four 3s in a game, then maybe," said Krebs, one of seven Australians on the Gaels' roster.

Krebs had no particular explanation for his improved shooting.

"Just more confidence, and coach has given me the green light," he said. "Lately I've been practicing well, shooting well."

Another key performer off the bench was Jordan Ford, who scored 12 points and hit 3 of 4 3-point shots. One of his 3-pointers came amid the Gaels' late first-half surge.

For the game, Saint Mary's starters were 12 of 31 from the field, including 1 of 7 from 3-point range, and the reserves were 12 of 16 from the floor and 6 of 8 from long range.

San Diego trailed by just three points three minutes into the second half, but three-point plays by Calvin Hermanson and Emmett Naar during a 15-5 run helped the Gaels expand the margin to 13 points with 10:53 remaining.

Krebs' final 3-pointer increased the Gaels' lead to 55-41 with 8:01 left and the Toreros never threatened thereafter.

NOTES: San Diego coach Lamont Smith was a Saint Mary's assistant under current Gaels coach Randy Bennett for six seasons (2001-2007). ... Saint Mary's entered the game ranked third in the nation in scoring defense, yielding 57.7 points per game. ... San Diego had its five-game winning streak halted on Thursday in its 80-74 loss to San Francisco in its conference opener. ... Saint Mary's has won the past six meeting with San Diego. ... San Diego's next game is at home against Pacific on Thursday. Saint Mary's hosts BYU the same day.